I'll disagree.
For example: Having a new heater core replaced does add value to the vehicle if the owner can prove it was replaced. Not a terribly difficult to do job but it is certainly an all day job. I'd much rather pay a few more grand for a vehicle that has had a lot of maintenance done it to than a vehicle that has 200k without any sort of record.
Wrenching on a vehicle isn't always fun and the parts are going to cost you money anyways.
True, but that just MAINTAINS value, it doesn't ADD value.
A 200k mile vehicle with maintenance records can certainly demand a premium over a 200k mile vehicle with no maintenance at all, sure.
However, that's because someone can reasonably talk you down it price if your vehicle is falling apart. The value for the maintained vehicle didn't go up; the value for the unmaintained vehicle went down.
You're not gonna get what you paid for back in maintenance items. Hell, you barely get a return on aftermarket off-road mods.
I spent $350 on my timing belt kit a few months ago. Does that mean that my truck is now worth $350 more? No, that just means that I changed the timing belt.
I can now try to sell my T4R without someone countering for $1k less because the timing belt is due. I just can't ask a premium because, "Hey, new timing belt!"
If I incorporated maintenance costs on everything I've done on my T4R, PLUS the cost of the T4R, it would probably be worth $6-$7k.
It's a 1999 2wd Limited with torn seats and near 200k miles. I bought it for $4200 4 years ago. It's not gone up in value.
Alternatively, If I bought my T4R for $4200 4 years ago, and did NOTHING, it'd be falling apart now, and I probably couldn't even ask $1000 reasonably. All I did was maintain value.
I know value is in the eyes of the buyer, and prices change per region, state, etc, so it's all subjective, but still.
