Originally Posted By: FlyingTexan
Over the past 6 yrs I've averaged $88 a month in vehicle payment. I started out with a 2008 extended cab Silverado 4x4, then a 2012 Z71 crew cab, then a Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel.
I bought each vehicle used and got a good deal but I performed excellent maintenance. I logged every oil change, logged the filter and oil type. I logged he mileage when done. I logged the fuel filter replacements. It wasn't hard and took all of five minutes but I'm telling you this to give you some very good advice. Now some of you will say "I'd be happy just seeing xxxxx done not caring what type of oil or filter". Let me tell you something about salesmanship. Complain about the price now all you want but like a QVC commercial I can take 90 seconds and make a sales pitch that instantly gets me more for my vehicle than you ever will for yours. I'll promote that machine and give visual references to back what I'm saying, log book, and I'll make that person quickly understand why my bet is the safe bet and that's why it deserves a premium.
The two Silverado I drove one for three years and one for two. I sold each of them for $3k less than what I had bought them for. My payment on the Jeep, a $37,000 used vehicle when I bought it, was $178 a month because my practices have kept me rolling that equity forward. I won't lie my new truck is just something I've always wanted and is my first new purchase ever so it definitely cost more, hey I work for my money and can spend it how I want, but you can bet your butt I will get a small hard back logbook for $5 and detail each oil change with the date, the mileage of 5k intervals, the brand of premium fluid used, and the top shelf filter. I'll make it so whenever I do decide to sell that person buying will not only just be buying the vehicle but will be paying a premium for the piece of mind.
So people can give a hard time for spending more $$$ but I guarantee I get a heck of a lot more when it's time to sell. With this truck being so expensive I'll even be doing oil analysis and keeping those in a binder. I figure my way of doing it has netted me around $8,000 cash more for what was probably $250-350 more in oil costs. Heck Quaker State ultra endurance (the highest rated 0w20 from what I can find) is $20 for 5 quarts. That's $44 an oil change for me vs $26 for the Cheap-o Wal-Mart brand and filter (that's in my 6.2L v8 mind you). Doing that twice a year is $36 more dollars for actual premium top shelf items. So I guess over say 5 years that's about $180 difference for the pile of benjamins I'll turn it into. I don't see a vehicle as a monetary investment but I take whatever equity I get and keep rolling it over so I'm now sitting in a 2017 GMC SLT. So for those laughing at how I do oil changes at a "stupid" 5k interval and "waste money" on the name brand stuff.... How do you like me now?
Unless you're also providing receipts for oil/filter purchases, used filters, and/or video of the actual oil changes, you could also use ST dino and filters at 15kmile intervals and still show your buyers the logbooks with phony 5k QSUD 0W20 changes listed.
The logbooks may help with your sale process, but they're actually meaningless without other documentation to back them up. A truly discerning customer would be more likely to be positively influenced by a book of receipts from a dealer, or even Jiffy Lube, showing proof of adequate maintenance.
