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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Sootchucker on 27 April 2018, 08:03

Title: Service books ?
Post by: Sootchucker on 27 April 2018, 08:03
As I understand it (please correct me if I am wrong), I understand that VW no longer supply a service record book in the car manual pack for new cars ? Apparently it's now all recorded electronically. Call me cynical, but I don't actually trust them to keep accurate records. For one, even though my current car is a GTD, they still keep telling me it's a GTI whenever I book it in (for the last 2 years that's what it says on their system), and on the Wife's Polo Blue GT, they contacted me recently to tell me it was overdue it's annual service even though they had completed it just two weeks prior !

There's also the question that when the car is outside it's 2 years free servicing package, I might be looking at getting a good independent VW specialist to look after the car (rather than the rip off main dealers), but obviously if there's no service book, apart from a receipt to say the works been done, there is no other record to show future potential owners.   

I was wondering therefore if it was possible to purchase a blank service book and force VW to stamp it at every service (even if they do want to still maintain electronically). Has anyone done this and has a part number for a blank service book please ?
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: SRGTD on 27 April 2018, 08:29
One here on eBay;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-VOLKSWAGEN-TOURAN-BLANK-SERVICE-SCHEDULE-HISTORY-LOG-BOOK-R-LINE-TDI-GTI/162745272629?hash=item25e45fc935:g:CCAAAOSwFyhaAxeD

Says it’s for the Touran in the ad. details, but in the seller’s photos, the first page lists the vehicles covered and the Golf GTI is one of the vehicles listed.

You may need to contact the seller for the edition/print date off the back cover if you want to confirm it’s a current service book, but as the Golf and Passat GTE models are listed, its going to be relatively new.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: mezzer123 on 27 April 2018, 08:31
My father in law had this problem 2 years ago when he bought his 1.4 tsi, he got no service book with the car, he did eventually get one from the dealer but it was a generic one and not specific to the car, and again that took around 12 months to get from them as they kept saying it wasn’t needed as it’s all kept online, but I’m like you in that respect, a service book with stamps saves all the trouble of online records not being kept up to date, so my answer really is if you don’t get one then keep pestering as the stealer will get you on eventually.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: fredgroves on 27 April 2018, 08:41
I didn't trust the computer system either.

What if I wanted to sell my car to a non-VW garage? How are they going to check the service history?

I demanded a proper service book and my dealer gave me one.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: Talk-torque on 27 April 2018, 09:57
Receipts for the work done are surely at least as good as a service book? I’ve found that the techs don’t always tick all the correct boxes, so it’s just a record that a service has been done. Receipts, on the other hand, are usually a pretty accurate record of what was (supposedly) done.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: dubber36 on 27 April 2018, 11:38
I have always kept a folder for the receipts for everything that I have spent on my cars, right down to bulbs and wiper blades. Mostly to do with business expenditure records, but having a paper file of documented history looks much better to a potential buyer than a service book with nothing more than stamps in it.

Many years ago, a girlfriends brother bought an Astra from his dad. The car had done 186,000 miles. He's had it from new, but had only ever had one dealer service and stamp in the book. The rest done by a mechanic in the village. I have a mate that worked in a Vauxhall dealers, so he put another 7 or 8 stamps in the book. We then filled the dates in and ticked the boxes using different pens and handwriting, then traded it in px as an 86,000 mile car with a full history. I was not to be trusted then, so I dare say there are a few used car sellers that might not be now.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: mcmaddy on 27 April 2018, 15:12
Somene garages don't give you paperwork for work carried out within warranty period. I've always had service books and got one in December 2016 with my gti.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: Gaz W on 27 April 2018, 21:23
As I understand it (please correct me if I am wrong), I understand that VW no longer supply a service record book in the car manual pack for new cars ? Apparently it's now all recorded electronically. Call me cynical, but I don't actually trust them to keep accurate records. For one, even though my current car is a GTD, they still keep telling me it's a GTI whenever I book it in (for the last 2 years that's what it says on their system), and on the Wife's Polo Blue GT, they contacted me recently to tell me it was overdue it's annual service even though they had completed it just two weeks prior !

