Car Service History

[Fretters]

I'm looking to sell my car, one I only bought last year from Trade Centre UK in Rochdale. I'm about to take it for a service and have realised that I wasn't provided with the service history book.

Does anyone know if it's possible to access a car's full service history online? I've had a quick Google and that seems to be the case if it was always serviced at the same garage, but I've no idea if that's the case.

TIA.

[Sutton-Claret]

Depends on the make - I had a Mazda who keep all records electronically, any Mazda dealer I went to had access to its history.

[Bosscat]

Could you try the manufacturer (or a dealer) for the make of car and see...

I take it you haven't had the car from new?

Our little C3 has a Service book but our other car, the service history is electronically kept

[beddie]

Fretters. What make, model and year is your car? Is it worth a call to the Trade Centre to check if they have anything on their system. Also can you provide the link you used for checking the service history. Thanks.

[Fretters]

Could you try the manufacturer (or a dealer) for the make of car and see...

I take it you haven't had the car from new?

Our little C3 has a Service book but our other car, the service history is electronically kept

Correct, it was 4 years old when I got it. Annoyed at myself for not checking at the time, I usually do.

I'll speak to a Seat dealer, thanks both.

[Fretters]

Fretters. What make, model and year is your car? Is it worth a call to the Trade Centre to check if they have anything on their system. Also can you provide the link you used for checking the service history. Thanks.

I did call them but they were useless, took 10 minutes to get through, then I got cut off after saying they couldn't help.

If I do get a link, I'll share it. There seems to be a few sites offering to provide history for a fee, but it seems to be more about mileage/ownership/MOT history.

[beddie]

Fretters. Thanks. I just read this, don’t know if it’ll help.

“Bear in mind recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy rules mean garages may be cautious, and less willing than they once were to share service records, however.

If you don’t even know which garages have serviced your vehicle, you have two options. The first is to perform an MOT check on the government’s website, for which you only need your car’s registration number. You can then view the test location for each of the car’s MOTs by entering your 11-digit V5C number: this could give you some clues as to where a vehicle was serviced.”

[warksclaret]

My Mercedes A class has no service book, as it is stored electronically. If you call the manufacturer's HO their service team can instantly provide you with the service history, and if you get your car serviced at a franchised dealer of your make, this will be loaded on to your service history

[Paul Waine]

My Mercedes A class has no service book, as it is stored electronically. If you call the manufacturer's HO their service team can instantly provide you with the service history, and if you get your car serviced at a franchised dealer of your make, this will be loaded on to your service history

What happens if you don't use manufacturer's linked garage? We bought a new car 6 years ago. Always had it serviced plus MOT (once required) at the same manufacturer's franchised garage. Went to book it for service and MOT a couple of weeks ago and discovered that the garage has closed down. Nearest franchise garage is now too far away, so booked into another garage which we've used for another make.

[Clarets4me]

The rule is that any service history is better than none ...

If it's not obvious from the plates or stickers, ring the Manufacturers Customer Services department and ask who the supplying main dealer was. They may be able to provide you with details of Service History. Otherwise, look at the V5, an older one will have the previous keeper's name and address on it. With luck, it may be a Leasing Company or Motability who you could ask to provide details. For older cars, you can search the MOT history on the Gov.UK website, which will tell you details of all MOT's, mileages and reasons for MOT failures, which indicates what work has been carried out on the car. Get everything you can get together, and keep it in a file ...

It can make a massive difference on what you get for the car, before selling, MOT it if you can cheaply, even if a little work is needed, you'll get substantially more with a 12 month ticket than 3 weeks left.

Finally, get it a decent valet, make sure the times, dates etc on the clock are set correctly, and tune the radio in to Radio 4, Radio 3 and Classic FM. Any potential buyer would prefer to see that than " Kerang FM ", or turn on the stereo, only to hear a young man rapping at full volume, about " Slappin' his homies, bitches and Mo-fo's " .....

[warksclaret]

What happens if you don't use manufacturer's linked garage? We bought a new car 6 years ago. Always had it serviced plus MOT (once required) at the same manufacturer's franchised garage. Went to book it for service and MOT a couple of weeks ago and discovered that the garage has closed down. Nearest franchise garage is now too far away, so booked into another garage which we've used for another make.

