Partial Service History, Would You?
Discussion
Strongly considering a purchase of a 2007 FN2 Type R they’re supposed to be serviced every year or 12.5k miles:
2008 @ 12,600
2009 @ 26,000
2010 @ 36,000
2012 @ 48,000 (unsure if this one service - no stamp in book but dealer computer print out says “unclassified” it does fall into the 12k interval like the others)
2016 @ 64,000
2019 @ 70,000
First 4 were Honda stamps but those gaps worry me, should they? The car looks like it’s been serviced during its warranty period then neglected. Part of me hopes the owner simply changed the oil themselves but that’s just what I’d like to believe.
The seller states the car drives fine and has recently had a new clutch fitted and is now on 77,000 miles. If I buy, I’d be getting it in for a major service ASAP.
2 owners and asking price £3,750. Overall in very clean condition.
Should I hold off for a full history? Or seem like a good deal given the history?
2008 @ 12,600
2009 @ 26,000
2010 @ 36,000
2012 @ 48,000 (unsure if this one service - no stamp in book but dealer computer print out says “unclassified” it does fall into the 12k interval like the others)
2016 @ 64,000
2019 @ 70,000
First 4 were Honda stamps but those gaps worry me, should they? The car looks like it’s been serviced during its warranty period then neglected. Part of me hopes the owner simply changed the oil themselves but that’s just what I’d like to believe.
The seller states the car drives fine and has recently had a new clutch fitted and is now on 77,000 miles. If I buy, I’d be getting it in for a major service ASAP.
2 owners and asking price £3,750. Overall in very clean condition.
Should I hold off for a full history? Or seem like a good deal given the history?
Edited by JB33 on Friday 2nd October 07:31
Modern synthetic oils which it will most likely have had are so good that it will be fine.
I’d rather have a car looks like it’s been cared for with a few gaps than one that looks well used but fully stamped.
Does it have a decent set of matched tyres? Three different makes and or ditch finders might make me think again.
I’d rather have a car looks like it’s been cared for with a few gaps than one that looks well used but fully stamped.
Does it have a decent set of matched tyres? Three different makes and or ditch finders might make me think again.
Sam.M said:
There must be others out there with a complete history?
It’s a highly strung engine that revs high, do you wanna take a chance on a badly maintained one?
For a car that is under £4k and over 10 years old a couple of years without an oil change 4 years ago is hardly crisis point. It’s a highly strung engine that revs high, do you wanna take a chance on a badly maintained one?
Whenever I get a new (second hand) car I do an oil change within a few days of getting it , monitor the oil weekly and change it after 1000miles. Then continue with 6-8k oil changes and weekly checks, seems to have worked for me. With the Honda it is also worth finding out when the valve clearances were last checked, £100 at Honda, or you can have a Honda Health check done for under £200 on the fixed price over 3 year old service scheme.
The Type R engines DO use a bit of oil if you are regularly using all of it's rev range ( which you MUST
) , 1L per 1000 miles is acceptable. Mine is on 128k, 26k mix of commuting/weekend thrashing over the last few years. I use 5-40 fully synthetic, currently Shell helix (it was on offer in Costco so i bought 20L worth) combined with Honda high performance "HAMP" oil filters (also on offer on RHDJapan) which marginally increase the oil pressure. It consumes barely a few sips a week when I'm commuting or 250-500ml after a few weeks of hammering it/ track day. Check around the rocker cover gasket, the VTEC solenoid on the back driver side of the block and below that the oil filter for signs of oil leaks as these areas can develop small enough leaks to not be gushing everywhere but will skew any attempt at calculating any oil usage.
Also worth establishing if the timing chain has been replaced to as this is one of those jobs that can need doing anywhere around 80-120k, others take their chances and there are Type Rs pushing 150K and beyond without having had chains done. If it's been done this would suggest that the engine has been maintained or at least had one owner prepared to spend a few £££ looking after it.
aka_kerrly said:
Sam.M said:
There must be others out there with a complete history?
It’s a highly strung engine that revs high, do you wanna take a chance on a badly maintained one?
For a car that is under £4k and over 10 years old a couple of years without an oil change 4 years ago is hardly crisis point. It’s a highly strung engine that revs high, do you wanna take a chance on a badly maintained one?
Whenever I get a new (second hand) car I do an oil change within a few days of getting it , monitor the oil weekly and change it after 1000miles. Then continue with 6-8k oil changes and weekly checks, seems to have worked for me. With the Honda it is also worth finding out when the valve clearances were last checked, £100 at Honda, or you can have a Honda Health check done for under £200 on the fixed price over 3 year old service scheme.
