No Service history!
Discussion
So I'm in the market for Mini and went and saw a Cooper D on 60 plate @95k miles.
£3500.
Good bits: great spec including Pan Roof and satnav, drives smoothly, sept MOT, two keys, good condition throughout. 6mth RAC warranty included (for what it's worth)
Bad bits: no service history, EGR throwing up a code, AC fan stuck on low (controls work but don't alter the speed). Consumables; rear tyres need changing and the battery needs replacing so the Start/Stop will work.
He's offered to do an oil change and sort out the EGR and Fan issues and sell for £3300.
Question: would you go for it at this price? My main reservation being the lack of history, and EGR (he could "sort it" by just clearing the code).
Thoughts?
Do MINIs of that age have service books, or is it all held by BMW on their computer and accessed using a device that reads the car's key?
IIRC, my old 2007 5 series didn't have a service book, neither does my current Skoda Superb. You have to keep copies of the printouts the main dealer gives you each time the car goes in if you want to keep a paper record of the history.
Great on a newish car, as there's no book to lose. Not so good when it's outside the main dealer network.
IIRC, my old 2007 5 series didn't have a service book, neither does my current Skoda Superb. You have to keep copies of the printouts the main dealer gives you each time the car goes in if you want to keep a paper record of the history.
Great on a newish car, as there's no book to lose. Not so good when it's outside the main dealer network.
clockworks said:
Do MINIs of that age have service books, or is it all held by BMW on their computer and accessed using a device that reads the car's key?
Yup, still a service book my wife's '59 Mini has a book, as she always forgets to get the dam thing stamped etc!!! Grrrrr my OCD goes through the roof!Drive Blind said:
the seller is doing the obsolute minimum to get you to agree to the sale. I'd be very wary.
Directly ask if the warranty covers future EGR and fan faults.
What does the MOT history show?
HPI it.
Agreed, he wasn't particularly forthcoming about the stop/start and was somewhat vague about what he'd do with the EGR. He said he'd do an oil change but chances are he'd DIY it and not necessarily change filters, use correct oil and quantity.Directly ask if the warranty covers future EGR and fan faults.
What does the MOT history show?
HPI it.
I had planned to haggle him down further to around £3k and tell him I'd do the remedial work - that way I'd know it was done.
At this price point I've always gone with the mantra of if it looks right, sounds right and drives right then it's probably alright. I've never been overly bothered about service history on the basis that if a car's got to nigh on 100k miles in apparently good nick then it must have had a modicum of care along the way. Having said that the faults mentioned in this case - particularly the EGR thing - would fall squarely under 'doesn't look right' and I'd find another.
paps said:
popeyewhite said:
If you want the car then ask for a watertight warranty. A two year AA warranty is about £800.
It's a £3500 car... £800 of warranty is unlikely I think.Might try and chase up the history with BMW.
paps said:
So I'm in the market for Mini and went and saw a Cooper D on 60 plate @95k miles.
£3500.
Good bits: great spec including Pan Roof and satnav, drives smoothly, sept MOT, two keys, good condition throughout. 6mth RAC warranty included (for what it's worth)
Bad bits: no service history, EGR throwing up a code, AC fan stuck on low (controls work but don't alter the speed). Consumables; rear tyres need changing and the battery needs replacing so the Start/Stop will work.
He's offered to do an oil change and sort out the EGR and Fan issues and sell for £3300.
Question: would you go for it at this price? My main reservation being the lack of history, and EGR (he could "sort it" by just clearing the code).
Thoughts?
I'd rather offer him £2700-£2800 on the basis that he "sorts" nothing and that leaves you some budget to get it up to scratch. £3500.
Good bits: great spec including Pan Roof and satnav, drives smoothly, sept MOT, two keys, good condition throughout. 6mth RAC warranty included (for what it's worth)
Bad bits: no service history, EGR throwing up a code, AC fan stuck on low (controls work but don't alter the speed). Consumables; rear tyres need changing and the battery needs replacing so the Start/Stop will work.
He's offered to do an oil change and sort out the EGR and Fan issues and sell for £3300.
Question: would you go for it at this price? My main reservation being the lack of history, and EGR (he could "sort it" by just clearing the code).
Thoughts?
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