Service history

[VYMAD]

Ok would you guys prefer to buy a car from someone who has a general logbook service history from a dealer (oil change every 15,000 if for eg VY, Etc) Or an obviously well looked after car that has been "owner serviced" according to service schedule, especially overserviced; oil every 7,000k with book fiiled out and receipts kept for all parts. With brakes, tyres and wheel alignments all been done professionally. Plugs every 20,000, transmission every 20-40,000. Filters like fuel and air every 20,000, etc. ??????? This is assuming that the car in question has no warranty left on it, or has been voided. Just a thought, would be interesting to see peoples varying opinions.

[one_and_only2004]

I'd be inclined to go for yours over a dealer vehicle - the warranty i recieved with mine from a dealer covered jack-shit...

I'd happily purchase a car that's been looked after as well as yours. Like you i change my oil + filters by myself plus spark plugs and all that, but every 3rd service i get done by a mechanic (i got my engine, gearbox and diff done not long ago).

[VYMAD]

Yeah I do transmission, diff etc myself, too. Better than a snot nosed apprentice at a dealer doing it!

[Cúl-Báire]

Ok would you guys prefer to buy a car from someone who has a general logbook service history from a dealer (oil change every 15,000 if for eg VY, Etc) Or an obviously well looked after car that has been "owner serviced" according to service schedule, especially overserviced; oil every 7,000k with book fiiled out and receipts kept for all parts. With brakes, tyres and wheel alignments all been done professionally. Plugs every 20,000, transmission every 20-40,000. Filters like fuel and air every 20,000, etc. ??????? This is assuming that the car in question has no warranty left on it, or has been voided. Just a thought, would be interesting to see peoples varying opinions.

I'd go the owner serviced car; it has obviously been looked after... My VT was dealer "log book" serviced it's whole life, but there are little things that should have been done, that weren't for what ever reason (i.e. still had the original radiator hoses at 195k).

[Adds_05]

if i was buying something that was 12 months old,still had factory warranty etc id go the dealer one, otherwise the owner serviced one would be the prefered one.

[edday]

owner serviced - if it's as you described and close to/out of warrenty. I don't really have much faith at all in dealer 'services'

[GLITRES]

Owner serviced, if you had all the reciepts for everything.
But I would also like to see the car going to the dealer every now and again just incase you may have missed something (a second opinion never hurts :-)

[Drewie]

I would prefer to have documented service history from a professional workshop, not necessarily a Holden dealer, just to know a qualified mechanic has periodically had a good look around the vehicle, especially the underneath components. Even if it was just an annual event. The owners service records could then be a back up for the in between maintenance. Some home servicers don't do much more than an oil and filter change and check the fluid levels then call that a service.

[VYMAD]

Thanks guys, that's some interesting feedback. I too would prefer an owner serviced vehicle, after reading/hearing about all the hassles people have had from dealers, and that is all "dealers" not just Holden. Such as my wife's Kia Rio, had the major service, 45,000k's I think. Well it came back and I checked the filters and stuff that I'd marked to see if they had actually been changed; they had been, however the brake fluid cap had been left off and I just happened to notice it sitting up between the firewall and windscreen. Now, my wife would not have lifted that bonnet until the dealer did the next warranty service, so imagine over time the brake fluid gradually sloshes out until one day, BANG! no brakes. IMO it would have been better to leave the sump plug done up finger tight or something, at least then it would just be a stuffed motor, and not- well who knows, hate to think of what the consequences could have been. Contacted dealer, who wasn't overly concerned, just "Oh that's no good, I'll have a word to the technician." This same dealer has since done other inapropriate stuff to the point that I just service the Rio myself now. STUFF THEM!!! Sorry fellas, end of rant.

Oh yeah and good idea about getting the front end etc checked by a pro now and then too, Drewie.