Fiat Dealer and Service history problems

mabenson1

Hi,

We bought a fiat punto (as new but an 06 reg) from our local dealer last year and took it in for what we thought was its first service earlier this month. However, it turns out that as it was an ex-demo car the dealer should actually have done a 1000 mile inspection and its 1 year service before we bought it.

Long story short they haven't got any records of these so we actually bought a 'new car' from a dealer that doesn't have a service history and has an invalid warranty because it hasn't been properly serviced. They have admitted it was their fault and have offered to confirm this in writing and give us the next service free. Is this acceptable? Should we push for more? I'm not sure a letter from a dealer will cut it in five years time when we try and sell the car as having a FSH. I'm almost tempted to demand a new car off them as they have been nothing but trouble. We spent 6 months without a spare key because they lost it and failed to do the correct safety recalls on the car even though they said they had.

Any ideas gratefully received,

Cheers

Matt

Jvic28

Hi,

I'm in a similar position. We're about to collect a car which we have been told has had 2 services (it's 2 years old now) but they say that at the moment they can't find the book but will put it in writing that it has had 2 services. I don't feel this is sufficient becuase as you say, when trading it in or selling on it will be important to show that it has had the services. I personally will be persueing it until they supply proof of service history, if they can't provide it I will consider taking them to trading standards for mis selling me the car.

MX5huggy

Jvic28 wrote: »

We're about to collect a car....

Don't accept the car untill you are happy with everything as the OP is proving it is very difficult to sort out later.

Jvic28

MX5huggy wrote: »

Don't accept the car untill you are happy with everything as the OP is proving it is very difficult to sort out later.

I know. I've told my other half that when they call to say it's ready to ask if they've found the book then. I may have to involve trading standards to some extent tho as I might have trouble getting my deposit back.

flea72

the dealer isnt obliged to do a service before you buy it, but most include one as part of the deal, if the service will be due within a couple of months

I cant see how an 06 reg car, would be due its first service in October 08? Fiat also no longer do a 1000mile inspection, its 12m or 10000miles (roughly, depending on model), whichever is sooner. However most dealerships do a basic lights and levels check on cars that are not due their services yet

How old was the car when you bought it? as an ex demo i would have expected 3-6m, and as such, it would have been a bit premature to do a service at that point, and was probably the reason why one wasnt done

In all honesty im suprised the dealer have admitted liability, as it isnt up to them, to check whether you have kept up to date with your servicing, and as the car wasnt likely due a service at the point of purchase, they havent made an error, by not doing one

i dont think this error will cause any probs with resale, as FSH makes very little difference to the value of a car

Where safety recalls are concerned, they are sent direct from the manufacturer to the vehicle owner. there should have been a change of owner card in the handbook, that you have to complete and return to Fiat, to be added to their database, to be notified of recalls. If this isnt done, then yes, some cars fall through the net.

I dont think you will get far with trying to get a new car off them, seeing as the one you bought was a used one. But tbh, if you hate their service that much, just show your disgust by going elsewhere in future. You dont even have to use them for servicing, its quite ok to use a local garage for all servicing, and still maintain a service history (from hereonin)

Flea

Jvic28

flea72 wrote: »

the dealer isnt obliged to do a service before you buy it, but most include one as part of the deal, if the service will be due within a couple of months

I know they're not obliged but if they sold it stating these services being done or they've sold a car with FSH which hasn't got it, they're in the wrong.

Jvic28

Flea,

It sounds like you work for Fiat. I'm picking up a Fiat shortly which they say has FSH but they can't find the book. Apparently the car went to them straight from Fiat. Is there a way I can find out what/when services were done without it?

Thanks

flea72

Jvic28 wrote: »

I know they're not obliged but if they sold it stating these services being done or they've sold a car with FSH which hasn't got it, they're in the wrong.

what i mean is, a car that is sold as an ex-demonstrator should have done minimal mileage, so there would be no service history to pass on, so that would constitute being sold with FSH. The history only begins from first service, which depending on when the OP bought it (can only assume as ex-demo it was less than 6m old), would mean there would be no history until the OP had the car serviced themselves, which it seems they failed to do, once it reached its first anniversary

Flea

flea72

Jvic28 wrote: »

Flea,

It sounds like you work for Fiat. I'm picking up a Fiat shortly which they say has FSH but they can't find the book. Apparently the car went to them straight from Fiat. Is there a way I can find out what/when services were done without it?

Thanks

when you say its come straight from Fiat, do you mean its an ex-fleet vehicle, or that the car is pre-reg or ex-demo?

like the OP, depending on age/mileage, there may be no history for the vehicle. There isnt a central database that covers servicing, but from the reg number, you should at least be able to narrow down the sales region, and from there find the dealership that registered the car, so they may hold some history for it. Bit harder to do, though if its ex-fleet as they go all over

Flea

Jvic28

It'a a 56 plate which they say came straight from Fiat. I work for a garage which also has cars straight from Fiat but have been on lease to Europcar and Hertz (I wonder if it's the same situation with the cars Evans have) and although they've only done around 10k miles (as mine has done) they would have been due a service after the 1st year was up anyway. Also, it would be due for it's 2nd service this month and the salesman says that would have been done, which I find very hard to believe.

Jvic28

OP,

What Evans Halshaw did you buy from?