Is an Audi Service History Essential?

[DDalgarn]

I'm looking to buy a RS4 (B7) Avant and have found a car which ticks all the boxes apart from it doesnt have a full Audi service history. It has a been serviced regulary but not by an Audi manindealer. The car has covered 77K miles and has been well cared for and has had the suspension replaced 18months ago under the recall. Its not a cheaop car at 22K but I'm concerned when I come to sell it that as it doesn't have a Audi service history it may put people off it. Is it worth holding out for a car with a full Audi service history or am I just being to particular?

[Dal]

IMHO a decent independent is better than a main dealer 99% of the time and it would not put me off at all. However I know some people get very caught up on main dealer history. Most petrol heads won't care providing the car has been well looked after. If the car feels good, drives nicely and has a history then that would do 90% of buyers

[Surrey Sam]

£22k with 77k miles, it sounds very strong on price TBH. Whilst a service history is essential a full Audi one will be better from a resale point of view with more buyers making enquiries and thus I'd expect it to be reflected in the price.

[adsgreen]

Lets consider what it actually means to have a full dealer service... Just look through the checklist and its really really basic. There's nothing really complicated that it should mater completely.
Plenty of mistakes made by both franchised and non franchised dealers.
The car is what? 6 years old? By the time to sell say 8? Less important. And I agree that a decent independant is worth more.

[Surrey Sam]

Market price doesn't agree though.

[HYFR]

Bollox

FASH isn't worth anything 5+yrs old.

FSH is everything.

[adsgreen]

Bollox

FASH isn't worth anything 5+yrs old.

FSH is everything.

+1 (in a considerably more succinct way than what I said)

[Surrey Sam]

Rubbish...for example take two cars exactly the same other than the service history. One has independent history and the other is full Audi. The full Audi history car will gain more punters and achieve a higher price.

I've just made a corrosion warranty claim on a Jaguar vehicle which is 5 years old; they wouldn't entertain me unless it had full Jaguar history.

[Markmyatt7]

This is an interesting piece as my RS4 is due a service now. Audi Said the brake fluid would be replaced.

My car is a 2006 with 94k on the clock. I was thinking of going main dealer as the car has only ever been serviced at an Audi dealer. But now I am considering a reputable local garage - on that point, and I maybe asking the obvious, does the local garage need to know a bit about these types of specialised cars or is a brake fluid change the same on all cars?

As you can tell I'm no expert when it comes to servicing cars.

[Surrey Sam]

If I was buying your car, would I know that your local garage is reputable?

My suggestion would be to Shop around the dealers for the best price and then supply your own oil. My car is right now having a re-spray and full service at an Audi dealer, I wanted to get the aircon deodorised and re-gassed whilst it was there. Audi have a summer offer on to do the work for £149.99, this was ridiculous, so I telephoned a reputable local aircon specialist who quoted me £79 for the work. The Service Advisor whom I have built a rapport with said no problem they'll match it.

[RIV]

I don't get mine serviced at Audi anymore, it gets looked after way better with mms technik oil changed every 5k,I stopped using the steelers when they tried to charge me £700 pounds for a new seat back, dan at mms sorted the issue for free, this made my mind up for good

[Surrey Sam]

Fair enough Silas, but where did Dan originate from? Audi.

So he has learned all the need to know bits about these vehicles through all the TSB's that get passed around the dealers. To you and a few others, he is the mutts nutts, but to Joe Blogs he is just a hearsay independent.

Dealers work to a set standard, independents don't, and it’s down to the individual proprietor to set their standard. Of course there will inevitably be some deviation from that 'set' standard but at least with Audi there is a controlling body, but an independent on the other hand...the buck stops with them.

[spikeyboy101]

On a 5+ year old car don't think it makes any difference.

A good Indy is better than Audi any day of the week.

I stopped using Audi after being billed for things they hadn't done on a service, issues with cars following service.

Audi don't give a monkeys if they do a good job for repeat custom on services where as an Indy needs to do a good job to stay in business.

Also not having FASH won't invalidate any warranty claims as long as genuine parts have been used.

[sonny]

If the car has FASH within the scheduled service requirement will help validate any goodwill/claims, its a good insurance. Some dealer rates are not that much different from some well known specialists.

As Dave and Ads state above, 5+ year rule seems suffice

[scaghead]

I can see both sides of the argument..as I have had mine serviced by audi all the time,but if I do anything else I use an audi specialist inde..I personally believe the main dealer service stamp does appeal to buyers, but I worry every time I take it to audi because you could have some brain dead youngster working on your motor..but I never worry when having anything done at the inde...