It is increasingly common for cars to have a digital rather than a paper service record, which does ensure that the record cannot be lost but also encourages owners to keep the cars within the dealer network. If you choose to go to an independent garage it is vital to retain paper copies of any work carried out as a supplement to the digital service record, particularly when it comes to selling the vehicle. You can request a written copy of the digital service record from the dealer, but not all dealers are complying with these requests.