I normally take my car for service and MOT to an indie with a great reputation who can update my OSH. But I'm thinking is there much point now the car has done well over 100k miles and is11 years old. My little garage round the corner doesn't update OSH but you generally can't get near the place for Land Rovers (its a partnership and one of the partners drives a Land Rover). The indie is very proud that their prices are cheaper than the local Land Rover garage, that's not really special, and of course they will update the OSH although now I've had my 10year service not sure that means much - all fluids changed etc. Is the OSH really worth the extra? Geoff

I just look at the return on investment.

A car with a main dealer service history should be worth more than one with 'just' a service history - which should be worth more than one with a partial or no service history.

Therefore it's diminishing returns, the older a car gets, the narrower that sale price spread gets and so the extra ££ you pay the main dealer won't be recovered through any future sale.

Quite where that crossover point is can be debated, but I stopped taking mine to a main dealer as soon as the warranty expired as I knew I'd be keeping it for 10+ years, so the difference in final sale price would be negligible IMHO.

I keep my cars for a long time and do all my own routine service work and most of repairs. Figuring that over a 10 year typical ownership period that'd probably save £15,000 whilst losing at most £5,000 on the car sales price.

Plus, I know what has been done and with what parts.

^^^ I subscribe to the same methodology. And it helps that you then know the car inside out and know everything has been done to your expectations. Kev

2014 L405 RR Vogue SE 4.4 SDV8 in Corris Grey
2010 L320 RRS HSE 3.0 TDV6 in Stornoway Grey

Keep all the paperwork and digital service makes no difference at all. People like a folder full of history. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

At 8 years old now and 60,000 miles with the warranty expired I do all my own servicing. I have no plans to sell it any time soon and I expect that when I do that my very detailed and OCD level of maintenance and supporting documents will be worth something to anyone looking to purchase. I service it way more often than what is required by the official LR schedule - not just engine oil but all items.

The standard of work I have seen from main dealers means I would rather buy a car from a person who has done the maintenance themselves with a degree of care and skill than a car with full main dealer history.

An owner who has mechanical sympathy and drives accordingly is always a good sign when buying. Someone who has no mechanical understanding and just drives it like any other consumer product and then has it repaired by the main dealer when it breaks is never good.

Or seeing a detailed folder of invoices from a good Indy such as Glenrands or Cam Tech would also hold value to me.

My car recently came up for the dreaded 10 year/ 160,000M service schedule, which includes gearbox and transfer box oil service/change etc
Out of curiosity I rang my local JLR stealer (Newbury, Berks) who quoted me £2800!!

Got it done by using my local Indy and a 4x4 specialist for the gearbox/transfer box (need a special pump for the gearbox which my Indy didn't have)
Total cost was just over £1000, I have Online Service (Main stealer) to 2023, but I acquired from them the original bills, so have paper copies of everything that has been done to the car.
Suspect I will keep the car a few years, so will hand over a fully detailed file of all the documents with the car.
This is how we used to buy cars years ago, all the documents in front of you to check when you look to buy, much easier!

Main dealer history to me means you’ve run the gauntlet of.
Has the apprentice been given my car to work on? Was that apprentice supervised correctly?
Has the tech been given my job and made his own mind up? “That air filter still looks clean! Won’t bother changing that then!” It then finds itself under his box ready for the next ‘cobble’
Has management decided to play ‘servicing roulette’ to clear the backlog! It happens unfortunately!

A good indi should be a mechanic/master tech in his own right. Most will be either self employed or work in small numbers under one roof So doesn’t think like the corporate sheep above!
Most actually care about their jobs, most are not time managed per job to keep within JLR’s time allowances! (Most customers would rather pay an extra half hours labour to finish the job correctly) rather than rush it out the door barely finished! That’s how things get missed!
Most mechanics will know where to add a little finesse! For example , when replacing brake pads, will lube a calliper correctly removing sliders, thoroughly cleaning them regreasing before reinstalling. Will work brake nipples on every service so they don’t seize up over time. instead of pull the pads, replace road test and gone!

🤪👍