In principle, keeping a car maintenance book is not required by law. But the careful owner will have this document as proof of his good faith. If all the operations relating to the repair of the vehicle are carried out punctually and that they are faithfully transcribed in the vehicle logbook, the mention “ Updated car maintenance logbook ” will be given to the car.
The deduction of the good condition of the car can be done through the consultation of the logbook. This approach facilitates the situation of the seller who can easily sell his car at the best price. As for the future purchaser, at the end of the consultation of the automobile, he will be able to get an idea of the various interviews to be done. These various maintenance works can also represent a significant part of the cost price of the vehicle. This modality is then all the more important to define the adequate price of a car. Thus, the car maintenance book can influence the sale and the price of the vehicle on the side of both parties.
In addition, the costs to maintain the car can be seen through its maintenance log. By analyzing the logbook, the frequency of replacement of parts and liquids appears to make it possible to predict the costs incurred for future revisions.
Is this a mandatory document to sell your car?
The car maintenance book represents a real guide for the maintenance of the car. Describing all the maintenance work, the car maintenance log will help you to initiate the operations to be carried out. But, is it really mandatory? Can you buy a car without a service book?
What’s in a service book?
The car maintenance book must be precise. It relates the condition of the car in general and the various maintenance procedures carried out periodically.
It mentions on the cover the make and type of the car , its chassis number , its engine number , its registration number , and in some cases, its power , its empty weight and its payload . It also indicates the beginning of each maintenance and their end .
Then, the warranties covered by the manufacturer as well as its recommendations are established in the booklet for the owner’s information and guide.
Most often, the information is contained in various tables. These tables contain the operations carried out (service overhaul, maintenance overhaul or general overhaul) on the various component parts of the automobile (steering and train, tires and shock absorbers, equipment and finally, testing). Depending on what was done, the owner ticks an option.
The various car maintenance works also appear according to dates and mileage. The owner completes the “date of maintenance” and “mileage” sections, and then ticks the various parts and liquids checked. It notes the continuation of the guarantee subject to repair, the date of the repair and the date of the next appointment to be scheduled or the mileage to be reached before carrying out the next checks.
Purchase of used vehicle, mandatory maintenance booklet?
If you are considering buying a used car , one thing you should not overlook is to ask the seller about its maintenance history. Although the law does not require the latter to provide it to you, the fact of holding it proves its good faith .
So beware of owners who refuse to provide you with the car’s maintenance log. Such an action casts doubt on the general condition of the car and even on the actual mileage.
However, if the owner has misplaced the maintenance booklet, but gives you all the invoices , the case can still be played out. You should also know that each time a car passes through a workshop belonging to a network, the interventions are recorded in the computer system of the manufacturer. Simply ask a dealership to provide you with the service history for the vehicle in question.
The manufacturer’s warranty
When buying a vehicle, the dealer grants the buyer privileges. By definition, the manufacturer ‘s warranty is legal insurance for a fixed period which protects the owner of a vehicle against possible malfunctions of certain mechanical, electrical or electronic parts of the car. On average, this warranty is between 2 and 7 years depending on the manufacturer. However, it excludes the revisions and repair of components, generally, these are: tires, oil changes, braking, suspension and steering, exhaust, air conditioning, glazing, bodywork, lighting and signaling, installation of accessories.
Certain maintenance services are also agreed in the car service book. Also, in order to preserve these guarantees, the notebook is decisive. It relates all the maintenance operations that the owner of the vehicle must carry out. The guarantees remain in force, as long as these operations are followed and carried out to the letter by the said owner. The idea is as follows, breakdowns and breakage occur less often when maintenance is regular and effective. The choice of the car overhaul and maintenance center is left to the sole initiative of the owner, provided that in the case of replacement parts, these are original or at least of equal quality. On the other hand, if the revisions indicated consist of technical reminders and free services,