Concern over service history of potential new car

sgoode
sgoode Posts: 89 Forumite
in Motoring
Hi,
I'm looking at buying a 2013 Ford Focus ST but was a bit alarmed to see that its first ever service was at 22,000 miles/1 year. As far as I am aware the service intervals are 12500 miles/1 year. Am I right to be concerned? It's now done 60k and has had its other services at the right time/mileage. I wouldn't be concerned about a few miles over the recommended interval, but this is nearly double. The engine would have been running in during those 22k miles and I have no idea of whether the oil ran low or anything during that time.

The car is cheap, compared to others for sale, which is why I am entertaining it. It is private so there will be no warranty or dealer comeback.

Thanks
«1

Comments

  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,550 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    You will have no idea whether the oil ran low on any 2nd hand purchase.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    It may have been a hire vehicle in which case its first service may not have been done at a Ford dealer but in house so not recorded.

    If its running fine now I wouldn't be worried. I bought my car at 2 years old with 38k on the clock. It had been a rental and its first two services weren't when they should have been done. I've serviced it when it should have been ever since. It is now 8 years old, on 130,000 miles as of tomorrow when I go to work and it has never caused me any problems. Other than a suspension bush and a track rod end its been faultless.

    Modern oil and filters aren't like old. Engine manufacturing tolerances are much tighter. Mobil now sell an engine oil which they state is for 20,000 miles and manufacturers are now moving onto 20k service intervals.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,016 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    As above, there is no manufacturer warranty left, so the "missing" service won't affect a claim, and it seems to have soldiered on for 40,000 miles since that first service.
    If it seems allright now then it is as allright as any other 60,000 mile ST that you don't know how it has been driven.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • King_Nothing
    King_Nothing Posts: 854 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Wouldn't bother me personally, as long as it's had the other services like you said it has.
  • markudman
    markudman Posts: 351 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    So confused, if it run that low on oil, and done some damage,Believe me you will know, its a ST so is a car that will have been ragged around, and no doubt you want to buy it because, its part of Ford's performance range.
    you buying it because its cheap,
    then you take a risk, if you are not a risk taker, then buy from a low risk dealer,
    if you have the cash and want to take a risk buy it, if you are not a risk taker do not buy it, Simples
    buying any second hand car is a risk, even from the dealer. buying anything second hand is a risk, unless you know the history is correct.
    We may not win by protesting, but if we don’t protest we will lose.
    If we stand up to them, there is always a chance we will win.
  • poppasmurf_bewdley
    poppasmurf_bewdley Posts: 5,909 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    You are worrying about something that happened seven years ago.

    What are you actually worried about?

    Not having a service at the right time seven years ago will not affect anything anywhere. And it won't have done any damage then that could affect the car now.

    Most seven year old cars don't even have a service history.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 12,510 Forumite
    First Post Name Dropper First Anniversary
    Its not a difficult decision.

    If the car is straight, runs OK on a good test run, has a clean HPI, good MOT record, plenty of evidence i.e. paperwork and recipts, not just stamps in a book that it has been looked after well since the missed service you buy it.

    Any doubts about any of the above find another.
  • markudman
    markudman Posts: 351 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    edited 18 April 2018 at 10:22AM
    poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »
    You are worrying about something that happened seven years ago.

    What are you actually worried about?

    Not having a service at the right time seven years ago will not affect anything anywhere. And it won't have done any damage then that could affect the car now.

    Most seven year old cars don't even have a service history.
    Agree Totally, but, will that make it 5 years old? 2013-2018
    We may not win by protesting, but if we don’t protest we will lose.
    If we stand up to them, there is always a chance we will win.
  • sgoode
    sgoode Posts: 89 Forumite
    Thanks all.

    I am not concerned about warranty claims or anything as I know the warranty is history. I am worried about the oil having been in the engine for 10,000 miles longer than the recommended service interval, particularly while the engine was running in, and probably driven hard (as it is an ST). Is this not likely to have caused premature engine wear and lead to potential burning of oil and other problems as it gets older? I have had previous cars which have consumed oil without any visible smoke, so I wouldn't necessarily be able to check this on a test drive.

    I always thought that changing the oil on time was the most important aspect of looking after an engine and keeping it in good condition? I know some manufacturers now have much longer service intervals but it was still 12,500 miles on this car.

    The seller is quite desperate to get rid as he has got a new car, so I have managed to provisionally negotiate a price that is about £3.5k cheaper than a comparable one from a dealer. It does have a few minor car park dings, kerbed alloys etc whereas the dealer ones are mint.
  • markudman
    markudman Posts: 351 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    edited 18 April 2018 at 2:27PM
    if you have the cash and want to take a risk buy it,
    if you are not a risk taker do not buy it,
    Simples

    No one can tell you if its going to blow up or not,
    I am sure if you went to church and asked god he would give the same advise as you have had on here.
    if we all had a crystal ball we would all have the life we want,
    as daveyjp said:
    Its not a difficult decision.

    If the car is straight, runs OK on a good test run, has a clean HPI, good MOT record, plenty of evidence i.e. paperwork and recipts, not just stamps in a book that it has been looked after well since the missed service you buy it.

    Any doubts about any of the above find another.

    I'm not sure what you want,
    Buy a RAC / AA warranty with £3500 you saved

    Follow this link
    https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/car-warranty/
    We may not win by protesting, but if we don’t protest we will lose.
    If we stand up to them, there is always a chance we will win.
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