100% agree. I would not take my car to Nissan if it was the last garage on earth. Their reputation is VERY poor. I have a local garage that does all the 'major' stuff on my car. they are helpful, thorough and friendly to boot.
They know their stuff and have a GREAT reputation. They are VAT registered and will stamp any book for work done.
As it is, my car is an import that came with no service history so the issue is not important to me.
When I buy a car I go on what I can see and hear and smell. This has always been a great guide to me.
My one failing was with a Jaguar XK8 that had full Jaguar service history and had been serviced about 3000 miles before I bought it. The cam chain snapped about 200 miles later. Jaguars help??? **** all mate I can tell you.
I service everything myself - basic stuff - and keep all the receipts for all items purchased.
If you keep your car 3 or 4 years. What you pay on servicing will be more than the difference in price between my car and yours!!
The words FSH do not by the way mean what they seem to mean. All they mean is the book has stamps in it. I have a friend who for a few bob will take your honda service book and put as many stamps in it as you want. change the dates and put the right sort of mileage in. A quick oil change and your car LOOKS to be top notch.
GO ON WHAT YOU SEE and TAKE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS with you.
Ming the cautious
All things being equal i'd agree with you. But you have an import that could of been drifting around tokyo before you had it. Whether it was or not neither you or i know. Thats the risk you take with an import. The fact that an import has no warranty means that people like your self will service themselves or get a local dealer to do it. This again is adding to the next purchasers concerns as to the history of the car which is a factor why an import will depreciate faster and be harder to sell on resale.
No one is saying Nissan are great or even average for that matter, but for me i would like to know for certain that the car has been serviced to the manufacturers specifications.
I agree that an independant may do a better job but beyond you and your mechanic, no one else can verify the standard of work carried out.
My thinking comes purely from owning two zeds that were within warranty and wanting to keep it that way.