It's been some time since I bought a second hand car but today I accompanied a mate to view some 4X4s. Three had been selected following an internet source - cars around five years old.
In each case the dealer had said over the 'phone that the vehicles had service history. However, out of the three, only one had a full service history with stamped service book.
The first one we looked at reached the stage of agreeing the price and my mate asked for the service book before handing over the cash.. The dealer said that it was with other papers and he would sort it out. It turned out that the service book had been 'lost' and the dealer then said that he had spoken to the previous owner who said it had been serviced regularly by a mechanic but the documentation hadn't been kept. Needless to say my mate walked away.
The same line was given by another dealer. In this case, the car had the first two annual services recorded in the service book but no evidence of any other service for the last two years.
These two dealers were both national franchises. The one out of the three with a full service history was from an independent dealer
Full service history use to be a pre-requisite but unless my mate was just unlucky, things seem to have changed. Both the dealers said that they would service the vehicles before sale and assumed that this was acceptable in the absence of a service history. Is this common practice now?
John
Posted on: 23 April 2011 by Tony Lockhart
I would immediately suspect clocking and would walk away. There's too much choice available to risk anything at all. There is a website for checking the MOT history of a vehicle. All that is needed is the reg number and just one MOT test certificate number, and it's free. Obviously no use on vehicles under three years old.
Another point. For at least the warranty period most cars are serviced at main dealers. These servicings will be on their system, and so can still be legitimately entered into the service book. If they can't be, why not? Again, walk away.
Bloody frustrating, but it's the safe way.
Tony
Posted on: 24 April 2011 by full ahead
Friends have had their Renault cleo for 4 years.Its been serviced every year by a franchised dealer,they have the receits but the service book has never been stamped.
Lady I work with used to buy Protons,she told me that her husband did the servicing and the local franchised Ford/Proton dealer stamped the book. The dealer was a family friend of theirs.
Slightest suspicion,walk away.
Posted on: 24 April 2011 by Jonn
Originally Posted by Tony Lockhart:
Here's the MOT history checker:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Mo...ehicle/Mot/index.htm The results include mileage and any fails and advisories. Quite interesting! Tony
Tony,
Thanks for the link. My mate was able to check the MOT details on one of the cars with an incomplete service record we looked at on Saturday. The car has an up to date MOT and the current mileage was as expected compared with the MOT record. He was also able to find out the name of the garage where the last MOT was done from the link (using the tel.no provided) so he's going to contact them to see if they have a service record. All info that the dealer should provide of course and which will be requested before any deal is done, but reassurance from going to the primary source.
Cheers
John
