Selling Second Hand Car with Service Vehicle Soon Light on

NOTSMUGNOW

Hoping for some advice here..... 
Selling my second hand Vauxhall Astra via car auction site (probably Motorway or CarWow). It's valued at £1,450.
However, the service vehicle soon warning is coming on intermittently. My mechanic has diagnosed new thermostat needed but advised not paying for the repair if I'm selling it (his advice was not to disclose.... however the warning seems to be coming on more frequently now so not sure if I can get away with that!!).
My question is - if I disclose the warning when I upload my car details, am I going to need to have a report / quote for the repair?? I guess otherwise they're going to be taking my word for it on the problem?
Or should I go with mechanic's advice and not mention?
Mechanic suggested it would be a few hundred to repair.
Keen to go with the most hassle free option......

facade

Most people "get rid" of cars to the auction buyers because there is something expensive wrong, and they don't want the hassle of a private buyer coming back (or they feel that it is morally acceptable to pass them onto a faceless trade buyer but not to an individual) they usually "forget" to  mention any faults too....

They used to trade them in, but dealers are wise to this, and only make very low offers to account for hundreds of pounds worth of potential repairs for undisclosed faults.

Oddly, the auction buyers make higher offers (and usually chip them back a lot when they see the car), then the cars go to auction and get bought as stock by dealers who end up paying the higher price anyway, and still have to do the repairs....

Up to you whether you disclose the fault or risk them finding out and reducing their offer considerably. (If the service light comes on they will assume it needs a service, they won't necessarily assume there is something wrong- or do you mean the "check engine" light?)

FWIW, I trade mine in when there is nothing actually wrong now, but I can see a big bill looming in the future- usually corrosion is starting to take hold, but isn't bad enough now to fail MOT.

(There is always something wrong with a second hand car. The last two I bought I hoped that it was just the balloon was higher than it's value rather than a hard to trace electrical fault....)

Grey_Critic

What questions (if any)are you asked on the submission documentation? 

IF you were to claim it as perfect then you would not be telling the truth.

If you are saying sold as seen then you are in the clear.

NOTSMUGNOW

Thanks.

It's definitely SVS message rather than engine warning light - dunno if this is just in vauxhalls but apparently the SVS warning is an early indication of a fault.... so could be any minor issue. 

It's a yes or no check box for warning lights and mechanical/electrical issues. I suspect if you click 'yes' they'll be further questions / requests for photos - didn't want to click on it until I'd worked out the best thing to do! Was wondering if anyone has had similar experience and knows what is asked for if you click yes??? I'm using the Motorway app.

I may just take it to webuyany car and accept I'll get less - but at least they can decide the price based on what they see. 

So frustrating - if i'd been able to do all this two weeks ago there wouldn't have been an issue!!!

paul_c123

What's an SVS message in English? Do you mean service? Is it a message or a warning?

Barkin

paul_c123 said:

What's an SVS message in English? Do you mean service? Is it a message or a warning?

Something like this, I assume...

paul_c123

NOTSMUGNOW said:

Thanks.

It's definitely SVS message rather than engine warning light - dunno if this is just in vauxhalls but apparently the SVS warning is an early indication of a fault.... so could be any minor issue. 

It's a yes or no check box for warning lights and mechanical/electrical issues. I suspect if you click 'yes' they'll be further questions / requests for photos - didn't want to click on it until I'd worked out the best thing to do! Was wondering if anyone has had similar experience and knows what is asked for if you click yes??? I'm using the Motorway app.

I may just take it to webuyany car and accept I'll get less - but at least they can decide the price based on what they see. 

So frustrating - if i'd been able to do all this two weeks ago there wouldn't have been an issue!!!

Its a warning light, it would need to be declared. Its not related to how soon the service is due, but it warns of a non-emissions-related engine issue. If it were emissions related, it would light up the check engine light. You don't need to do further diagnosis or repair it. The advice your mechanic sounds about right - don't bother fixing - but obviously it needs further diagnosis if he hasn't already done that.

Russ66

Google "reset Astra service light" or similar & there's probably a video where you can reset it yourself.

Altior

I just sold a vehicle to a dealer via CarWow auction. Really good experience in the main. The only quibble is waiting for the purchasing dealer to arrange the inspection/collection after he won the auction. Took a week. If the vehicle is not significantly as described, they can reject it.

If I were you, I would declare the faults. These buyers/bidders are very well informed and they will have a fair idea why the light is on. And budget for it.

I was only 'chipped' for a small amount due to orange peel paint on a door. I was aware of it, but in two minds to declare as it could have been like that from the manufacturer. But I was aware of it so had no issue reducing the price accordingly. He didn't mention the faults I did declare. The vehicle was above average overall for the age/mileage. The guy went through the car thoroughly and checked all of the error codes via a reader. You would have to manage that as well but not worth it in my opinion, and also pretty dubious.

Goudy

The "Service Vehicle Soon" warning isn't a reminder the car needs a service soon.
It's as already mentioned, a non emission related fault warning light.

Some cars of a certain age didn't put all the faults through the same light warning light.
It was common in a lot of diesels a few years ago.
The fuel and emission warnings tended to show up on a separate "Injector" light while all other faults show up on the "Check Engine Light or Spanner Light" or some times it's both lights if the fault is detected multiple times in the same drive cycle.

This "SVS" warning is really common on Vauxhall diesels around the same years and usually related to the glow plugs, though on petrol models the warning is usually due to the thermostat, likely it's thrown P0599 DTC as well.

There is a common issue with the contracts in the thermostat housing or the wiring harness to it and the cars ECU is sees a high voltage signal back from the thermostat sensor (it's probably shorted and sending the 5v feed directly back to the ECU)

I gather when this is detected the ECU may try running the fan constantly. It might even alter the fuelling/timing to protect the engine if it thinks it's screaming hot.

It's up to you if you tell them or not.
If you don't, expect to be knocked hard on your offer and any car dealer that takes the car on will know it's a fairly cheap and easy fix.