DIY service on brand new car

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
I have never kept receipts in over 45 years for oil changes I have done to any vehicle.

I'm going to have to call you on that one.

Are you saying the IRS (and your accountant) lets you claim your commercial oil changes without having documentation available?

I keep the receipts for that purpose. I keep a log book in case I were to be asked for service records, though that's not exactly likely to happen with an in warranty vehicle, let alone my out of warranty ones.

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
I have never kept receipts in over 45 years for oil changes I have done to any vehicle.

I'm going to have to call you on that one.

Are you saying the IRS (and your accountant) lets you claim your commercial oil changes without having documentation available?

I keep the receipts for that purpose. I keep a log book in case I were to be asked for service records, though that's not exactly likely to happen with an in warranty vehicle, let alone my out of warranty ones.


Receipts are only needed when audited

you don't mail them in with your tax return

 

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Has anybody here ever been turned down for warranty service because they didn't have records?

Many Subaru WRX/STI owners have.

I wasn't asked for receipts on my turbo failure claim, but that was only because my dealer's Service Manager knows me and knows how anal I am about oil and went to bat for me with the district Subaru rep (I was 2k miles past the warranty). In most cases, a Subaru dealer will ask for oil purchase receipts.

I think it depends on the car and the manufacturer. Given Subaru's shaky history with lubrication related failures, I would definitely keep receipts on a Subaru. A Nissan Micra?

Of course, just having an oil receipt doesn't prove that's the oil that you used for the oil change in that particular car.

 

[emmett442]

Back when the Malibu was newer, a code for a camshaft actuator popped up. Still under warranty, I took it to the dealer where the tech discovered dirt in the screen. I was asked to provide proof of oil changes, but had none! It eventually came down to asking them to be reasonable and take a look - the oil was obviously pretty clean (or at least, clean enough to assume it had been changed recently, which I had done maybe a month prior). The dealer conceded and fixed it under warranty.

That said, like others here, I had never though to keep receipts until then. Luckily, I got off easy.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Receipts are only needed when audited

you don't mail them in with your tax return

I know, but you still keep them.

As an aside, I'm surprised my accountant hasn't grumbled about me stockpiling oil, rather than buying as needed, and make me amortize it instead of claiming it at once as I do.