tuningblog.eu Your magazine about tuning the car
Recently updated on September 23, 2023 at 08:49 am
Do you want to sell your car at a good price or request a repair from the manufacturer? Then the checkbook is often required, which provides information about the last inspections and maintenance work. If the examinations were carried out according to the manufacturer's specifications and the booklet was filled out completely, this can lead to an increase in the value of the car and thus to a higher selling price. Find out here what a checkbook is and why it is important to maintain the status "checkbook maintained".
What is the checkbook?
The checkbook notes when a car needs servicing and whether all the necessary inspections have been made. If the workshop has carried out an inspection according to the specifications of the car manufacturer, it enters this in the checkbook with a signature and stamp. The checkbook is also known under the name "service booklet" or "maintenance booklet".
If all maintenance in the workshop has been carried out according to the manufacturer's specifications and the checkbook does not show any gaps, a car is also referred to as "checkbook maintained". If the inspections were entered only irregularly, one speaks of "partly checkbook maintained". Regular inspections are important not only for the safety of the car, but also to maintain the manufacturer's warranty. When the inspections have to take place varies depending on the car, manufacturer, usage behavior and mileage.
In contrast to other papers such as vehicle registration documents, there is a requirement to keep a checkbook Driver's license – no legal obligation. However, you will benefit from the complete filling out if you want to sell your car or errors or damage occur despite maintenance. The checkbook is available in paper form and can be requested from the manufacturer, on the Internet or from an authorized workshop. However, new models and some manufacturers are already using digital booklets in which authorized workshops can enter the inspection. The digital models have the advantage that they cannot be lost. In order to still be able to prove the inspections if the service booklet is lost, it is advisable to always keep the invoices.
This is in the checkbook:
- When to replace the brake fluid
- Time for the oil change
- Mileage for the timing belt change
- time for the inspection
- When to change the air filter
Why maintain the checkbook?
1. Assumption of costs by the manufacturer
- Maintaining your car's service book is essential, as this is the only way to ensure that maintenance and inspections have been carried out properly and in a timely manner. You need this proof, for example, if a part of your car is no longer working properly and the manufacturer is to assume the costs for this under the warranty. With the checkbook, you can always prove that you different maintenance intervals and any damage is not due to lack of control.
2. Car buying and selling
- Checkbook maintenance is also important for car buying and selling. Because a car that has been inspected before it is sold is usually worth more than one that has not yet been serviced. The risk for the buyer that the car has to be taken to the workshop after purchase is therefore lower. With a well-maintained checkbook, you can increase the value of the car when selling it. But be careful: If there is incorrect information about the checkbook in the purchase contract, this can usually be reversed.
- When you buy a used car, you should always check the service book to check the inspections. When buying a used car, make sure that the service booklet is authentic. All stamps should be visible and no pages should be torn out. Approach the entries with common sense and see if the mileage makes sense.
3. security
- Last but not least, the maintenance of the checkbook and thus the perception of the inspections also serves your own safety. You can drive with peace of mind knowing your vehicle has been inspected. In this way, even minor damage can be detected at an early stage and the risk of later major maintenance work is reduced.
- Note: In order to keep the status "checkbook maintained", it is best to contact workshops that are approved by the manufacturer of your car. If you do not have the inspections carried out in an authorized workshop and also not according to manufacturer specifications, the status "checkbook maintained" can expire.
Loss of the service book
Losing your checkbook is usually not a big deal as long as you keep the receipts for the inspections. Some authorized workshops can add the maintenance later. It can also be useful to make copies of the booklet at regular intervals in order to be able to add the examinations later. If you no longer have a checkbook, this means that the car can no longer be sold as "checkbook maintained" in the purchase contract. This can lead to a reduction in the sales price. A digital booklet is less prone to loss and is also safer from counterfeiting, since only authorized workshops have access to the digital booklet.
Conclusion: How important is the checkbook?
Although keeping a service log is not mandatory, it offers you many advantages. If you have always complied with the maintenance intervals and the vehicle is damaged anyway, the manufacturer will assume the costs for the repair work under warranty - provided you have proof of regular maintenance. The fact that the inspections are carried out regularly also has the advantage that you can sell your car for more money, as there is less risk of potential buyers having to take the car directly to the workshop. Even if you buy a used car, it is important to take a look at the checkbook so that there is no rude awakening.
Tip: If you don't want to keep a service log, then at least keep the invoices for repairs and maintenance as proof for potential buyers or for the manufacturer.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it!
tuningblog has countless other articles on the subject of car and auto tuning in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. In part, we would like to provide you with news but also off the tuning. In our category Tips, products, information & Co We have reviews of car or accessories manufacturers, new ones Tuning Wiki Terms or one or the other Leak veröffentlicht. Just click on one of the following posts!