Paul-I think its important during the vehicle warranty period to stick to franchised dealers of the brand. Manufacturers are more receptive to helping you outside of the warranty period if you have a full service history. I think once you are outside the warranty period you can elect to go to any reputable service operator/outlet, but they wont be able to electronically add your service to that vehicle's history file as they have no link with the respective manufacturer.If you do go outside of the franchise I recommend you only do it out of the warranty period, and you ask for and keep a copy of what was done on the service and of course this will show date and mileage of the vehicle-always good when you come to sell your car

European law has tried to rule that a customer can go to any garage for service work,without risking warranty entitlements, but manufacturers will claim these operators don't have the necesssary diagnostic and special equipment, trained staff, or the latest technical updates relating to the vehicle. Hope this helps

[Paul Waine]

Paul-I think its important during the vehicle warranty period to stick to franchised dealers of the brand. Manufacturers are more receptive to helping you outside of the warranty period if you have a full service history. I think once you are outside the warranty period you can elect to go to any reputable service operator/outlet, but they wont be able to electronically add your service to that vehicle's history file as they have no link with the respective manufacturer.If you do go outside of the franchise I recommend you only do it out of the warranty period, and you ask for and keep a copy of what was done on the service and of course this will show date and mileage of the vehicle-always good when you come to sell your car

European law has tried to rule that a customer can go to any garage for service work,without risking warranty entitlements, but manufacturers will claim these operators don't have the necesssary diagnostic and special equipment, trained staff, or the latest technical updates relating to the vehicle. Hope this helps

Thanks. Useful detail.

[Bosscat]

Paul-I think its important during the vehicle warranty period to stick to franchised dealers of the brand. Manufacturers are more receptive to helping you outside of the warranty period if you have a full service history. I think once you are outside the warranty period you can elect to go to any reputable service operator/outlet, but they wont be able to electronically add your service to that vehicle's history file as they have no link with the respective manufacturer.If you do go outside of the franchise I recommend you only do it out of the warranty period, and you ask for and keep a copy of what was done on the service and of course this will show date and mileage of the vehicle-always good when you come to sell your car

European law has tried to rule that a customer can go to any garage for service work,without risking warranty entitlements, but manufacturers will claim these operators don't have the necesssary diagnostic and special equipment, trained staff, or the latest technical updates relating to the vehicle. Hope this helps

My car we got from Motorpoint and the 1st service (which was done by Motorpoint) features on the Electronic Owners page on the website for my car. Servicing is accepted by Jaguar/Landrover as a small warranty claim was done with no questions asked... I thought as long as servicing is carried out by a Garage using the correct parts and done to manufacturers specs...

https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/m ... ler/n19275

[warksclaret]

Bosscat-it gets a little grey once you go outside the franchise, thats not to say you cannot go to a reputable operator like Motorpoint who will have ensured they are linked in to manufacturers on service/warranty items to ensure the minimum customer irritation. I worked for two automotive manufactures for a combined 41 years and the fear is non franchised dealers do not get vital service recall bulletins or have the right diagnostic equipment and technical skills-once you sanction work outside the franchise, standards drop.There are numerous car repair outlets today, some with basic skills and equipment, and modern cars have never been so sophisticated. Manufacturers are also risk averse to product liability which could be due to poor workmanship, human error and you just do not have any control outside of the franchise on factors like these

[BigAlClaret]

If you intend to keep your car for a few years it's worth considering whether a full service is really worthwhile financially. I bought my car at 2 years old and had it 5 years now and plan to keep it a while yet.Its service history is incomplete but the car is very well maintained. Depreciation of value happens regardless of service history. To trade in a car within a year or 2 of purchase will usually incur a loss anyway so sometimes it's simply not worth throwing money at a car.The costs of servicing some models is way above what is necessary to maintain reliability and to some extent is just extra money for a dealer. Not just my view but also that of several independent but equally capable car mechanics

[aggi]

My Toyota has the service history online (from the previous owner as well as me). Had to log on with my VIN or something to access it.

All done by Toyota dealers as that gives an extended warranty.

[Volvoclaret]

What's a service?

[Fretters]

This board is such a great source of info, thanks all!

[yorkyclaret]

I stopped having my car serviced at the main dealers years back, just a rip off, for instance I took one, it had an oil change, it needed 4 1/2 litres, I was charged full retail price for 9 half litre bottles. Don't know if they are all the same.

[Top Claret]

I always buy cars 1-2 years old for cash and keep a minimum of 5 years and always get them serviced at a small independent garage that has a good reputation locally.

When I get shut of the thing I just throw all the invoices at the seller then they can see that the car as been looked after as I have an oil filter change every 7000 miles

The above obviously doesn't apply if you have purchased your car on a PCP finance deal from new