How do you value a "major" done by a DIY owner?

As the cars get older I think the value of dealer servicing diminishes. I don't see 246 Dino owners nearly as preocupied with dealer histories and their cars sell for way more than 308s/328s. Two guys I know work on their own Daytonas! By the time a 308 or similar is 30 years old does it really matter who is maintaining it as long as someone competent is. Condition is all that counts. The TR may be slightly different as its newer and more complex.

 

BPU,

Did you buy the car for you or the next owner? DIY is part of the love of the hobby. Are you into it? or ARE YOU IN TO IT?

 

I have done my own majors on my 308, Mondial t, 348, F40 and TR and I never had problems selling.......and I got top dollar on the sales. So, this dealer service argument is BS. Incidently the only time that I have had major failures after a major was when I reluctantly let Scottsdale Ferrari do a major on my TR.........engine failure that of course they denied obvious fault. Followed by a failure to put a ground strap on my 348............that caused a failure of the shift cables and throttle cables, and again claiming innocense.

The best thing you can do is learn to work on your car and do it right.

 

Well, I do love working on my cars - it is a large part of the fun of ownership. Quite frankly, if I hadn't found ferrarichat, I would never even contemplate it .

 

To me it seems your worried about the money side. Loss of value.

If I was in your shoes I would work out how much money you would lose when you make a DIY and sell the car. Work out how much money you would save by making a DIY and you still might be on top. Then you still have the chance of finiding a buyer that "doesnt care"/"would rather a DIY Love nut" service. Which would put you in a much better situation.

 

Wiseman has hit the nail on the head here. For his example, $20K in dealer service would possibly net him $5K more in selling price. Pay $20K to make $5K. Good investment?

That's like not paying off your home loan because you lose a tax deduction.

Birdman

 

In honesty, knowing in the future, I would be selling the car, I would rather buy from someone that had all service done at a dealership. But, if I was buying a car from someone and truly wanted a NICE car that was well sorted, I would rather buy it from someone who did their OWN service.

A guy who can wrench on his own car is more apt to fix something as SOON as he thinks there may be an issue. Something like timing or a valve adjustment may go unnoticed or untended to by a regular owner who has to take it to the dealership at $135/hr. The guy who can do it himself will take care of it that weekend.

I would LOVE to buy a Ferrari from a guy who has done his own majors many times over....

 

I would be more concerned about the overall condition and treatment of a car by its owner. I am speaking about older cars as that is all I am famililar with (dont you need a $25,000 extention cord for the new ones? ).

Everything I have done I learned on this board, the Ferrari-list and Carl Jones's Yahoo tech list. I am not a mechanic nor that smart or I would be wealthier so I could have owned more Ferrari! However I have what most dealers or even the best trained and experienced tech's on this list have, unlimited time. For example I have been thinking for two weeks about the best way to unhook my front brake lines to replace the wheel bearings. I still haven't decided how to do it but with the input from all of you there is no doubt I will come to a conclusion soon!

That is why I am so respectful of all the trained Ferrai techs and experienced real mechanics (and I am including non-professionals like Steve M and Ric R. etc.) they have made my Ferrari experience a wonderful journey filled with excitement, fear, satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, self esteem and fulfillment!

quote from above post "The way I see it, a major done by a DIY owner CAN BE more detailed than done by a dealer. The DIY will likely detail the motor and bay, replace a lot of cosmetic parts ( think of carguy on this board), replace more hoses, etc. "

Who would not buy a car treated like this?
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I too am in favor of the diy'er that has good documentation. My TR came with 23,000 dollars worth of receipts for work done in the last 3 years-count them twenty -three-thousand dollars. This was done by a supposed reputable shop that charges a fortune and does 1st class work-yeah right
1 month into ownership of the car the plug wires caught on fire and melted the cap, the new windshield they put in has sealant everywhere but on the windshield, the new seals on the valve cover-leaking, the motor was degreased with such a harsh cleaner that it took off the cadium plating on the bolts and the list goes on. I have spent in excess of 4k to rectify these problems and now the car is great. However my 2 cents is this : if you are a competent diy'r and have experience working on cars, then go for it otherwise find an independent repair shop that is small and will let you hang out and watch while they are working on your car. I do a combination of the both. I have a binder with every receipt for everything I have ever done on it. I agree with Birdman, his rationale makes the most sense.

 

my 2 cents,

If you DIY you know it was done with Time, and care and KNOW it was done right.

With a Dealer you know it was rushed,done for the $$$ and HOPE it was done right.

The Value is in the wallet of the beholder