Poorly Maintained Lease Vehicles?

[John105]

You probably could have found them.... On the salesman's car!

The pdf was a real invoice if you will, only internal and it had no $ amounts. But real part #’s. Someone who works or owns a dealer is laughing as they know what’s going on here. I really don’t. Like phantom internal invoicing…

 

[JHZR2]

I have been looking at CPO used cars and while looking at their Carfax reports, I was rather surprised to see how many cars had poor service history. Many had oil changes only after 20 or 30K miles--not good.

I think you’re assuming that carfax actually logs all the services. I’m not sure they do.

 

[nickaluch]

On my lease vehicles there going to show on a car fax 1 oil change in 3 years because I change my own oil. The one oil change is free from the dealership.

 

[dishdude]

Have you compared the savings on new vs. CPO? For something like a BMW or Mercedes, there is typically a significant savings. A Toyota or Honda, typically no.

 

[NormanBuntz]

As others have said, just because maintenance services are not listed on a Carfax report doesn't mean they weren't done. Any services that ARE listed is a pure bonus. I never have bought a used car without documented service records.

 

[Kestas]

The last two times I rented a car the oil change light was on. Shameful.

 

[Kestas]

I never have bought a used car without documented service records.

The last two times I sold a car, my maintenance records were greatly appreciated and likely helped with the sale.

 

[JohnnyG]

If anyone looks at the carfaks report on my Mercedes, they'd never buy it. Right now, Car Fax shows over 100,000 miles on the car, and NO oils changes!
It actually has less than 20,000 miles on it and I've done 5 oil changes personally.

 

[NormanBuntz]

The last two times I sold a car, my maintenance records were greatly appreciated and likely helped with the sale.

That's often true with private sales, but in my experience it carries no weight with a dealer when you trade in a vehicle.

 

[proveitwithdata]

From the comments i gather every bitoger drops off their hertz/similar vacation car rentals with a full tank of techron supplemented top tier gas and a complete mobil 1 0w40 euro and filter (95%at 25 microns and wire backing) change?

 

[CKN]

YUP.
Vehicles are neglected.
I'd never want to bet on John Q. Public even bringing his leased vehicle to a "bargain lube". (the assumption here is that 'bargain lubes' don't report to Carfax.)
This is one reason why CPO cars have the warranties they do.

My local Valvoline does indeed report to Carfax. But for what they charge they ARE NOT A BARGAIN.

 

[4WD]

From the comments i gather every bitoger drops off their hertz/similar vacation car rentals with a full tank of techron supplemented top tier gas and a complete mobil 1 0w40 euro and filter (95%at 25 microns and wire backing) change?

Well, yeah …

 

[CKN]

That's often true with private sales, but in my experience it carries no weight with a dealer when you trade in a vehicle.

This has been discussed many times before. A folder of maintenance records goes in the round (trash) file. 99.5% of the dealers could care less. There simply isn't a storage system in place to store said records and pass them on to the next owner. There are some dealers here who have over 100 used cars are their lot.

 

[proveitwithdata]

That's often true with private sales, but in my experience it carries no weight with a dealer when you trade in a vehicle.

Exactly.

Well, yeah …

Im waiting for car sellers to advertise "maintained by a bitoger" as a means of increase asking price

 

[loneryder]

I leased a '13 Accord. I serviced it with M1 every 5K. I was considering buying it at lease end, but the reason I took care of it was respect for the machinery. I try and take care of things.

I always took good care of my company cars in case I wanted to buy one of them. I wasn't paying for it.

 

[wpod]

Exactly.

Im waiting for car sellers to advertise "maintained by a bitoger" as a means of increase asking price

Since 1974 I have been changing my oils once a year whether needing to or not.

 

[Urshurak776]

I meticulously maintain my vehicles (as I'm sure all BITOG members do.)

I maintain a log that stays in vehicle with receipts, etc.

None of that shows up in a CarFax though.....I guess you can enter it in CarFax?

 

[ET16]

Have you compared the savings on new vs. CPO? For something like a BMW or Mercedes, there is typically a significant savings. A Toyota or Honda, typically no.

Yes. I have been looking at Volvos, so there I see a good amount of depreciation in the first2-3 years.

 

[Kira]

Yes. I have been looking at Volvos, so there I see a good amount of depreciation in the first2-3 years.

Yeah, but I don't see any Volvo dealer passing that depreciation on to you in the form of lower price...ever...even prepandemo.

 

[eljefino]

This has been discussed many times before. A folder of maintenance records goes in the round (trash) file. 99.5% of the dealers could care less. There simply isn't a storage system in place to store said records and pass them on to the next owner. There are some dealers here who have over 100 used cars are their lot.

And most buyers don't want to see maintenance records, they want a car that was "loyal" and "never needed a mechanic." Those that do care about maintenance can still spot a well-maintained vehicle and don't need coddling.

Think about it, what makes carfax the best data source? Not just public domain DMV records but maintenance records too. There has to be a deal with the big chains, of benefit to both parties ($) to supply them with information. The tire store I worked at collected a stupid amount of information for their loss leader oil change, and I imagine they had a way of monetizing it.