Effect of Dealer Servicing on Resale Value

[murray888]

Hi all. First post on here after a while lurking and posting on c30world.com

I've got a 10-plate C30 1.6 DRIVe in which I commute Basingstoke-Portsmouth four times a week (racking up circa 25000 miles/year). Currently standing just shy of 55000 miles on the clock.

My question is (I have searched and didn't find an answer)...

Up until now I have had the dealer service my car. I guess my main motivation for this has come from the effect on resale value and having a book full of dealer stamps. The cost of a dealer service has always galled me but I justified it to myself by the roadside assistance, stamp and...to be honest...having it cleaned.

With the threat of my 75000 mile major service and DPF replacement looming in the next year, I'm really starting to question the value of a dealer service. I'm currently due my 50000 mile service and first MOT and have got a couple of quotes:

Dealer (Cambridge of Bedhampton): £283 service + £54 MOT
Independent (Protech Basingstoke): £152 service + £45 MOT

Going to my local independent is looking to save me a significant whack, but how is it likely to impact the resale value of the car in the future? Is it really that big an issue or is it just scaremongering?

Cheers in advance.

[civilservant]

When we part-exchanged our V50 last year at Volvo, the salesman informed us that the part-exchange value was £500 less than the value we would have got had we used authorised Volvo servicing. Naturally, in 3 years of ownership, we saved more than that amount by using a non-Volvo garage for servicing. However, take into account the free annual breakdown cover provided by Volvo, it almost broke-even.

This time round, we are using Volvo servicing. More for peace of mind if things go wrong, plus free breakdown cover and a free full valet, along with software upgrades. Ultimately, I have chosen that only Volvo themselves really know how to work safely on a MY 2011 V70 R-Design and with the amount of money I spent on the vehicle, would I really trust anyone else to tinker with it?

[Bernard333]

Its a catch 22 situation , the newer the car a main dealer service stamp might add something to resale value but as time passes it becomes worthless . My V70 is now 10 years old and done 166000miles , I had it serviced twice by a main dealer . I could have spent approx £5320 on keeping a fsh , my actual cost of servicing so far is £1024 , the value of my car is £1500 with no service history and probably £1700 with fsh so in my opinion definitely not worth the extra £4296 it would have cost to keep the book stamped . Theres a lot of £19.95 mots available these days with no re test fees , why pay £45.

[rickp78]

Our local Volvo garage can do an 'essentials' service. Basically all main works are carried out except you don't get the software updates or the breakdown cover. The cost is almost half and you still get the same stamp in the book. Worth asking your local dealer? My 2009 V70 will be having this done from now on.

[t5_andy]

I think the important thing is that its serviced to volvo's schedule and if you can find an indy that will use volvo parts then its as good as anything you'd get from a main dealer.

The savings would more than outstrip the losses particularly as you are a relatively high mileage owner.

I liked to see the Speeds stamp in the book when I first got mine but since then I've got a big pile of receipts from FRF for genuine parts and done the work myself using the official service schedule and the result is as good as any.

Fancy taking your car to a dealer so they will wash it, tut tut!

[Chaddie]

My friend has a C30 Se Lux DRIVe 1.6 (Stop/Start) 10 Plate.

She had a service before Xmas and it was one of the expensive one due to the DPF. She was getting some stupid quotes, we tried a couple of independents who were a lot cheaper; but since she'd only had the car a few months and needed to make sure everything was fully done she wanted it done by a Main Dealer (this time).

So a couple more calls and a haggle and she got 25% off (still more expensive that the indie); she than tried a Volvo Specialist who assured her that all the parts will be Volvo, the DFP fluids will be changed and any updates done, they also agreed to match the indies price, so she took it to them and all seemed good.

For me, I'm having my car serviced by the main dealer until its 3yrs old and then it will go to a Volvo Specialist, I don't see the point once its out of the warranty period; also the Breakdown Cover, I have this with my bank account so that's not of any major benefit to me; but you should always ask them for their bast price when it comes to services, you should be able to get 20%-25% off.

[DaveNP]

If I were buying your less than 3 year old C30 price about £12k I'd want to see some pretty impressive service history before parting with the cash, so Main dealer stamps, detailed receipts and reports. If I come to buy it at 10+ years old price nearer £2k I'll be more worried about what the car actually looks and drives like with service history being supporting evidence, so receipts from Indies or the local garage would be OK.
So I'd say it depends on what you plan to do with the car, if you want to replace it soon stay main dealer, if you're keeping it for the long term use a garage you're confident with.
(that's just my opinion)

[murray888]

Thanks all, much appreciated.

I managed to barter down a dealer to £269 (from £316, they got the original quote wrong), but this was still far too much.

Local independant Volvo specialist (Martin Matthewson) quoted me £149 - too good not to pass up. Ok I'll forgo the roadside assistance, but I've still got 6 months left from my last dealer service. The software update I can live without too.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the car. If I continue this stupid commute then I'll keep it and most likely continue servicing with a specialist. If the commute stops, I may change the car (seeing as the good economy was one of the reasons I bought it). I have a full record of all service paperwork and will continue to keep it.

[rasputin]

There is also K-tech automotive based very near to Snows Volvo in Basinsgtoke - the gent there used to work at Snows Volvo and not surprisingly knows Volvos inside and out.

Had my car serviced there recently and the price was very competitive.

[Proghound]

Just had the C70 in to Squire Furneaux in High Wycombe yesterday for its 5-year service. It came to me in December having had all the previous 4 at Caffyn's in Brighton. However I doubt the "service" by the used-car dealer at point of sale to me amounted to much more than topping up the oil (itself bad news on a D5) and their stamp in the book, so I wanted to know it had been done properly for another year. With a couple of dashboard messages also having come and gone so far, I wanted to get it checked out for any of the things that Volvo will normally replace FOC, if presented with a fault evident or a code stored before 5 years old. (That's this coming Friday, so just got in there in time!)

OK, it wasn't the cheapest of services even with the "4+ Club" discount, but I can now be confident, and should I have to move it on it still has FVSH. And it really did look and feel nice when they handed it back to me!

From now on though, my local garage will be getting first dibs. They've been able to do everything on all my cars for the last 6 years, including an ECU and re-code on the previous one. When even the girl on reception tells you how fussy Volvo are about oil levels and specification, and to book in at least a week beforehand so they can get the right grade in, you know they're switched on.