servicing cost v full service history upon selling

[prydey]

i've always been one to service my own cars but my last couple of cars have been serviced by ford due to warranty.

my fg is now out of warranty, so i'm no longer obliged to get it serviced by the dealer, but i'm also in the habit of changing cars every few years so it got me thinking. how much is a full service history worth come sale time? is the $200 give or take for a service worth it to keep the book stamped?

i'm beginning to think yes. its a relatively small cost and offers peace of mind for the next buyer. i'm not looking to sell any time soon, but i figure not only will it keep my service history/record intact, it will also continue to build my relationship with the dealer, which will help in the future, as my cars are always likely to be fords.

whats everyone else's views. is the service cost something you are prepared to pay, even though you are more than capable of doing it yourself, just to keep the cars service history up to date?

i guess i can put it this way. if you were looking at 2 cars the same and 1 had a full service history but was up to $1000 dearer, would you pay the premium? or buy one up to $1000 cheaper but trust that its been serviced by the owner. what would be the tipping point on price? i just used $1000 as an example.