service history lost

7777777

looking at a 2011 mercedes,, the owner says thay have lost the service history,,,price is 17 k ive done a car check on it and its no finance etc,, address and ower all OK hes had it over a year but no service history,,, any thoughts

From_St_Neots

The service dealer should be able to confirm that it carried out the serving. Get the seller to request this, if he can't/won't then be prepared to walk.

If you really like this car then ask for the name of the dealer who serviced and make your own enquiries, if he still refuses to assist then something fishy is going on.

jobdone1

So you are looking to give some one £17k for a two year old merc with no history. I am sure many would ask question why has a two year old car lost its history. I would never spend that kind of money if i was given that kind of information.

neilmcl

The owner can quite easily get a replacement service book and get it stamped up by a local Merc dealership for all the previous services (if there are any). If he wont do this then I'd walk away.

marlot

I agree. Even if he's lost the book, he should be able to produce the invoices. Even if he has to get the dealer to print off a second copy.

'losing' the service book is a good way to cover up clocking.

Or more likely, its not been serviced, and the remaninder of the warranty is void.

MEM62

If any vehicle is presented to without a service history you have to assume that it has not been serviced. Not matter what excuse or story the owner gives you - as far as you are concerned the vehicle has never seen the inside of a workshop from the point it was PDI'd. You the either accept the potential mechanical issues that entails or you walk away. It's as black and white as that.

In most cases, if an owner has genuinely lost the history the can get a report on the servicing history from the manufacturer. As this can make a considerable difference to the value of a vehicle I would be particularly suspicious and any seller that has not bothered to do so.

laidbackgjr

I would offer about £13k without a service history or £17k with a service history, I suspect that £4k incentive would soon see the buyer finding the service history if it's genuinely been done. If they are happy to sell at £13k, then the car has not been serviced!

kaya

It'll all be on a computerised record with the dealer who serviced it for them , they may not hand it over to you citing data protection but the owner should have no problems getting it, if not as somebody already mentioned " Run Away"