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50k service history gap

  • 18-01-2021 4:25pm
    #1
    redsheeps
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭


    Was about to pull the trigger on a 151 A5 2.0TDI until the full service history I was told existed turned into a part verbal service history.

    Car had 90k km on the clock. First owner had it serviced from 0-40k km with Audi main dealer. Second owner had it between 40k and 90km but there was no record of a service during this time.

    Dealer said the second owner had it serviced in an indy garage (no issue with that) but it was done by a friend who was doing him a favour so he didn't stamp the booklet and as a result there also wouldn't be a record of the services within the indy garage. Dealer said that according to second owner he had it serviced every 10k km instead of the 15k km recommendation so it was really well looked after.

    Car drove OK and was in good nick, though the garage did say they put €2k into it before putting it up for sale.

    Car was €18k and plan was to have it for at most 2 years to trade it in. Although they offered a one year warranty I was more cautious about the trade in value in two years time with 50k km gap in recorded services. Out of curiosity I rang a main Audi dealer to ask about the impact of that gap and was told they'd take €2-3k off trade in value if I came to them with it in comparison to if it had a full recorded service history.

    I searched and found a few posts here on whether a service history is worth much and it seems people have quite different views. If I had purchased a car with only 40k km on it I'd personally have it stamped when serviced to keep it's value but not sure how much this matters anymore?

    *Just to mention this was before lockdown. It's just been niggling at me whether I'm too cautious with these things.


Comments

  • #2
    CIP4
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,657 ✭✭✭CIP4


    It would be as easy to find one with a full service history. It’s easy for a salesman to say it was serviced every 10k km in my opinion if an owner cared enough to service it every 10k km they would care enough to at least have the parts receipts as some level of proof even if the labour was done as a cash favour.

    It will effect the trade in value so I think it would just be better to get one with fsh unless this one ends up being a particularly good deal and your willing to take a chance on it. The documentation element aside there is a chance it was left go way over intervals on service for all you know or the dealer can prove so that’s a risk in itself. I have bought cars in the past with Partial service history but they were at the 5-10k price point I wouldn’t be as quick to do it with an 18k car.


  • #3
    mickdw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,462 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    I wouldnt be so much looking at future trade in values - id be alot more concerned with what the true mileage could be.
    How long did the second owner have it?
    Some could easily put 100k per year on a car and those kind of cars are then ripe for clocking.
    Is it an irish or uk car?


  • #4
    User1998
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,987 ✭✭✭User1998


    Theres plenty of Audis coming in from the UK with one owner and full Audi service history. I’d probably hold out for one like that


  • #5
    bazz26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,289 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    redsheeps wrote: »
    Was about to pull the trigger on a 151 A5 2.0TDI until the full service history I was told existed turned into a part verbal service history.

    Car had 90k km on the clock. First owner had it serviced from 0-40k km with Audi main dealer. Second owner had it between 40k and 90km but there was no record of a service during this time.

    Dealer said the second owner had it serviced in an indy garage (no issue with that) but it was done by a friend who was doing him a favour so he didn't stamp the booklet and as a result there also wouldn't be a record of the services within the indy garage. Dealer said that according to second owner he had it serviced every 10k km instead of the 15k km recommendation so it was really well looked after.

    The story sounds a bit odd in that a dealer would have such specifics about a previous owner yet has nothing but his word to back what he saying up conveniently. Any owner meticulous enough to service their car every 10k km would generally keep receipts or invoices for such work. Even if mates rates were used with a mechanic they would probably keep some receipts for materials used such as oil and filters.


    redsheeps wrote: »
    Car drove OK and was in good nick, though the garage did say they put €2k into it before putting it up for sale.

