Car Logbook Vs Basic Service

witsa on 09/03/2025 - 16:53
Last edited 09/03/2025 - 18:25 by 1 other user

I got a Holden Astra 2017 model. It's out of warranty now, got some hail damage to it.

Need to get it serviced and wanting to ask - for those who have older cars, do you do basic or log book service?

A quick search of Autoguru tells me that a basic service costs $260 and a log book service costs $380.

I've listed the inclusions below. Is it worth opting for the log book service?

I'm also aware being Holden and having hail damage is probably not going to have great resale value. My main aim is to drive it for another 4-5 or so years before getting an EV.

BASIC SERVICE

Parts
Engine oil
Engine oil sump drain plug seal
Engine oil filter
Screen wash

Service Interval Inclusions
Change Engine Oil
Change Engine Oil Filter
Inspect Fluid Quality and Levels
Perform General Safety Inspection
Check/Report Mechanical Issues

LOG BOOK SERVICE

Parts
Engine oil - Full Synthetic
Engine oil filter
Engine oil sump drain plug seal
Screen wash
Brake fluid

Service Interval Inclusions
37 point safety check/report task(s)
Check/top-up Engine coolant/anti-freeze
Clean/tighten/re-grease Battery terminals

• 

  Hansi on 09/03/2025 - 17:05

  +1

  That depends - do you want the Brake fluid changed? Just new brake fluid and labour would make up for the difference if you do it separately. Also, it may impact the resale value. Other than that it's same same

• 

  Aureus on 09/03/2025 - 17:10

  +1

  Doing a 'logbook' service just means they are going to do the basic oil change, but also change parts as per the service interval.

  If you don't want to DIY, you should do a proper logbook service. Otherwise it is easy to do the oil change yourself, check fluid levels etc, basic maintenance is pretty easy with Youtube and some tools.

• 

  Euphemistic on 09/03/2025 - 17:22

  How long are you keping it? Id spend the min.

• 

  oscargamer on 09/03/2025 - 19:22

  +1

  Get the log book one, unless you know you've had the brake fluid done in the last couple of years

  • 

    NevC on 09/03/2025 - 20:26

    +2

    They probably will not change it but charge anyway.

    • 

      oscargamer on 09/03/2025 - 20:27

      There's that….

    • 

      MS Paint on 09/03/2025 - 21:02

      To be fair they may perform a dodgy conductivity test and if it's alright then skip the bleed.

• 

  djsweet on 10/03/2025 - 17:08

  +2

  If it has bad hail damage you won’t be able to sell it for much in another 5 years time, so there won’t be much resale value to preserve. I would just get my preferred mechanic to do what he says needs to be done, and not what the log book says.

  • 

    JimB on 19/03/2025 - 11:58

    Good advice.

    However the mechanic would probably just follow the log book as he doesn't know when the other parts were last serviced.

    Without the log book, if you changed the air filter and coolant today, in 2 years time, he'll forget that he's done the coolant unless you told him exactly what you want to do.

• 

  ATTS on 11/03/2025 - 11:44

  So how to determine they actually inspected parts based on the inspection schedule?

  I hear they dont do o
  Inspection of parts at all until its time to " replace" then they would inspect and replace

• 

  JimB on 19/03/2025 - 11:57

  How long have you had it for?

  And when was the last major service?

  You'll get stuff all for the car, it's 8 yo with hail damage.

  Most services are will something like this every 12 months/15,000km: A, B, A, C, A, B, A, D, and then repeat.

  A = oil & oil filter.
  B = oil & oil filter, cabin filter, brake flush (air filter maybe)
  C = oil & oil filter, cabin filter, air filter, brake flush, coolant flush,
  D = oil & oil filter, cabin filter, air filter, brake flush, coolant flush, spark plugs, timing belt.

  You have to know where you are at. Otherwise, it may be worth doing service D if it's 8yo and you don't know the history.