Quote:
Originally Posted by 370Zsteve
Not to mention resale value. You can save $20/hour by going to a local shop instead of a dealer for warranty work, but you'll pay dearly when you trade the vehicle or sell it. Those dealer stamps are worth their weight in gold.
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I'm sure that is your experience but I've traded in probably 10 cars over the years, including a Cadillac, an Audi, a Saab, a Nissan Altima, a Chrysler Imperial, a Honda Accord, etc., and never, ever once has the new car salesman asked to see my service records. I recall being particularly conscientious with the Audi (at a high cost as Audi service departments are very pricey) and tried to present those complete Audi service department service certifications as a bargaining tool for a larger trade-in allowance for the Audi at the purchase on the new car. The salesman just blew it off and wouldn't even take the time to let me go over them with him. Often, I think, trade-ins are just taken to the auto auction and the dealership doesn't care about seeing service records. Often, also, used car buyers are too unsophisticated and don't inquire about service records certified by the franchise. It may mean a lot, though, if you are selling the car privately, as it provides assurance to the private buyer that the car has been well cared for.