    Sounds like a typical salesman's tall tail to try and close the deal, if they spent that much on it then let them prove it with details. It also contradicts what they told you above the car being meticulously looked after by the previous owner. It just sounds to me like they had the answers you wanted to hear to all your questions imo.
    redsheeps wrote: »
    Car was €18k and plan was to have it for at most 2 years to trade it in. Although they offered a one year warranty I was more cautious about the trade in value in two years time with 50k km gap in recorded services. Out of curiosity I rang a main Audi dealer to ask about the impact of that gap and was told they'd take €2-3k off trade in value if I came to them with it in comparison to if it had a full recorded service history.

    I'd say there is some truth to what the Audi dealer was saying in that they probably use it knock down your trade in value but you have to remember it's very unlikely an Audi dealer would be reselling your then 8 year old A5 on their forecourt as it's too old irrespective of whether there was a service history gap or not.

    Also 18k is too expensive for a 2015 A5, here is one being sold by a main dealer with similar mileage and they are asking just under 17k for it:
    https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2678091&r=s.php%3Fm%3D7%26o%3D1244%26r%3D2015%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0


  • #6
    redsheeps
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭redsheeps


    CIP4 wrote: »
    It’s easy for a salesman to say it was serviced every 10k km in my opinion if an owner cared enough to service it every 10k km they would care enough to at least have the parts receipts as some level of proof even if the labour was done as a cash favour.

    That was my thinking on it. If you bought that car with 40k km on it surely you'd have some awareness of keeping records.

    Something they said (or let slip accidentally) suggested they believed there was one record of a service but this then came to nothing. I have a feeling they might have realised it was only serviced once in 50k km and preferred to run with the idea of it having been serviced every 10k km but no record existed rather than admitting it had been neglected.

    CIP4 wrote: »
    I have bought cars in the past with Partial service history but they were at the 5-10k price point I wouldn’t be as quick to do it with an 18k car.

    Same. I tend to buy in the 5k price bracket with high mileage VAGs and am happy to go without FSH based on a conversation with the owner.
    mickdw wrote: »
    I wouldnt be so much looking at future trade in values - id be alot more concerned with what the true mileage could be.
    How long did the second owner have it?
    Some could easily put 100k per year on a car and those kind of cars are then ripe for clocking.
    Is it an irish or uk car?

    Second owner had it 2 years if memory serves. It was Irish from birth.
    bazz26 wrote: »
    The story sounds a bit odd in that a dealer would have such specifics about a previous owner yet has nothing but his word to back what he saying up conveniently. Any owner meticulous enough to service their car every 10k km would generally keep receipts or invoices for such work. Even if mates rates were used with a mechanic they would probably keep some receipts for materials used such as oil and filters.

    Definitely.
    bazz26 wrote: »
    Sounds like a typical salesman's tall tail to try and close the deal, if they spent that much on it then let them prove it with details. It also contradicts what they told you above the car being meticulously looked after by the previous owner. It just sounds to me like they had the answers you wanted to hear to all your questions imo.

    They did show a record of the €2k work done in fairness and it did appear that the work listed was done e.g. the front discs were done and they looked in great shape. One thing that bothered me was they listed changing the timing belt which was due but didn't change the water pump.
    bazz26 wrote: »
    I'd say there is some truth to what the Audi dealer was saying in that they probably use it knock down your trade in value but you have to remember it's very unlikely an Audi dealer would be reselling your then 8 year old A5 on their forecourt as it's too old irrespective of whether there was a service history gap or not.

    Yeah good point. I've only ever bought privately to date and have been ridiculously lucky with some finds and have to say my experiences with dealers has been really off putting. Some of the tactics the odd one used was at a level I almost had to tell them to stop talking they were spouting that much nonsense. I've always tried to stick to adage of stay nice and respectful but god I felt put in positions to have to be rude in my responses to some of what was said to me.

    The dealer that had the car said the Audi dealers view was completely inaccurate and there's no way that service history gap would have an impact on the trade in value. Not so sure about that and reckon if I was the one coming to them with the car they'd be bringing up the gap to reduce trade in value.


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