To be mad at DH for buying a used car without owner's manual

[bimbabirba]

Sunday we drove 70 miles each way to buy a used car from a dodgy dealer in London. It was the car I'd wanted for a long time but the dealer seemed really nervous while I was reading the V5 and checking mileage and MOTs and tried
to hurry me up so I got a bit suspicious. I insisted on doing all the checks while DH didn't seem bothered and even shut me up as I was trying to haggle with the dealer. At a certain point I got distracted by my DS (20 months old) so I left DH to take the car for a test drive and do the paperwork. I specifically asked him to check the service history in the owner's manual.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, turns out that the car doesn't have an owner's manual AT ALL and no service history either.
I'm fuming at DH for not bringing it up before we paid for it. I've only realised as I got home and asked him where the manual was. He's now mad at me for being pedantic. Says it doesn't make any difference.

Well it doesn't really does it? A used car is a gamble whether you have ,manual or not.

How old is it? Would it still be under warranty? It probably doesn't matter, and you can always get a manual online if you really want one.

Why the jeff would a manual prove?

A proper service history with stamps from an actual garage would be reassuring though. Can you ask them to find it and send it on?

You could buy the shiniest second hand car with the most complete service history ever, and it could still blow up or break down at any time, or it could have nothing but have been fully serviced for its entire life by a mechanic owner or family member. Its just paperwork. Used cars are a total lottery. If you like the car then whats the problem?

Of course a service history doesn't guarantee anything but surely it's better having it than not having it?
Plus if we have to sell it, lack of manual and service history for the first five years could mean we get less, just like we should have got a better price for it

Yes, having no service history should definitely be reflected in the price you pay. A manual shouldnt make any difference though unless its a classic collectable car etc

I think the bigger issue here is your use of the americanism "mad at" instead of "angry with" to be honest

nah, it doesnt mean much, not worth falling out over

No manual is no issue as you can easily replace. I wouldn't touch a no history car with a bargepole. Have you done an online mot history check? I'd bet money that it's been clocked and any history 'lost' Also its worth noting that a service book full of stamps means bugger all unless they're all main dealer and you can call them to verify otherwise assume that it's fake unless you have a stack of invoices to prove otherwise. Its a piece off piss to fake a service book - you can buy empty books and fake dealer stamps on ebay for buttons.

The older a car is when you buy it, the less likely it is to have a manual. It's never been an issue with any of the cars I've bought.
Having / not having a manual doesn't prove or guarantee it's reliability, and the lack of one doesn't prove it's a 'bad un'.
So, yes, IMO YABU to be mad at him.