The Type R engines DO use a bit of oil if you are regularly using all of it's rev range ( which you MUST
) , 1L per 1000 miles is acceptable. Mine is on 128k, 26k mix of commuting/weekend thrashing over the last few years. I use 5-40 fully synthetic, currently Shell helix (it was on offer in Costco so i bought 20L worth) combined with Honda high performance "HAMP" oil filters (also on offer on RHDJapan) which marginally increase the oil pressure. It consumes barely a few sips a week when I'm commuting or 250-500ml after a few weeks of hammering it/ track day. Check around the rocker cover gasket, the VTEC solenoid on the back driver side of the block and below that the oil filter for signs of oil leaks as these areas can develop small enough leaks to not be gushing everywhere but will skew any attempt at calculating any oil usage.
Also worth establishing if the timing chain has been replaced to as this is one of those jobs that can need doing anywhere around 80-120k, others take their chances and there are Type Rs pushing 150K and beyond without having had chains done. If it's been done this would suggest that the engine has been maintained or at least had one owner prepared to spend a few £££ looking after it.
JB33 said:
Strongly considering a purchase of a 2007 FN2 Type R they’re supposed to be serviced every year or 12.5k miles:
2008 @ 12,600
2009 @ 26,000
2010 @ 36,000
2012 @ 48,000 (unsure if this one service - no stamp in book but dealer computer print out says “unclassified” it does fall into the 12k interval like the others)
2016 @ 64,000
2019 @ 70,000
First 4 were Honda stamps but those gaps worry me, should they? The car looks like it’s been serviced during its warranty period then neglected. Part of me hopes the owner simply changed the oil themselves but that’s just what I’d like to believe.
The seller states the car drives fine and has recently had a new clutch fitted and is now on 77,000 miles. If I buy, I’d be getting it in for a major service ASAP.
2 owners and asking price £3,750. Overall in very clean condition.
Should I hold off for a full history? Or seem like a good deal given the history?
To be fair, a main dealer-stamped service book tells you it's been into the dealer for an oil change, a wash and a nice cup of coffee for the owner. It doesn't tell you what problems its had or whether these have been dealt with.2008 @ 12,600
2009 @ 26,000
2010 @ 36,000
2012 @ 48,000 (unsure if this one service - no stamp in book but dealer computer print out says “unclassified” it does fall into the 12k interval like the others)
2016 @ 64,000
2019 @ 70,000
First 4 were Honda stamps but those gaps worry me, should they? The car looks like it’s been serviced during its warranty period then neglected. Part of me hopes the owner simply changed the oil themselves but that’s just what I’d like to believe.
The seller states the car drives fine and has recently had a new clutch fitted and is now on 77,000 miles. If I buy, I’d be getting it in for a major service ASAP.
2 owners and asking price £3,750. Overall in very clean condition.
Should I hold off for a full history? Or seem like a good deal given the history?
Edited by JB33 on Friday 2nd October 07:31
If you really want its history you need old MOTs with the associated advisories, and receipts to show they've been sorted. However, if the car looks good, drives well and is a decent price, it seems a reasonable risk, especially if you intend to have it put through a full service yourself.
Just bear in mind that stuff will start to need replacing, as it would with any car of that age. Brake calipers, exhaust bits, wheel bearings etc. The service history isn't bad at all. I've seen younger cars at main dealers with less/no service history so perhaps most punters don't even care.
Partial service history doesn't bother me at all to be honest. My latest car has worse history than that! I just made sure it had a fresh service on it before I picked it up... so far I'm about 6 months in and no issues.
Next year I plan to track it so it'll be going to a specialist for a full + full + a bit more service before hand
Next year I plan to track it so it'll be going to a specialist for a full + full + a bit more service before hand
Well it looks like it's just been serviced based on mileage with no regard to time!
But at least the mileage intervals have been adhered to so I wouldn't regard that history as terrible - as others have said I've seen plenty of cars with far worse history.
At that price point there aren't likely to be many cars that age that have had a service every year, so condition is definitely top priority.
But at least the mileage intervals have been adhered to so I wouldn't regard that history as terrible - as others have said I've seen plenty of cars with far worse history.
At that price point there aren't likely to be many cars that age that have had a service every year, so condition is definitely top priority.
Yeah, my stuff tends to be serviced on mileage, except the Porsche, it's too temperamental to put up with that.
Also, don't be put off by none main dealer history, I stopped taking my Evo there at 27k because of the utterly shambolic way they went about not only servicing the car, but how I was treated as a customer. I'd have been better off doing the job myself and keeping the invoices, it would have been a better job.
Also, don't be put off by none main dealer history, I stopped taking my Evo there at 27k because of the utterly shambolic way they went about not only servicing the car, but how I was treated as a customer. I'd have been better off doing the job myself and keeping the invoices, it would have been a better job.
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