A fully stamped up service booklet is traditionally seen as a cast iron guarantee that a car has been maintained according to the manufacturer’s schedule. For that very reason, either losing the booklet or having one that is incomplete can cause problems when the time comes to sell.

A new initiative from Mercedes-Benz means that the traditional booklet will become a thing of the past, at least for the company’s customers, thanks to the new Digital Service Booklet (DSB) which is being progressively introduced across the model range.

Bringing added convenience and efficiency, DSB means the vehicle service data is electronically recorded by the retailer so that over time a full digital history is created as each subsequent service is performed.

No longer will private customers need to ensure the service booklet is present when visiting the retailer, while for rental and lease companies, it means one less administrative headache.

Customers will be provided with a service folder that replaces the standard service book and which is able to accommodate DSB print-outs. Equally an owner will be able to request an official print out of the vehicle’s service history covering when and where it was maintained.

The DSB programme begins with new vehicle sales of the E-Class and CLS-Class models.

Non-franchised workshops will be provided with access to DSB under Block Exemption regulations, although they will not be able to access customer records and service history.