Servicing Vehicles

[Temo 0]

Hey guys. 

I am relatively new to the trade, trading for just about a year now and this is my first post here.

For the last year all the cars that I have brought i've had them all fully serviced and mot'd before delivery and was wondering how you guys approach servicing vehicles?  Do you do full service as in fuel, oil, air, pollen filter changes or do you just change oil and oil filter. I have started considering just changing oil, oil filter and air filter as the costs of providing a full service is so expensive. 

Tu tu I haven't had any come backs yet. I would really want to get the balance right in order to protect my self in the future for claims and so on. 

Thanks in advance guys. 

 

[justina3 518]

Changing a pollen or fuel filter isn’t going to protect you against any future claims don’t quite understand that bit. 

Its a cost decision for us certain cars demand the full monty some don’t the German buyers normally want everything down to the air in the tyres changed, which no difference it will still fail a mot on emissions 

[MattR 177]

I always MOT a car no matter how long is left - its a good way of demonstrating that you do the right thing to your customers and TS if you ever get a visit. To my mind a service is a check and a change of a couple of filters and oil, so the MOT covers most of the checking. Oil and filter change shouldnt cost you more than £35. That does for what I sell (2-5k stuff).

[Temo 0]

Justina3 when I say protect for the future i am trying to say that if things do go wrong and end up going to court then i'll have some protection as in showing that I have made sure that vehicles have been serviced, MOT'd and provided with PDIs. 

Matt I sell in the 3-5k range and servicing costing me around 130 quid parts and labour for small hatchbacks. Thats what I shell be doing from now on mainly putting my attention on the MOT and making sure that there are no advisories and oil + oil filter changes. 

Thanks for your advise guys. 

 

[Tadams 29]

If it needs a service then service it inline with the service schedule.. if its been done recently there is no need and your just spending money that someone else has already spent. 

I don't 100% understand the protect yourself in court theory and try and rectify things loooonnngggg before you talk about going to court... most things that go wrong on cars aren't usually serviceable items anyway like sensors etc.. don't spend a fortune getting another stamp in the book.. just price it accordingly   

[It's me 612]

the more you touch the more to go wrong i find

so if it aint broke dont fix it

i always check engine over mind and if a service item looks like it is old to the point of possible failure / faulty /or about to push up the daisies then i change

i always remove all wheels clean and adjust brakes i know this sounds overkill but its piece of mind for something that might never have been done before

i also change oil and filter so i know its not going to go bang in foreseable future

[Stalker 180]

I agree with the above. Even if its just been serviced elsewhere we tend to make sure it has been carried out.

It is ok to look at filters and see if they require changing, especially with air filters and pollen filters.

Brake services... now this is something that always get skipped. Customers don't understand the importance of this one.

[justina3 518]

1 hour ago, Temo said:

Justina3 when I say protect for the future i am trying to say that if things do go wrong and end up going to court then i'll have some protection as in showing that I have made sure that vehicles have been serviced, MOT'd and provided with PDIs. 

Not sure what court your talking about, but unless the fault relates to the oil being changed it will have little to zero impact on the court and most certainly not afford you any protection.

 

 

 

[lastyboy 23]

Mot and service everything regardless of what has been done. Every diesel has a new fuel filter no matter what.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

I Mot and PDI everything. I show all the service stamps in the video (if applicable). Very very rarely do I get it serviced.

[pmpants 14]

Service as necessary, so always oil and filter, check air filter and plugs (unless car comes with an itemised bill for recent servicing from a main dealer or reputable independent), strip, clean and adjust brakes always! Can't believe how many older low mileage cars we get in with full main dealer history where the back brake drums have clearly never been off! The same goes for spare tyre pressure, Toyota spares are nearly always low! Check lights, wipers etc.

Mot if less than 9 months left, although we're probably going to mot every car soon.

[Earunder 69]

Why not ask a few local MoT stations to do a service and MoT for you?  You'll probably be able to get them done for about £75 - 90 per car if you're giving them the constant business.  Take them less than an hour, the owner should be happy as he doesn't have testers / mechanics sitting around doing anything.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

My guys always have a backlog, so giving them extra work would delay preparation even longer, not sure if I would redeem the cost...