There's also the question that when the car is outside it's 2 years free servicing package, I might be looking at getting a good independent VW specialist to look after the car (rather than the rip off main dealers), but obviously if there's no service book, apart from a receipt to say the works been done, there is no other record to show future potential owners.   

I was wondering therefore if it was possible to purchase a blank service book and force VW to stamp it at every service (even if they do want to still maintain electronically). Has anyone done this and has a part number for a blank service book please ?

Yes service book was discontinued from MY16 roughly onwards and replaced with Digital Service Schedule, for a time (until book supplies ran out) a lot of cars still came with a book so there are some that have Digital Service Schedule and will also have a physical service book.

DSS should be very accurate as it integrates with VWG group factory system ElsaPro so it cannot get your car details wrong etc, and each service will be recorded on your visit without fail. Ask for a new print out after each service and it will include all previously entered work including recall campaigns, routine service and maintenance (e.g. brake fluid, cam belt etc can all be added).

Unfortunately being contacted for service incorrectly, and vehicle description being wrong is human error at your individual dealership and will very much depend on the DMS system they used to manage vehicle and customer data, some integrate with VWG factory system however some do not so its only as good as the person using it!

Overall DSS means that vehicles in the future will have an accurate service record that can easily be accessed and printed off throughout the Volkswagen network. The only complication to this is non approved repairers e.g. independents who can pay a fee to access and record work on Digital Service Schedule however many won't offer this.

You can purchase a blank service schedule through Parts at your local dealership, they will be approximately £10 or so and are similar to the service schedule previously included in the book pack.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: Bullfinch on 28 April 2018, 23:08
In response to the OP the answer is "yes".  When I bought my GTi 2nd hand at 14 months old there was no service book but it had receipts from first annual inspection service.  Bought a blank VW service schedule book through Parts dept from my local dealer and have used that for year 2 and 3 services as well as stapling in details from year 1.  Will likely use a VW specialist next time round.  My concern is this Digital Service logbook will tie you into VW for ever - does anyone know if its "open source" - ie: diagnostics/updating can be done by non VW dealers?
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: TurboTrev on 29 April 2018, 09:12
I think that personal registrations may also cause problems with service records?  I've had mine on many VWs and when I go into the dealership they never seem to have the current car attached to it, even when I've previously been in to get their records updated.  I think it all records need to be maintained via the chassis number, or maybe they are?
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: itavaltalainen on 29 April 2018, 20:12
I would think VW's system is based around VIN as in most of their markets the number plate does not stay on car when transferred to another owner.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: barrym381 on 29 April 2018, 23:59
I have always kept a folder for the receipts for everything that I have spent on my cars, right down to bulbs and wiper blades. Mostly to do with business expenditure records, but having a paper file of documented history looks much better to a potential buyer than a service book with nothing more than stamps in it.

Many years ago, a girlfriends brother bought an Astra from his dad. The car had done 186,000 miles. He's had it from new, but had only ever had one dealer service and stamp in the book. The rest done by a mechanic in the village. I have a mate that worked in a Vauxhall dealers, so he put another 7 or 8 stamps in the book. We then filled the dates in and ticked the boxes using different pens and handwriting, then traded it in px as an 86,000 mile car with a full history. I was not to be trusted then, so I dare say there are a few used car sellers that might not be now.
So you and your mate committed fraud then and now your open admitting in a public forum  :grin:
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: dubber36 on 30 April 2018, 17:23
I have always kept a folder for the receipts for everything that I have spent on my cars, right down to bulbs and wiper blades. Mostly to do with business expenditure records, but having a paper file of documented history looks much better to a potential buyer than a service book with nothing more than stamps in it.

