Why Is It Important To Keep a Service History For Your Car?

If you’ve ever shopped for used cars, you’ll likely have heard the term ‘service history’. In the pre-owned car market, it’s a good indicator of how well a car has been looked after.

But just what is it, why is it important, and how should you keep your own service history?

What is a service history?

A car’s service history refers to the work and services that have been done on it over its lifetime. These might include interim or full services, minor or major repairs, or any modifications carried out.

You might’ve heard of a ‘Full Service History’ (FSH) as a desired feature when buying a vehicle.

Put simply, an FSH means that the vehicle has been regularly maintained according to the manufacturer’s servicing schedule and that there is proof of this. ‘Proof’ would constitute relevant documentation, like invoices and receipts with dates.

Why is a full service history important?

It’s important to keep a full service history for a few reasons — with all of them boiling down to finances and your car’s performance. Namely, you’ll want to keep a service history:

For car resale value

Second-hand car dealers are influenced by a range of factors, from price guides to – you guessed it – service history. Keeping all the relevant documentation can have a significant positive impact on your car’s resale value.

Of course, how much your car is worth depreciates over time with age, mileage, and normal wear and tear to the interior, exterior, and mechanics. But being able to show you have done all you can to maintain it goes a long way.

Think about it — selling a car without information of the work done would be like trying to sell professional services without any qualifications. When shopping around, you would simply rather put your trust in the person that can show you their list of accolades and abilities. You’d also likely be willing to pay more!

Experts estimate that a car without a service history could be worth up to 40% less than the equivalent car with an FSH.

For your vehicle’s longevity & performance

Not only is a service history important for selling your vehicle, but also for properly maintaining it while it’s still yours! In fact, keeping a service history is important for resale value precisely because it directly impacts the longevity and performance of your vehicle.

To keep your car in top condition, you’ll need an interim service every 6,000 miles (or 6 months) and a full service every 12,000 miles (or every 12 months).

Don’t forget, though, that servicing isn’t a case of ‘set it and forget it’ — should issues arise with your vehicle in between visits to the garage, don’t wait to get it seen to. Whether you notice spongy brakes, steering issues, or a hissing exhaust, it’s crucial to get on top of minor problems before they become major ones.

Get in touch with your local Tyre Pros garage for checks and repairs if you have any concerns!

How to keep a service history

Whenever you get work done on your car, ask for a receipt and note down the date. We also recommend keeping receipts for parts — particularly if you do any repair work yourself.

It’s a good idea to keep both a physical and digital record of these records. Keep a binder or folio in your car so that you don’t forget to put important documents in there right way. Then, back them up onto a computer, USB, or the cloud by photocopying to PDF versions.

You can also keep your other vehicle paperwork — like purchase documents or your V5C — in the same way so that everything is in one place.

Buying a new car? Find out if it has a full service history

If you’re on the other side of the market and are looking to buy a used car, you’ll want to know how to check the service history of a given vehicle.

Fortunately, if the owner doesn’t have paperwork to hand, you can request information about a specific vehicle using form V888 from the DVLA.

And if you’re in need of quality car servicing to keep your vehicle running as smoothly as can be, get in touch with Tyre Pros today!