Dodgy service history for new car purchase.
Discussion
Good morning all, looking at buying a second/fourth hand car and quite down the road to buying one and should have it on Friday but just been revealed a potential issue with service history.
Car is a 63 plate and from 2017 it hasn’t had a service until July this year whilst completing approx 20k miles. The last service this year was done by a main dealer. Mot checker shows the car was in use as mileage went up.
My two train of thoughts.
Run, the car isn’t a rare or special car just a run around so why take the risk.
Keep proceeding with the purchase as anything that needed doing would of been picked up by the service in July this year as it wasn’t a back street set up.
I have spoken to the local dealer near to me and they have satated that the warranty will still be in place as the main dealer one last month would of reinstated the warranty.
Any thoughts on what you would do and why?
Car is a 63 plate and from 2017 it hasn’t had a service until July this year whilst completing approx 20k miles. The last service this year was done by a main dealer. Mot checker shows the car was in use as mileage went up.
My two train of thoughts.
Run, the car isn’t a rare or special car just a run around so why take the risk.
Keep proceeding with the purchase as anything that needed doing would of been picked up by the service in July this year as it wasn’t a back street set up.
I have spoken to the local dealer near to me and they have satated that the warranty will still be in place as the main dealer one last month would of reinstated the warranty.
Any thoughts on what you would do and why?
Depends where we are on value here - A £3k car, I wouldn't worry about it. A £mid-teens car then it could be an issue. Ultimately does the car look neglected or is it just the previous owner who skimped on routine stuff? Tyres should give you an indicator as to whether it has been an A to B hack or not.
I wouldn't be too fussed if the car appears ok generally.
I wouldn't be too fussed if the car appears ok generally.
Quite possibly had the "missing" services done by the owner or friend of the owner, so service book not stamped.
I've just bought a car with a history like this, from the biggest Ford dealer in my area. It's a 2014 Citroen C3 Picasso that they took in part exchange. Only 30k miles on the clock, so they decided to put it on their own forecourt, rather than passing it on through the trade.
The car had been serviced by a Citroen dealer for the first 3 years, then nothing stamped in the book. When they sent it into their workshop for a pre-sale service, it turns out that one of their own mechanics knew the car. He lived next door to the owner, and serviced it for them for a few quid in his back pocket.
The MOT history is about as good as it gets for a 7 year old Citroen - advisories for tyres, and 2 fails for blown lightbulbs.
It was priced well, story rings true, and is in better condition than others of the same make/model that I'd looked at. I paid a grand more than one 3 years older (with a shocking MOT history) was up for at a secondhand dealer, and a couple of grand less than it would have cost with FSH from a Citroen dealer.
Time will tell, but I think I got a good car for the money.
I've just bought a car with a history like this, from the biggest Ford dealer in my area. It's a 2014 Citroen C3 Picasso that they took in part exchange. Only 30k miles on the clock, so they decided to put it on their own forecourt, rather than passing it on through the trade.
The car had been serviced by a Citroen dealer for the first 3 years, then nothing stamped in the book. When they sent it into their workshop for a pre-sale service, it turns out that one of their own mechanics knew the car. He lived next door to the owner, and serviced it for them for a few quid in his back pocket.
The MOT history is about as good as it gets for a 7 year old Citroen - advisories for tyres, and 2 fails for blown lightbulbs.
It was priced well, story rings true, and is in better condition than others of the same make/model that I'd looked at. I paid a grand more than one 3 years older (with a shocking MOT history) was up for at a secondhand dealer, and a couple of grand less than it would have cost with FSH from a Citroen dealer.
Time will tell, but I think I got a good car for the money.
Sheetmaself said:
£9k and it’s a toyota auris hybrid. Tyres changed as part of last service and mot.
Mot history looks good just the last of servicing.
My concern would be that it was an Uber car that was deliberately kept out of the dealer network with a mileage correction before the 20k service.Mot history looks good just the last of servicing.
Make sure you check for unusual wear for the mileage.
One benefit of a hybrid car is that 20k miles total probably isn't actually 20k miles driven on the petrol engine as driving will be shared with the electric motor.
If you are driving a lot in town/at lower speeds, the petrol engine won't be running the wheels all the time.
If you are driving a lot in town/at lower speeds, the petrol engine won't be running the wheels all the time.
Edited by Whataguy on Tuesday 10th August 14:52
Sheetmaself said:
Even as a one owner car?
It wouldn't be the first time a dealer has told an untruth.If you really want an Auris Hybrid then you are going to have to take the plunge on one at some point. If there aren't any massive alarm bells ringing with this one then it's probably okay.
What mileage on the MOT did it fail on tyres? Is this mileage in line with when a car would need a new set of boots?
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