Many years ago, a girlfriends brother bought an Astra from his dad. The car had done 186,000 miles. He's had it from new, but had only ever had one dealer service and stamp in the book. The rest done by a mechanic in the village. I have a mate that worked in a Vauxhall dealers, so he put another 7 or 8 stamps in the book. We then filled the dates in and ticked the boxes using different pens and handwriting, then traded it in px as an 86,000 mile car with a full history. I was not to be trusted then, so I dare say there are a few used car sellers that might not be now.
So you and your mate committed fraud then and now your open admitting in a public forum  :grin:

Yep. A public forum where no one knows who anyone else is and probably never will.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: joe6 on 24 October 2021, 17:04
Sorry to bring this up again. Is it worth getting a service book? The car has had one service to date prior to me owning it. No invoice but it is logged on myvw under the reg number with dealership details. Second service due shortly. I keep invoices but wonder if a buyer would want a service book as well? Eventually it will be serviced by an independent vw garage after the warranty runs out.
Title: Re: Service books ?
Post by: willni on 24 October 2021, 20:13
Sorry to bring this up again. Is it worth getting a service book? The car has had one service to date prior to me owning it. No invoice but it is logged on myvw under the reg number with dealership details. Second service due shortly. I keep invoices but wonder if a buyer would want a service book as well? Eventually it will be serviced by an independent vw garage after the warranty runs out.

My dealer prints out all the services to date at each service, you could get something likes this and they'll happily stamp it I'm sure.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402632328442?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item5dbec1c4fa:g:7ugAAOSwIJNeQraQ&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsS%252BMKizvpuEDUfX4dvRWfUzfJXRzbKpzlZQqiWbcYovDDEqqgZJcTn6IHTkjUd14bJHBdf3oRqfk%252FuahQZk22JibjfeCab9votYhZbtAPpgYh9yKy5%252Bs%252BUKl0CLTM9W8artk%252B%252FLqBOby6GPwPsQFBP2YqzdsxxuEXTMTPgby6yBbC64e3MqZHtMlFOC6dit64KTMIR4ppm%252BVpFO4dUPyF4Of9V375ZJGrN8o3eZ19WxxTorp2FlEr7iq9i66bkpOvAg9N8mSUw62gPBaj%252B5OMs7NPJDnvRdXwmN0X1%252FpTsS1wn9WAAUDPttVQlgoPNp8xBM4lrSfgPV89s4N0KxKxsCNSAvPJYsHCF%252FfF9mhpjfi1ioeSk1LEQEU2J5it70lc%252FyavDyaIYRF9i1M6tWIZ3OKZRM4GvTUy1oulR%252FH9zFvG3y%252FFzxBFg8stG8lSFOJlJ8UD4XGul%252BRD0Ve6ZKXK%252FRHdiETG%252BhMV5HSdRsOUgxIJ%252FhAneiAht5grrLMdJNOLxeaKM5BmVsz9zvY9T55avIe9HaqrOxTTb0P8QFKKXgdOToLD9NEDpaD2HgVl4rVVbHwiISVV4c5Yu3HO7xyb9I55F3x5gQh6a8v7lDp%252BKi3P%252B1%252FTKKZfxmmi5rS1gopyWqv3NekUzj1eDJBW8LYiT1%252FQodRnHH1qT0cMWFR62nclwHLCIHO8o3WFrPJ2ANxR5VQvVCEsS4TFr7Yg5S%252BKsPVSdaZ7xqSWZoqSAHWYP6UoyuSLoRxqdz%252BenQC6Zt02xbUF%252BrNe3YJmKjO9d5A2ykUaui2P4QCvvcBXK3wv2Xkb8kOegTpP8p25Gn1%252FI0HGJ6KxPrcgJtBaAa7L5qnhveA%253D%253D%7Cclp%3A2334524%7Ctkp%3ABFBMhOKwu5Zf