How important is the service history

daveg

I recently bought a `00 audi A4 from a Audi/VW dealer in Galway (Al Hayes). When I looked at the car I was told there was a full service history as the car was bought from Al Hayes and was serviced there regulary since new. However when I looked for the log book with the service history it was missing.

How important is this book when I come to resell ? Should I ask for a cover letter from the garage to say it had fsh before I bought it ? I plan on servicing the car myself from here on.

Thanks in advance.

Seth Brundle

if you are doing all the work yourself then keep ALL receipts, even for small items.

ondafly

Dave - you might find that the service history is there, but actually on the Garage's computer - and they just didn't bother to stamp the book.

I think service history depends on the car, and also the person buying it. If its something like a BMW, it needs it, as they don't sell very well without them. Or if you are the type of person who doesn't mind trying to sort out the problems yourself, you won't worry about the service history too much.

daveg

Sorry I should have made myself more clear. There was no service book in the car (infact not even the car manual which is a pain in the ass).

All that I got was the ownership form and the car stereo manual (:rolleyes: )

Should I request a cover note from the Garage for when I sell the car ? Fúck it I paid €22,500 for the bloody thing - you'd expect them to be able to back up a full service history.

Seth Brundle

I would go back and kick up **** - is the service history not part of the reason you bought the car?

Borzoi

Garages are always slow to actually do anything once they have your cash, but keep adgering the sales rep, and they should pproduce the documentaion - service log and manual.

Threatening to throw the keys back at them should help.


As far as the history goes, it's more important for an older car, more important for a private sale (no warranty) vs a dealer sale (12 month warrant)

As others have said, a third factor would be make and model, some cars, just aren't as reliable as others

Victor

Well for €22,500 you would want it. If you needed to sell the car in the morning, would you get half that amount (from a dealer) without the service history?

mike65

daveg, get the history, be it a computer print-out or a log-book, as you say for 22K you expect everything to be ticketyboo. Why are Irish Garages/owners so bloody haphazard with paperwork? If you cant get one from the garage I'd suggest trying to get in touch with the previous owner who may have a small pile of reciepts etc in a draw somewhere...

Mike.

Seth Brundle

further to mike65's post - why do many garages give out a statement afterwards indicating that a 'full service' was done? What exactly was done? Have you any comeback if something goes wrong on a part that should have been serviced (according to the manufacturers book) but wasn't?

daveg

Thanks for the reply's guy's. I was told it had a full service history. I expect them to back that up. Personally I found them to be a cúnt to deal with. For example I had to bring back the car to get 2 new tyres, door handle fixed and some stone chips on the bonnet repaired. The Garage is approx 40 miles from where I live. I had to hang around Portumna for nearly 5 hours (and then another 2 and the garage while they actually did the work !!). Since then I have developed a huge distaste for the Garage and the thoughts of travelling out there again does not appeal to me. I even hate ringing the place.

My first and last car bought off them :mad:

I'll call them and ask for some kind of FSH documentation.

Well for €22,500 you would want it. If you needed to sell the car in the morning, would you get half that amount (from a dealer) without the service history?

Surely it's not that important ?

Seth Brundle

would you have bought the car if it had no service history?