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Acceptable number of stamps and owners

porkchops

Well-known member
Joined
19 Jan 2018
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181
I might be opening a can of worm but I am interested to know what's everyone acceptable number of services stamps and owners when buying a 996? Could a car with a poor service history be made more sellable again? Do people worry less about service history gap the older the car gets or is it the otherway around?

I'm asking because I had a 04 C4S that was in mint condition, 45k unmodified but there was a service gap of 3 or 4 years (prior owner did 1k miles a year during that period and the car was garaged) and I was the 5th owner. I had the car for 3 years serviced it every year and hadn't had a single issue all invoices were kept and paperwork was pretty dense. However when it came to sell it I found that that service gap made people not even interested in coming and seeing it...It seems that people were more worried about paperwork than actual condition of the car. Now that I am looking for another one, I am tempted to just do the same to avoid any further problems if I was to sell..
 
I'd look for at least an oil change annually regardless of mileage.
 
I'd say the last receipted service/inspection is the only one that counts along with overall condition when buying, but clearly because some have gaps puts people off :roll:

The older a car gets the more 'involved' work might become that goes off the standard service chart which makes an annual stamp for an 'oil service' but ignores the dampers having more sag than grandpa's ball sac irrelevant.

Buy on condition and what you know has/hasn't been done. For me the more owners a car has is not necessarily a bad thing as 'new' owners are more likely to spend money early doors whereas long standing owners will skimp on work when they don't use the car.

:hand: Be mindful that some will make their mind up on a gap in the service book or looking at the odometer without considering the whole picture and to some extent that rules the market :what: Depends how long you want to keep the car. :dont know:
 
if the car has a sketchy service history, but looks great, drives great and stands up to an inspection, that ought to be enough to tell you that its been looked after and sufficient servicing has been carried out, regardless of gaps.

i would rather the above, than have a concocted load of bull, that gives a false sense of security.


A very old car, you can more or less start the servicing schedule again, many have been restored or part restored, so the car is half new anyway.


you will pay more for a perfect service history and the car will sell just like that. You will get less money, and less interest with a sketchy one, its the nature of buyers.

determining a 'genuine' perfect service history is another game in the game


high owners can put people off, the one owner perfectly serviced car, garaged and used regularly, is the ultimate, but you wont find one.
 
Documentation is something created for the unskilled. Unfortunately that usually means a large % of the market.
 
I'd say the manufacturers schedule as a minimum (24 months on my car) Ideally with an extra oil change every year. Saying that my car was in storage for 9 of its 15 years... backed up with a evidence and a conversation with a very well known Indie who looked after the car during that time on a storage program created by themselves.

So my car has "Gaps"... To the novice it's not worth bothering to look at I guess
:lol:

The car has not been exposed to the elements for 9 years!!... glossy paintwork, lights and glass that look like new etc etc... I saw it as an opportunity.

To me gaps in a cars life ain't a bad thing if it's managed and for a reason, big difference to that of someone who couldn't be arsed to look after their car. However saying that I'd still expect proper evidence that it hasn't been clocked.

Both my 911's have had gaps... hasn't made any difference. :wink:
 
I personally that if it looks and drives right ,and has had a fair services record its a car that I would consider buying ,my 911 had 5 owners before me in a short space of time but I think as has been said before on here these cars can change hands quite often :thumb:
 
I'd want evidence of regular (ie to schedule) servicing and a major service inc 'additional" items (ie spark plugs, brake fluid, gearbox oil) in the last few years. After that I'm not too bothered - the car itself is much more important.
Normally when I buy a car the first thing I have done is an 'everything" service for peace of mind and to reset the history in my ownership.
 
Here is a thought who would buy a car that had no documents or history and was sold as seen ,but was 15k less than the same car with full history etc .I would not hold back for long a good look over by someone like Demort would set my mind straight and I'd get it bought :dont know:
 
Just for balance, please dont shoot me down in flames but I would always go the other way! Partly due to some serious OCD issues, theres a huge choice out there why go with one that isnt 100% 'right'?

Currently own 3 vehicles as follows:

BMW 3 series tourer.


Its done 135k but is still under manufacurer warranty. Its been properly looked after and has full main dealer documented and detailed service history. Everything that BMW recommend has been done exactly to their schedule. When its 3 years old I will renew the warranty and continue that. Despite the mileage I defy anyone could notice its not a 30,000 mile car. I believe its like that because its been maintained properly by BMW, for example all the brake discs and pads are new on the last service. I dont believe things like that that would have been done very close to it being sold had it been outside the dealer network.

BMW X1- Brand new but will be exactly as above. Everything will be done, everything will be saved.

Porsche 997.2 C4S

Its done under 20k at nearly 9 years old. I trust that due to the huge documented history file, and pampered OPC life, no services have been missed, extra ones have ben done, no gaps in anything, all documeted, plus its been in the dealer network for the all, plus its also been through harbour cars, which basically meant it was checked and serviced twice in 8 months, it will also have been inspected numerous times by various OPC's. The car is as good as it gets and again I believe thats due to its history.

With all of the above I didnt really pay a premuim and for the 3 series with that mileage, there is no way I would of risked it without the full BMWMDSH.
 
I've bought 2 cars with no service evidence:

1. E30 318i - owner claimed car was broke into and book stolen. Car was mint, never went wrong and sold it 3 years later for £50 less than I paid.

2. 306 cab - previous owner lost the book. I bought a new book and then called every pug garage between Blackburn & Manchester. Car had a full history and each garage that had serviced it offered to populate my new book.

I've also sat in car showrooms and witnessed salesmen pull stamps out their drawer and populate service books. Also seen indies stamp books with official dealer stamps.

Nothing beats actual condition.
 
TBH Alex I had a BMW one made and stamped my own book in the dark old days :lol: we know it happens
and then the man with the computer came round and gave it a hair cut :floor:

as Mary Hopkins said those were the days :grin:
 
when i was looking for my sc, i looked at a 3.2 targa with 18 owners, but it was beautiful, and drove superb, a bit better than my 8 owner coupe if i am honest..................hindsight
 
alex yates said:
I've bought 2 cars with no service evidence:

1. E30 318i - owner claimed car was broke into and book stolen. Car was mint, never went wrong and sold it 3 years later for £50 less than I paid.

2. 306 cab - previous owner lost the book. I bought a new book and then called every pug garage between Blackburn & Manchester. Car had a full history and each garage that had serviced it offered to populate my new book.

I've also sat in car showrooms and witnessed salesmen pull stamps out their drawer and populate service books. Also seen indies stamp books with official dealer stamps.

Nothing beats actual condition.

True but what im saying is condition plus all the history, as you say a stamp is worth absolutely nothing without the actual invoices. Back to OP's original question for me on a Porsche i (personally) would want everything, unlikely on older vehicles, but still possible and can command a premiuim as can OPC only servicing.
 

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