Servicing your own car - FSH

attila_

I say this with experience of a family in the motor trade with over 30 years. I've sold cars and bought cars personally.

I wouldn't say naive.

There are ways to put trust in possible buyers such as if you were to have a blog/thread of a car build which is quite common with modders. Depending on how well this is done you can build quite a good name which can add value and evidence of a competent mechanic.

1886

I find it laughable that there's people on here that consider themselves in the same league as a fully qualified and trained technician.
Just because you've gone to your local car store and bought an oil filter and done the job yourself means nothing to me. Your work comes with no guarantee and the parts you use are most probably a cheap copy. A main dealer uses genuine parts, the parts they use come with a warranty as does the work that has been carried out.
People who use main dealers do so because they have confidence in them, they don't do it for the cheapest option. If I went to buy a car that was advertised for sale as having had a FSH and then I found out the seller had done it themselves I'd consider that as adding no value, how do I know it's been done correctly? Main dealer techs have had years of training

Joe_Horner

1886 wrote: »

I find it laughable that there's people on here that consider themselves in the same league as a fully qualified and trained technician.

I find it laughable that there's people on here who believe that a fully qualified and trained technician will necessarily do a better job than someone who's mechanically competent and has a personal stake in the car, rather than shoving it through as fast as possible in order to get the next one in and charge out more hours than there are in a day thanks to standard "book" hours.

But maybe that's just me :beer:

tired_dad

I have personal experience with this. Have sold a few cars which I self serviced. All were cars which I would consider 'highish end' i.e. full new prices of 30-45k and were sold at about 4-5y of age.

It made no difference whatsoever. I observed the following rules

1. Purchase genuine parts and keep all receipts.
2. Write service entries into the service book
3. Keep a record of the exact oil used (engine oil sticker).
4. Stick to basic service items - oil/filter, A/C filters, fuel filters, air filters. Most of these are really simple jobs.
5. Be completely open and honest about it. No attempt to hide the fact at all.

I was able to guarantee that my car was serviced on time and exactly to spec and importantly that it had only ever seen the best engine oil.

A genuine guyer and enthusiast will appreciate buying a car that has only ever seen Mobil 1 or another quality oil.

Also note, I would not suggest doing so in a car that was still in warranty or where you intended to do anything other than sell it privately.

I always sell my cars privately because everyone wins. Both buyer and seller get a better deal than they would at a main dealer.

Just my twopence worth

Gavin83

1886 wrote: »

I find it laughable that there's people on here that consider themselves in the same league as a fully qualified and trained technician.
Just because you've gone to your local car store and bought an oil filter and done the job yourself means nothing to me. Your work comes with no guarantee and the parts you use are most probably a cheap copy. A main dealer uses genuine parts, the parts they use come with a warranty as does the work that has been carried out.
People who use main dealers do so because they have confidence in them, they don't do it for the cheapest option. If I went to buy a car that was advertised for sale as having had a FSH and then I found out the seller had done it themselves I'd consider that as adding no value, how do I know it's been done correctly? Main dealer techs have had years of training

I don't consider myself in the same league as a trained mechanic. I do however have a reasonable knowledge of mechanics and I have a personal interest in the car, this should count for a lot. I actually think a private owner is more likely to use genuine parts and high quality oil than a garage.

I wouldn't do it myself to cut costs, although I don't see the value in paying someone to do something myself. I would want to service myself as I know the job is done properly. I've heard too many stories of even main dealerships not completing the work stated or to a poor standard. Just because someone is trained you can't guarantee the work is done to a high standard.

My car is a Mazda RX8 so it's fairly specialist and one where a service history makes a difference.

I think what I'll do is get the garage to do the most basic service available for the stamp and then carry out everything else myself.

Believe me, I won't be using cheap parts. I want my car to be running as perfectly as it possibly can.

bigjl

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

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

Well £62k new

I paid £26k

Main dealer already knows that brakes will not be done by them as previous owner did brakes outside the dealer network.

