Servicing your own car - FSH

john_white

Joe_Horner wrote: »

As opposed to a full history of someone putting a stamp in a book but possibly not bothering to do the stuff?

It shows a list of parts purchased. I've not commented about the work carried/not carried out by either an individual or garage.


I would not call a receipt for anything evidence of that part actually being used, only that a part was purchased.


Our boiler needed a new part and so I ordered it and got a gas safe engineer to install it. The invoice from the engineer is much better 'history' than the invoice for the part. Of course the engineer may still not have not installed it and kept it for himself. Without taking the boiler apart I wouldn't know.


Surely at some point common sense needs to be applied.

Joe_Horner

john_white wrote: »

[...] Surely at some point common sense needs to be applied.

Yes it does.

And if someone shows you a folder with receipts for purchace of new OEM filters and 5 litres of Mobil 1 every 6 months over their ownership of a car, plus a full set of brake pads and 2 litres of brake fluid at about the 2 year point, then common sense says that they've been fitting those parts to the car, not stockpiling them against the Apocalypse!

londonTiger

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Yes it does.

And if someone shows you a folder with receipts for purchace of new OEM filters and 5 litres of Mobil 1 every 6 months over their ownership of a car, plus a full set of brake pads and 2 litres of brake fluid at about the 2 year point, then common sense says that they've been fitting those parts to the car, not stockpiling them against the Apocalypse!

it's still a tough sell for a used car dealer to use when selling car to a customer. If the vehicle is high value enough to be sold back to trade then a garage stamp on services is preferred.

OTOH if the car is going from private owner to private owner the potential buyer can speak with the seller and "gauge" how honest the seller is.

Buyers will always treat a used car salesmans claims with a pinch of salt, they all have an aura of !!!!!!!! artist about them. So all these receipts will not stack up.

AdrianC

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Yes it does.

And if someone shows you a folder with receipts for purchace of new OEM filters and 5 litres of Mobil 1 every 6 months over their ownership of a car, plus a full set of brake pads and 2 litres of brake fluid at about the 2 year point, then common sense says that they've been fitting those parts to the car, not stockpiling them against the Apocalypse!

You need to see my shed.

john_white

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Yes it does.

And if someone shows you a folder with receipts for purchace of new OEM filters and 5 litres of Mobil 1 every 6 months over their ownership of a car, plus a full set of brake pads and 2 litres of brake fluid at about the 2 year point, then common sense says that they've been fitting those parts to the car, not stockpiling them against the Apocalypse!

But is not proof of a service, it is a list of parts purchased.

Joe_Horner

londonTiger wrote: »

it's still a tough sell for a used car dealer to use when selling car to a customer. If the vehicle is high value enough to be sold back to trade then a garage stamp on services is preferred.

OTOH if the car is going from private owner to private owner the potential buyer can speak with the seller and "gauge" how honest the seller is.

Buyers will always treat a used car salesmans claims with a pinch of salt, they all have an aura of !!!!!!!! artist about them. So all these receipts will not stack up.

True, although someone who's interested enough in their car (and in saving money) to service it correctly themselves is probably likely to sell privately anyway - why would they want to lose out by only getting trade price?

AdrianC wrote: »

You need to see my shed.

You and me both probably. But that's only cos I can't resist grabbing bargains when they come up.

Funnily enough, the spare engine for her Daf that I've been storing for the past 2 1/2 years has just been dusted down after a random seizure a couple of weeks back (plenty of fresh oil, lots of water, no warning noises, just ground to stop in the lanes!)

Better start looking for a replacement spare .... :j

john_white

Joe_Horner wrote: »

True, although someone who's interested enough in their car (and in saving money) to service it correctly themselves is probably likely to sell privately anyway - why would they want to lose out by only getting trade price?



You and me both probably. But that's only cos I can't resist grabbing bargains when they come up.

Funnily enough, the spare engine for her Daf that I've been storing for the past 2 1/2 years has just been dusted down after a random seizure a couple of weeks back (plenty of fresh oil, lots of water, no warning noises, just ground to stop in the lanes!)

Better start looking for a replacement spare .... :j

Should have taken it to garage for a proper service.

Joe_Horner

john_white wrote: »

But is not proof of a service, it is a list of parts purchased.

Main dealer stamps aren't proof of service. They're only proof that they've stamped the book.

The last car we had that was dealer serviced (had to be, it was on Motability) had the the failed front suspension bush that I'd told them was squeaking* not checked or replaced, and the oil filter not changed on the first until I pointed out that the paint was chipped and it was rusty. Apparently there'd "been some confusion" in the workshop.

On the second service the rear brakes were not checked, despite me advising them that the handbrake had virtually run out of travel when I booked it in. Thanks to seized auto adjusters the lever was up under your armpit before it did anything. It would have been an MOT fail if it had needed MOTs at 14 months old because there was no reserve travel. But they somehow "missed" it, even knowing by then that I might just check their work.

I'd be much more inclined to trust that a private pwner whod bought the parts had actually fitted them than trust stamps from a dealer who's going to get paid regardless of whether they do the job properly (or even at all!) or not.



* Not a standard service item, but customer-raised issues are so should have been looked at.

Nearly_Old

john_white wrote: »

But is not proof of a service, it is a list of parts purchased.

I wouldn't disagree - however my Post #29 includes:

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!

So I have a nice stamp in the book, on the worksheet a tick against change brake fluid & brake clean and a receipt - but in reality all I've got is a Stamp in a Book - no more no less.

Joe_Horner

john_white wrote: »

Should have taken it to garage for a proper service.

That wouldn't have stopped the (suspected, to be confirmed) ring fracture on a 110k mile 1960s design engine