Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

Have just been reading through a couple of the threads on valve clearances and servicing and its brought a question to my mind. I bought my SV about 5 months ago. It has close to 17000 miles on it now, and came with all the past MOTs, its service record book fully stamped up aside from one stamp in 2009.

The MOT records and mileage recorded in the service records at each service indicate that it must have hit 14500 miles around about June 2008 (the stamp in the service record for June 2008 shows 14548 miles). And 15000 miles must have been hit somewhere between then and it's MOT the following year in July 2009 (as the MOT shows 16000 miles).

The stamps after 14500 miles are George White Swindon at 14548 miles in June 2008, and Mike Wheeler Witney Oxon at 16389 in August 2010.

There aren't any receipts or invoices for either of these services, aside from the stamp in the service book. Given that the 14500/15000 is supposed to be the big service where they do all the valve clearances etc, do you think it's likely this would have been done at either of those services?

Can dealers stamp the record for just doing a basic service such as oil, filter and fluids even though the Suzuki service schedule says to do x,y and z. For them to put a stamp do they need to have followed the Suzuki schedule and checked everything Suzuki say to check at 14500/15000 miles?

Cheers!

Re: Service record stamps
 

Good question.Id say without the invoices those stamps are fairly meaningless.The valve check I would do myself just to give peace of mind that it had been done.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

+1

I bought a 4 yr old bike with full service stamps, but the invoices showed they only changed oil and filter. IMHO it should have had all fluids and plugs changed by the fourth year. So it's DIY servicing from when I bought it, including valves, fork oil etc.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

You can try phoning the garages and giving the reg number, our system allows us to pull up previous services.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

if they have done their job right then i would presume that they have a record of what has been done.

i may be wrong but if a service is carried out by a main dealer then all works are added to the suzuki main database.

give them a phone.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

It's not linked to Suzuki at all but if the dealer has a proper epos system it will store all the records of what was done and when.

I guess a stamp is better than none!

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

The stamps mean nothing. Even the invoices only tell you what you were charged for on the computer, not what was actually done in the workshop. Phoning them is no good, as if the guy on the end of the phone realises that they should have done the clearance checks, but they haven't, he's not going to tell you that. The computer could also show that they were done (ie: they were charged for) but the mechanic ran out of time or was under pressure to get another bike finished, and they got skipped. Just get the valve clearances checked.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

Sometimes I do have to go WTF when it cones to advice! Ralph if the guy answering the phone has no record of what was done then how will he know something wasn't done that should have been!

Seriously most places keep full records, a phone call is worthwhile.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

Who said anything about him having NO record of what was done? :roll:

I said,

(1) the records on the computer may not match what was done in the workshop

(2) the guy on the phone may not tell you what he can see on his computer screen

(ie: if he can see the service records, but there's no record of clearance checks, but realises that they should have been done, what's to stop him lying about it?)

Both are perfectly possible and feasible.

Anybody who thinks they can trust A N OTHER dealer that they know nothing about are being extremely naive. The only way to know 100% if they have been done is to get them checked.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

Get them checked by who?

Unless you stand and watch them actually do it... any body can take your money, then check nothing as it involves effort and just tell you that it's fine as it runs ok. Depends how paranoid you are I guess.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

I'll be getting the carbs serviced on the XT soon, as it's not something I'm comfortable doing myself (sure it's easy as p1ss, just nothing is easy the first time), I'll be taking it down to Spannerman due to the amount of recommendations he gets on here, and the fact that he makes his living out of doing a conscientious job, other than price it's his main selling point in his competition against larger garages.

A good conscientious independent mechanic will always be happy to let you watch and explain to you what he's doing as he goes along anyway.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

When I typed out that post I was thinking that Spannerman was the only real option for that lol

There is a guy near me that an approved service centre and he only has a tiny unit so I'm hoping he is forthcoming with letting me watch/help.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

Most garages will let you watch. We have a viewing area, I know of 2 other main dealers that do also.

There is alot of assumption when giving advice. Best advice is to call both places that did the last two services and ask. The previous owner may have only asked for a minor service. Not everywhere is into the habit of not doing stuff thats asked for!.

And IMHO he could have been home serviced and who is to say that was done properly especially considering most people consider a service to be an oil and filter change!.

Re: Service record stamps - meaning what?
 

I agree that he should phone and ask, but there are two possible outcomes from that.

The garage says they haven't been checked, which means he has to get them checked anyway.

The garage says they have been checked, but for lots of possible reasons, honest or otherwise, on that day in June 2008, nearly three years ago, the mechanic didn't actually check them. So if he wants piece of mind, he still needs to get them checked.

Phone call is good advice, but the best advice IMO, whatever the outcome, is still "Get them checked". It's the only way he'll ever know for sure.