Main dealer also knows i do an interim oil and filter change and check filters.

That is why they knew the filter hadn't been changed by their Technicians and that a vacuum pipe was dislodged.

Don't think performing extra maintenance in between factory intervals will make an ounce of difference when the car does 40/50k a year.

You do realise this is MSE?

Hows the homework coming?

Captain_Flack.

bigjl wrote: »

Well £62k new

I paid £26k

Main dealer already knows that brakes will not be done by them as previous owner did brakes outside the dealer network.

Main dealer also knows i do an interim oil and filter change and check filters.

That is why they knew the filter hadn't been changed by their Technicians and that a vacuum pipe was dislodged.

Don't think performing extra maintenance in between factory intervals will make an ounce of difference when the car does 40/50k a year.

You do realise this is MSE?

Hows the homework coming?

26k for a mini cab, be a while before you're showing a profit.

Nearly_Old

1886 wrote: »

I find it laughable that there's people on here that consider themselves in the same league as a fully qualified and trained technician.
Just because you've gone to your local car store and bought an oil filter and done the job yourself means nothing to me. Your work comes with no guarantee and the parts you use are most probably a cheap copy. A main dealer uses genuine parts, the parts they use come with a warranty as does the work that has been carried out.
People who use main dealers do so because they have confidence in them, they don't do it for the cheapest option. If I went to buy a car that was advertised for sale as having had a FSH and then I found out the seller had done it themselves I'd consider that as adding no value, how do I know it's been done correctly? Main dealer techs have had years of training

The last time I had one of our cars serviced by a main dealer the techs with "years of training" appeared to be New Apprentices who could use a laptop to read fault codes - the days of a time served mechanic have long gone from dealers.

Anyway after the service we checked the car before taking it away:

a) Brake fluid change - the tippex on the bleed nipples had not been disturbed.

b) The brakes had not been stripped and cleaned - as required by the service schedule. Only the fluid in the reservoir had been removed and replaced!

Long discussion with the Service Manager - 50% refund but did not fall out with them. A few months later big crack appeared in the windscreen and Autoglass wanted £499 (+VAT) for new windscreen and rubber seal whilst the main dealer fitted a new windscreen, rubber seal and the hot bonding kit for £375 (Incl VAT) - so for me its horses for courses.

I do 80% of the servicing and stamp the books with cross reference to the receipts and photographs. As for "genuine" parts then BMW/Audi/VW/Etc do not make brake pads/discs, air/oil filters, etc so its just a case of finding out who supplied the originals and buying direct from the manufacturer to avoid the main dealers 50%+ mark up just for putting their part number on it.

vikingaero

If I were buying a car then a car within the warranty period would require a full main dealer service history.

If I were buying a secondhand car (3-6 years old) and the guy said that he serviced it himself then, as I wouldn't know he from Adam, I would entertain the possibility that he is a proficient mechanic, but rule that he was a lying !!!!!! without evidence.

If I were buying an older car I would go on condition.

snowcat75

Firstly main dealer servicing is mediocre at best, Apprentices porly supervised on minimum wage is the average scenario. Head Technicians are often on about £12 an hour, so they will hardly be pulling the cream of the crop from the trade.

Dont get two hung up on OEM parts, A bosch part made in Mexico and shipped to Renault to be resold with an extra 200% markup, is exactly the same as an importer selling a Bosch Part, with 10% Markup.

A Baldwin filter stamping with Fiat is still the same as a Baldwin Filter that isnt. Some non genuines are rubbish true, normally Chinese from an unknown source, But many meet or exceed the OEM standard.

Legally a mfr cannot make you service the car at the main dealer to hold warranty, they cannot even hold you to use OEM parts, or lubricants they just have to be to mfr to the correct EN standard.

With that said finding the correct standard for certain parts may be more of a ball ache than it worth.