Used car - 3 yrs old & 3 services?

Loles

I'm looking at a car that's a Dec 2013 plate and it's had three services, I'm told. This surprises me as it's got mileage of under 17,000.

Should I be worried that there's a problem?

daveyjp

Once a year is quite normal and a far better buy used than vehicles on extended servicing regimes.

My wife's car has done 17,000 miles and has just had its 4th annual service. Despite being out of warranty the dealer undertook a goodwill repair free of charge as it has full dealer history.

foxy-stoat

Loles wrote: »

I'm looking at a car that's a Dec 2013 plate and it's had three services, I'm told. This surprises me as it's got mileage of under 17,000.

Should I be worried that there's a problem?

No

If you read the service intervals in the manual you will see maximum mileage or maximum time between services, which ever comes first.

straighttalker

How many services do you expect for a 3 year old vehicle with less than average mileage?

On some longlife schemes, the same car may only have been serviced once.

Paradigm

straighttalker wrote: »

On some longlife schemes, the same car may only have been serviced once.

We've got some leased 65 plate VW caddy vans at work on "variable" service intervals...the van flashes up when it needs a service.


One has just had it's first service/oil change at... 19000 miles!

daveyjp

Paradigm wrote: »

We've got some leased 65 plate VW caddy vans at work on "variable" service intervals...the van flashes up when it needs a service.


One has just had it's first service/oil change at... 19000 miles!

My A2 had a similar regime, except first change was at 32,000, 18 months old! At 50,000 I sold it and it was well off needing its second oil change.

Robisere

Hi Loles:

What make/model/petrol or diesel, engine size?
Most modern cars have a 12,000 mile or 12 months Service interval. As suggested, check the Service handbook or manual in the car. If that is not available, look up the manufacturer's website and check your car.

My C-Max 2.0 Tdci has had just two services and is a March 2014 model. Next is due after the next 12,000 miles OR 12 months from the last service, which is fairly standard practice.

Loles

Robisere, it's a skoda fabia estate, 1.2engine, petrol.
I think it seems excessive to have had 3 services for such low mileage. I did a hpi check and it is flagged up as a mileage discrepancy so I'm now getting even more twitchy. Think this one may not be for me.

prowla

My new car's first service was due at 20k or 2 years.

straighttalker

Leaving the mileage discrepancy to one side, you think that someone who has diligently had their car serviced annually has got something to hide?

Seems like you can't win nowadays.

agrinnall

Loles wrote: »

I think it seems excessive to have had 3 services for such low mileage.

It's not excessive at all, many cars have an annual service interval (my Fiesta does) and even if it hasn't reached the mileage interval it's still good practice to have the service - and may well be required for the warranty. 3 services in 3 years seems perfectly reasonable to me.

If there's a question over the validity mileage then that's a different issue, but you can't necessarily use the number of services to question that. More sensible would be to see if the mileages on the service history make sense with what the odometer shows now.