Originally Posted by Triplicate
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted by JoelB
I was thinking about this yesterday. Most topics discussed regularly here (Carbon build up, sludge, fuel dilution, wear metals) really only matter over a long period of time.
For example I like commuter cars for whatever reason. My habit is to buy one new and drive it a few years then trade it in on another one. If i never keep a car over 5 years, are any of these topics even relevant? Even with sub-par maintenance any new vehicle should make it 5 years I would think.
You would be correct however the "trade in" value or "time to sell" and resale value might be impacted by the lack of maintenance.
Documentation of maintenance is more important during resale than maintenance.
Hypothetically speaking, a car could be impeccably maintained by its owner but see no benefit at resale if there are no receipts. Conversely, the car could have every oil change and tire rotation badly done by HS age kids at a quickie lube but have a stack of papers attesting to the "care" given to the vehicle.
The vast majority of car buyers haven't a clue about how their vehicle works. They care about price, age, mileage, and physical condition first, and if the car drives normally of course. Most consumers would rather have a warranty than a well maintained car, which is baffling to me. It's like not caring if your food was made by people with clean hands because you have a big stockpile of Pepto Bismol at home.
For the type of car owner in question...one usually just trades in the current ride for a new one. When doing something like that, I have NEVER been asked about maintenance records...and when I offer any evidence of records, it makes ZERO difference in the trade in value. If the car you are trading in runs and drives, you are going to get the rate you negotiate. If you were a person to trade in a new vehicle every three years for a new one...I would bet my shorts you could get away with never doing maintenance, and have little to no repercussions.