Pre-reg car service interval

khcomp

The Captur dCi has 18,000 mile or 2 year oil change intervals. The service interval display will prompt an oil change after 2 years or 18,000 miles at the most, but may well prompt for this to be done sooner, dependant on driving conditions. The annual, or interim, service is not so critical as it doesn't involve anything other than checks, some lubrication and replacement of the cabin filter. The OP may therefore not have an oil & filter change due until well into next year.

marks87

I handed the car in this morning and queried the service interval.

The person at the desk seemed a bit confused about the difference between new and pre-reg, but did say that the timing for services starts ticking from the first mile on the clock (there was 25 on the clock when I collected it). But I was then shown their full record of the vehicle and it reported it as "new" in July 2016.

She then said "but you're the first owner?". No...Arnold Clark were the first owner. Which confused her more. But I was "assured" that the timing was fine and that nothing was untoward.

Then I got the printout to sign to confirm the work to be done. At the bottom, it said "Next service: 31/3/17". I queried this and the response was that it was wrong, and that the records would be updated. To sort of soften my probing, I then said that any warranty repairs would probably be done by them anyway, and it would be them taking the car at the end of the PCP, so it's not much of an issue. Which she agreed with.

So I'm really none the wiser. But it is slightly concerning that their records simultaneously indicate the car was bought "new" in July 2016, but was due its first service in March 2017. Plus the car itself believing its service was due this month, not 4 months ago.

I'm in two minds now about whether to probe further, or just leave it and accept that I should only ever need to deal with Arnold Clark for any repairs and subsequent sell-on, and they seem to think things are above board.

AdrianC

They registered it in March, but didn't PDI it fully until July, when it was actually sold.

marks87

AdrianC wrote: »

They registered it in March, but didn't PDI it fully until July, when it was actually sold.

Ah, so if I've now understood correctly:

March '16 - car is registered, but has only ever moved on the back of a lorry/boat/other transport; AC's records put down the first service as March '17.

July '16 - car is bought, goes through PDI which puts 25 miles on the clock and starts the service timer; paperwork not updated to July '17.

July '17 - latest date for first service

That makes a bit more sense, and I guess the conflicting information is because difference franchises/dealers do things differently.

AdrianC

That would be the most logical way to look at it.

March is the end of one registration year. Just a few more cars to reach the bonuses for numbers registered... But the PDI is busy getting 16-plate cars ready for April 1st collection, so do the PDI when you need it.

khcomp

AdrianC wrote: »

They registered it in March, but didn't PDI it fully until July, when it was actually sold.

Quite correct: Dealers work on a 'group discount' - the more cars they register, the better discount they get when they pay the manufacturer or importer for them. They would have registered your car in March, so it's logged as a sale & therefore counts towards any 'bulk discount' given to the dealer, but if there's no customer for it, they just park it up in a compound.
When you buy the car, it's brought out, valeted and fuelled, and is usually taken out of 'transport mode' via the diagnostic port: This also resets the service counter as the oil is also sometimes changed at this point - some manufacturers don't ship the vehicles with 'road' oil, the washers are filled, the air con charged and the coolant checked for level and concentration.

I deliver new cars, the service counter is always at the maximum time on the day of collection after PDI.