Servicing your own car - FSH

Steve059

Personally, I'd prefer a file of receipts to any number of rubber stamps.

Retrogamer

I do all the services myself on my cars.

Normally things like oil, air and fuel filters i'll buy OEM from a dealer or similar. As long as they meet OEM or better specs though it shouldn't really matter but i never touch unbranded parts.

I stick to the services like clockwork normally. Coolant flush 5 years if long life, 2 if not.
Engine oil + filter every 5,000 miles or 6 months, whatever is sooner
Air filter, pollen & fuel filter every 12k or yearly
Brake fluid flush - every 2 years
Timing belt kit + water pump (Always OEM!) every 5 years or 40k on most cars
Gearbox oil - Varies but on my old 106 i used to change it every year / 12k miles

I make sure i keep all the receipts and when i do the work, type it into a note on the PC print it off, staple the receipts to it and pop it in with the rest of the service history.

(I don't work in a garage)

Joe_Horner

boyse7en wrote: »

I don't think home servicing an older vehicle will dramatically reduce its value. But, in my opinion, if you home service you cannot claim a 'full service history'.
.

Why not?

A full service history is just that - a history of all the servicing it's had. If that means "one oil change and a fan belt in 15 years" then, as long as that's all it's had, it would be perfectly legitimate to describe it as "full service history"

As others have said, there's a very good argument for saying that detailed history of the parts / fluids etc used (or at least bought) is more valuable than a dealer stamping a book to say "yeah, we looked at it. Seemed ok".

Rolandtheroadie

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Why not?

A full service history is just that - a history of all the servicing it's had. If that means "one oil change and a fan belt in 15 years" then, as long as that's all it's had, it would be perfectly legitimate to describe it as "full service history"

Yes and my 1 careful owner car is exactly that. Dont know how the other 13 owners treated it though.

forgotmyname

Its been serviced properly so why is it not a full service history?

Probably gets a better service than an oil change and a stamp in the book. But a list of jobs that need doing.

Check the service schedule on some of the fast fit sites. Your 3100 or so service = an oil change and a check of everything else.
As mentioned above all the filters maybe long overdue changing but that doesnt matter as long as they stamp the book.

Captain_Flack.

bigjl wrote: »

For many years i have done all the oil and filter changes on my vehicles.

If the car is fairly new and high value it may make some difference.

But as has been said if you sell your car with itemised proof of what you have done it will show the buyer how well it has been looked after.

My current car has full main dealer history but when i checked the air filter it was filthy and a vacuum pipe displaced from the housing.

If you like keeping some history take it to the dealer once a year and do the rest yourself.

You will save money by just doing stuff like brakes yourself.

How to add to a jags huge depreciation, work on it at home.

attila_

forgotmyname wrote: »

Its been serviced properly so why is it not a full service history?

Probably gets a better service than an oil change and a stamp in the book. But a list of jobs that need doing.

Check the service schedule on some of the fast fit sites. Your 3100 or so service = an oil change and a check of everything else.
As mentioned above all the filters maybe long overdue changing but that doesnt matter as long as they stamp the book.

The issue is a buyer has no guarantee of what skill level the work has been done. I've read plenty of threads on car forums about people over-tightening oil filters, ripping threads off spark plugs etc. these are simple jobs but some 'home mechanics' can get these wrong.

As a buyer i'd like reassurance that its been done by a garage.


I do all my own servicing by the way and accept the fact that i can't sell with full service history.

londonTiger

i dont know whether it will affect the value of the car if it's self serviced. I'm inclined to think it will.

More importantly it will affect the sellability, most buyers will be skeptical about claims that the car was serviced by the owner. And are likely to go for a car with full dealer service when all else is the same.

So you will have to lower your asking price to compete with other cars with full dealer service./

It depends though, if the car is less than 4 years old a full dealer service is a must. If it's a 10 year old runabout almost all of them that age will be done by indies with hand written receipts that get lost and owners who do basic oil c& filter changes themselves so it doesn't really matter whether it was dealer serviced or not.

goonarmy

attila_ wrote: »

The issue is a buyer has no guarantee of what skill level the work has been done. I've read plenty of threads on car forums about people over-tightening oil filters, ripping threads off spark plugs etc. these are simple jobs but some 'home mechanics' can get these wrong.

As a buyer i'd like reassurance that its been done by a garage.


I do all my own servicing by the way and accept the fact that i can't sell with full service history.

Niave to say that. Attempt it next time you sell explaining you do the servicing and the potential punter will de ide whqt weight that holds. Gotta be worth a try.

goonarmy

attila_ wrote: »

The issue is a buyer has no guarantee of what skill level the work has been done. I've read plenty of threads on car forums about people over-tightening oil filters, ripping threads off spark plugs etc. these are simple jobs but some 'home mechanics' can get these wrong.

As a buyer i'd like reassurance that its been done by a garage.


I do all my own servicing by the way and accept the fact that i can't sell with full service history.

Niave to say that. Attempt it next time you sell explaining you do the servicing and the potential punter will decide what weight that holds. Gotta be worth a try.