Partial Service History 2017 A4

chris_ie

Looking at a 172 Audi A4. Inside the car is in good nick. Test driven a few times and no majors issues. Decent enough price. It’s from a local car dealer/garage. UK reg but they’re putting in on Irish plates and laying VRT and Nox.

On the site they had it up as full service history. When I asked for the book they could only get the recent service, done at 60k December last year. Only 7-8k miles done since that service. Usual service notes, oil change, brake pads etc.

The full service history mentioned on the site seems to be a copy/paste error. They use the same sort of template for all cars and remove/edits parts from what I see.

I’d made an offer but said I wanted the full service history which they are trying to get at the minute. I’ve asked for an extended warranty if not. They upped the warranty to 6 months (usually they do 3 months).

They have a decent reputation here and have been around for a long time. Heard no bad stories about them as yet.

Am I being too cautious with regards the FSH?

Toyotafanboi

Wouldn't be wild about anything you've said tbh.

chris_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117936507#Comment_117936507

You mean it seems a bit too risky?

Toyotafanboi

Yeah.

Look a 2017 A4 never came with a physical service book, thr records are online only. You're only chance would be to find out which UK dealer originally supplied the car, contact them and see do they have record of the first service. If they dont i wouldn't bother with the car.

If there is 60k kms on it, it should have had a minimum of 2 services by now, if you meant 60k miles then it should have had 3 services.

IMO 6 months is a paltry warranty on a car like that, even the thought of someone thinking they can get away with offering 3 months warranty on what i assume is a €20-25k car is a joke and screams a bit of a piss take, particularly when the car is hot off the boat and has no paperwork behind it.

They are a nice car but not without some risk attached, anyone who isn't putting a decent warranty on something like that i would run a mile from tbh unless you are prepared you may have to sink a couple of €k into it at any random point.

Seth Brundle

If they don't have the full service history now, it's unlikely that they will ever have it. Also, I doubt that it was a copy/paste error.

chris_ie

Cheers lads. Yeah I asked them to bump the warranty to 12 months if they didn’t get the full service history and I’d think about it. They said they’d only do 6 but I pointed out they do 12 if you pay €200 extra. They said they’d do that if paid but I said I wouldn’t, I’d want it as part of the offer.

chris_ie

Ya reckon 12 month warranty with just the record of a single service still too risky? (I think I know the answer..)

Seth Brundle

What do they cover in the 6 and 12 month warranties?

Personally, they sound like cowboys and If you're having difficulties with them now, what will they be like if you need to make use ofnthe warranty?

bazz26

Get the UK reg and ring Audi UK and see if the partial history conforms to what they have on record. Also as the car is 5 years old it should have been through the MOT a few times, put the UK reg in here: https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/. Join the dots from there. I'd also do your own history check on the car and see if there is any record of it being Cat S or N insurance write off in the UK.

Toyotafanboi

Agreed, cowboys Ted.

Single service over 60k would put me off, no matter what warranty.

chris_ie

Would Audi UK just give out the service history if I rang with registration? I didn’t think they would..

Toyotafanboi

They wont give you a copy of it, but you can ask the question, do they have a history and they can confirm yes or no and the mileages, no issue with that.

chris_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117936869#Comment_117936869

Cheers. Got through to them. They gave me the number of the selling garage. Said they were getting stricter about the service history or something. Couldn’t get through to them so it’ll be Monday.

Toyotafanboi

If you want to pm me a chassis number I can check it for you.

Stallingrad

So many A4's out there why risk anything with a question mark over it? A better one will be along shortly.

chris_ie

I’m close to ruling this one out. I’ve been looking for a brave while!! Not many up here with spec, tech and price range I’m after. Unless I order online from down the country and don’t test drive, which I don’t fancy doin.

mickdw

You can bet that car is not legit.

A UK Diesel A4 4 year old with no history, showing small mileage and well priced.

It smells bad from here and I've not even seen a picture of it.

Add in the short warranty and its a certainty.

Can you give us the reg?

chris_ie

Is 68k miles for a 4 year old car low? Isn’t it above average?

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117942340#Comment_117942340

Probably about normal for something like an a4 diesel. Not low or high really. I've a 7 year old a6 with just under that but that's waaaay below average for other 7 year olds for sale. Bottom 10% or so. On a 4 year old I'd expect it to be in around the median

bazz26

68k miles is about average for a 4 year old diesel car. Mine is the same age and only has 55k miles done.

Old diesel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117938333#Comment_117938333

If its a known to be excellent dealer and the car is right then buying from down the country is fine imo.

My brother needed a new car in early stages of Covid.

Bought over the phone from a main dealer in Kildare based on seeing it online (my brother is in Co Cork).

Got delivered by truck because of Covid.

An excellent car from a good dealer from far away is better then an iffy car from a not great dealer locally.

chris_ie

Decided against that car. Theres an SLine up here, lovely car but when I test drove I thought it was pretty low getting in and out. Got on to them again and they've said its got the standard suspension, not sports. I'll give that another test drive but don't think it was simply the seat height. Cheers for the advice on here lads.

bazz26

The A4 is not a very low down car even with S Line suspension. The S Line suspension just drops the standard car down a few mm but it's not like it's low enough where you have to crawl into the car unless the previous owner modified it. What are you comparing it to?

chris_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949287#Comment_117949287

Comparing it against the A4 we were looking at with regards to this post. Both myself and my wife noticed it when getting in and out of the SLine. Didn't notice the same for the other A4.

It was the first A4 I test drove and we're currently in a Qashqai, so maybe I'm more used to the lower cars now from a few test drives 😄

Doesn't look that low :

Edit: Think that cars gone now too 😫

I own a 14 A4 and I wouldn't go near one without an extensive service history they can be extremely costly to fix issues on. Most people who are legit and own cars like these have no issues keeping service records. I get all the big services done at main dealer along with things like timing belt and then the oil and filter maintenance services done at a reliable independent mechanic.

If someone is selling a premium vehicle for premium money they need to have premium history. I've heard and read too many horror stories of guys buying these types of cars only to hear a rattle or feel something is off and it turns out it's crashed or undeclared damages that have been patched up.

Pay a bit more for something that checks out. Buy nice and not twice.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949349#Comment_117949349

My SUV driving friends say my A6 is really low and awkward to get into. Don't find that myself but maybe just what you're used to.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949349#Comment_117949349

I think there lies your problem, your just too accustom to sitting in a crossover with an elevated seating position. It's like being used to driving small cars and suddenly a bigger car feels like your on the Titanic.

chris_ie

Whats your opinions on a max mileage for a 4 year old Audi (assuming full service history etc)?

I wouldn't really worry too much about the mileage if your planning on keeping it for a few years or your doing massive mileage yourself

I'd say around 130k km would be fair for a car of that age. A good amount of them would be leased cars I imagine going on long motorway journeys

chris_ie

Yeah kinda the range I was looking at. I won't be doing massive miles, probably just average or slightly under. If any of you know any highly recommended dealers selling Audis, fire them at me 😉

bazz26

Why not consider a petrol A4 then?

chris_ie

I am considering petrol as well yeah. Not as many of them about. Thing is, there’s more room in the A4 boot than the Qashqai so it’s likely the Audi could become the car for the long journeys too. So that would put the mileage up.

What's your budget and spec requirements?

chris_ie

Got sorted lads. Got a lovely 2018 A4. All services recorded, (all except one being from Audi garage). Car spotless inside and out. Cheers for the advice previously.