I want to change my own oil on my new car for a variety of reasons.
What I’m worried about is the fact that my carfax record won’t have oil change records, making it seem like I’m not taking good care of it. Will the resale value be potentially affected?
Is this a genuine concern or am I overthinking it? I will maintain a log book and records of oil purchased, but I’m not sure if that holds the same weight as it being on the carfax.
FWIW it’s part of Hyundai’s performance line (Elantra N) so I suspect people will take extra close look at maintenance of it.
Thank you!
I know some folks my age that don’t even know what a CarFax is.
I think you are putting too much importance on the CarFax report.
Owned my car since 67k miles. At 178k now. It has zero service records since I do everything myself (save tires and alignments). Its condition speaks for itself. Would you rather buy a car that’s beat up with perfect service records or one that looks like it was well taken care of with no service records?
Nobody cares about carfax.
Yes
I put as much value into carfax as I do in a yelp review, so not much. Most people won’t even look.
Not everyone reports to carfax anyways, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Keep the receipts for every oil and filter you buy. That will show the record to a potential new buyer. If that’s not good enough for them find a different buyer.
Yeah, you’re definitely overthinking. You can add your own records to carfax. Many shops don’t report to carfax. It’s a non-issue.
I just write everything I do in a book in the glovebox. Example: 10/16/23 Chainged Oil and filter, topped trans fluid 11/02/23 replaced all sparkplugs (NGK Irridium)
That way, there’s a history. My last professional oil change was almost 40k miles ago but I’ve changed it so many times after that it’s good to have a log.
If you really want a record that actually shows something, pull an oil sample and send it to an oil lab (Blackstone as an example) minutes before each oil change, and youll have the history of reports showing how often you pulled samples, as well as a chemical analysis of the materials in the oil that help track and predict invisible engine wear, potentially allowing you to get ahead of problems before they are problems. Its like $30, which still puts you way cheaper than a dealer oil change, AND you get real data from it.
Keep your receipts for the oil/filter if you change it yourself
Out of all the vehicles I bought or car faxed non of them had normal maintenance records. Recal work maybe a few but that was it. Very few places report to Carfax. Keep your documents and receipts with the mileage and date written on the paperwork. Most car people can tell if a vehicle hasn’t been regularly maintained
I’ve never cared to seek out a carfax report. I’ve also done all of my own maintenance and repairs for decades, none of which were reported to carfax.
If you are planning on selling it some day to a private party, chances are, that person will not seek out a carfax report. But they will get a vibe from you on whether or not you can be trusted to tell them the truth. If you plan on selling to a dealership, they’ll inspect it and likely know whether or not it was maintained.
Do your own oil changes + everything else that is in your power to do. Buy a torque wrench and know how to use it. Forget about everything else.
Self reporting to Carfax is for your records, it won’t go on a report.
Not all shops report to Carfax, it’s a voluntary or software subscription thing.
Keep receipts for parts and all services. Mark them with mileage and what you did. Put them with the car and mention them when it’s up for sale.