New car - discovered wrong service book?

[AudiSport]

Mid August this year my wife and I bought a new to us car, from a garage. Yesterday, some 6-weeks on I discovered the service book is for a completely different car. Still the same make, but a different model. It says this on the first page, with the wrong VIN etc!

Naturally I'm gutted, as the car is now worth so much less than we paid as I will have to sell the car with no service book - or at best a replacement book. Naturally my first call tomorrow will be to the garage, however I'm posting on here for some advice from the collective on what you would do... As I feel right now, I just want to give the car back and walk away, however I'm not sure of our rights, especially as we have driven the car for 6-weeks!

Help : (

[Riley Blue]

You want to give the car back because the wrong service book got put in it? You serious?

[Butter Face]

They could have, you know, just given you the wrong service book.

Yours could be right there, fully stamped up in the file for the car youve got the service book for.

[AudiSport]

The thing is, the owner took me through the service book, showing me the stamp he put in for the recent service... I would love to think this is a mixup that can be sorted - however I fear this is the service book that came with the car to him when traded in and either he noticed and kept quiet, or no one has noticed till now..

[SV8Predator]

Riley Blue said:

You want to give the car back because the wrong service book got put in it? You serious?

Of course he's serious! the car is now worth so much less than we paid as I will have to sell the car with no service book!!!

[Butter Face]

So do all the stamps in the book match up with invoices you have for the car?

[AudiSport]

Butter Face said:

So do all the stamps in the book match up with invoices you have for the car?

No, as the service book is for a completely different car.

[AudiSport]

Riley Blue said:

You want to give the car back because the wrong service book got put in it? You serious?

No, but I would if this was the service book that was being sold with the car, and the original was long gone. Why, would you accept this?

[HTP99]

AudiSport said:

Butter Face said:

So do all the stamps in the book match up with invoices you have for the car?

No, as the service book is for a completely different car.

So you have correct invoices for all of the servicing and work that has been done on the car and these invoice would back up the service history that your were told that the car had?

[Butter Face]

HTP99 said:

AudiSport said:

Butter Face said:

So do all the stamps in the book match up with invoices you have for the car?

No, as the service book is for a completely different car.

So you have correct invoices for all of the servicing and work that has been done on the car and these invoice would back up the service history that your were told that the car had?

This is the question.

If you have invoices detailing services then a missing/wrong service book is an irrelevance and getting a replacement will be no issue and make no difference to the cars value in the slightest.

[Sump]

Has the car been serviced in the dealer network?

[AudiSport]

Unfortunately there are only two service invoices, one for 2012 and one for 2014. The car was made in 2005.

[Butter Face]

AudiSport said:

Unfortunately there are only two service invoices, one for 2012 and one for 2014. The car was made in 2005.

And what does the service book say with stamps? Are they dealer stamps you can call and check the details?

[Crafty_]

If done at a main dealer the service history may be recorded with the manufacturer, depends on the brand.
If its been done outside of the dealer network you may struggle.

[AudiSport]

Crafty_ said:

If done at a main dealer the service history may be recorded with the manufacturer, depends on the brand.
If its been done outside of the dealer network you may struggle.

One of the invoices is main dealer, the later isn't : /

[HTP99]

Do the two invoices that you have, tally up in the service book?

The car may have had the wrong service book from new and all of the service stamps may well be genuine for the car that you now own.

[Crafty_]

Sticky wicket. No doubt its a genuine mistake but I wonder if the car was "sold as described" as per SOGA ? If not the onus would be on the dealer to prove the car has a full service history (as sold to you) ?

[johnnyBv8]

Hopefully a simple mix-up, but there's a chance the dealer himself was duped and didnt notice...car traded in and the previous owner chucked in another service book because it was missing.

Not much you can do without going to the dealer, and seeing if he can sort it. Depending on the marque, you may also be able to trace its genuine history (if any).

[roddyp]

Speak to the seller. The issue is not the service book itself but the "full service history". If the car was advertised as having FSH (or the seller said it had it) then they have a duty to provide it.

If they can't provide a service history you'd have a case that the car was "not as described". Rejecting it now really isn't an option - best you could hope for is some cash back.

WBAC or similar site will give you (poor!) valuations for Full vs Partial service history. That could be a starting point for negotiations if they really can't find service records.

[edc]

AudiSport said:

Unfortunately there are only two service invoices, one for 2012 and one for 2014. The car was made in 2005.

You are worrying over something or such little consequence. I have a 2004 car and no service book and no invoices. I have on a scrap of paper from the Porsche dealer dates, mileage and services completed. I've kept my own invoices. It's worth no more or less than what else is out there on the market.