Signs Your Car is About to Die

Hello, my name is Roy. For many years, I drove a 1976 Ford estate car around Sydney. The car had belonged to my grandpa. It was passed down to me when I had just passed my driving test at the age of 18. That was in 1986 and the car was already in a pretty bad condition then. Fast forward to 2006 and I was now aged 38 and still driving the same car around. Sometimes the car wouldn't start, white smoke came out of the exhaust and the gearbox made a terrible sound. I did my best to patch it up, but eventually, I had to scrap the car and buy a new one. I decided to start a blog to encourage others to service their cars.

Why Paperwork May Be Crucial if You're to Retain Value in Your New Car

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Whenever you buy a new car, you have to take a deep breath and realise how much money you will spend in terms of depreciation. This is a fact of life in the automobile industry and while much of it is beyond your control, you can nevertheless impact just how much money you get when you pass the car over to somebody else. What actions can you take to soften the blow?

Working with the Manufacturer

The good news is that a brand-new car will have a comprehensive and far-reaching warranty, and this typically covers corrosion, body condition and major mechanical items. Each manufacturer has to extend such a warranty just to be competitive and by doing so, they are guaranteeing performance to a certain extent. This is important, as they don't have ultimate control over the vehicle — you do.

Doing Your Part

However, if they are taking this risk then they expect you to conform to a certain extent and take the vehicle in for it to be serviced. If you don't do this, the guarantee may be invalid in certain circumstances.

While this is a good enough reason to take your car in for a regular logbook service, you should also understand that it can affect your sale price. The logbook is an important document, as it travels with the car and is proof that you have done your part to maintain its serviceability — and therefore value.

Where Is the Logbook?

When the car is brand-new, the owner is very aware of its value and condition. They will undoubtedly stick to the rules when it comes to a logbook service, but as time goes by this interest may wane. In fact, some people mislay this important document altogether and cannot find it when the pressure is on.

Recreating Records

It's not a reason to panic, but you should try and locate the logbook before you put the car on the market. At the very least, get in touch with the repair shop and get them to regenerate the records from their computer files, so that you can prove that you kept up with the schedule. This may enable you to satisfy the potential buyer that the vehicle is worth its price.

What to Do Next

If you have fallen behind on any scheduled service trips, now is the time to catch up. Book the vehicle in as soon as possible, make sure that all the paperwork is in order and then place everything up for sale.

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20 August 2018