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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think this counts as a full service history?

26 replies

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 09:54

sorry for posting in aibu but can't find a car forum.

Im about to part ex my car and stupidly haven't had the book stamped with every service.

my regular garage don't have a computerized database so i can't get them to update my book but i had my 2010 service at a different garage and they will update my book for me.

the car is 2005 and will have 2 logged services now. one in 2006 and the 2010 one. i have only done 16k miles as had a hire car for work for a while.

the log book says services should be conducted every 12500 miles so i am within that. the car dealer says i should have had a yearly service. is this right considering my ridiculously low mileage?

OP posts:

justpoppy · 05/02/2014 09:59

It's every 12,500 miles or yearly whichever is sooner so I'm afraid the dealer is right.

Bearbehind · 05/02/2014 09:59

No one will accept that as full service history. It will be 12,500 or every year, which ever is first.

Poledra · 05/02/2014 10:00

Check the requirements for your car - lots will say a service at XX mileage OR a yearly service, depending upon which comes first. So, my last car was serviced by the calendar, as I didn't do a high enough mileage to hit the mileage requirement first.

If your car does have the either/or service requirement then, no, I'm sorry, you don't have a FSH.

Original poster

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 10:06

thanks. book says every 12500 miles and no mention of date but as i wasn't sure i didn't want to question the dealer until i got my facts straight!

OP posts:

Bartman · 05/02/2014 10:34

I'd run a mile from a car that had only had 2 services in 8/9 years unless it was very very cheap. No way you can call it FSH. Also a car with only 16k miles in that time is likely to have some issues.

Megrim · 05/02/2014 10:44

Have you kept the bills/receipts for any work done on the car?

My car has the book stamped every time, but we have a complete file of all bills and receipts to show what has been done.

normalishdude · 05/02/2014 10:47

why would a car with 16k have issues, Bartman?

Check the service book- it will specify the time and mileage intervals needed. Often it will be like, 'every 12500 miles or 1 year, whatever is soonest' or something similar. Likely to be FSH you would have needed it done yearly I suspect. Doesn't mean the car is worth a lot less IMO. They are worth what people pay for them. You would get more cash privately than doing a trade in. I would always fully divulge everything I knew about the car when selling one.

45redballoons · 05/02/2014 10:49

Out of interest why would a car of that age with such low mileage be likely to have some issues?

I always get my car serviced with it's MOT, but probably do hit the mileage just before that, I have to admit I never would have questioned it when buying as I would have felt anything that had gone wrong in the extra miles would have been picked up in the service/mot.

Megrim · 05/02/2014 11:11

Fluids (oil, coolant, brake, transmission) will degrade over time, not just through use, and so should be checked and/or changed on a regular basis. Also means that items that can perish or corrode over time (hoses, brake pipes) are checked.

GinOnTwoWheels · 05/02/2014 11:22

A car that has done very low mileage is likely to have mainly done very short journeys which put more strain on the clutch, gears etc and will have almost always been driven 'cold'

I wouldn't buy this car and would consider it less desirable than the same age car that had done 150 000 miles and had been serviced every year as that one will have done mostly motorway miles that are much better for the car.

Original poster

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 11:24

the car is in amazing shape, never had any work done so have no receipts or anything like that. the only reason i didn't service it every year is because i only do a minuscule amount of driving per year. i walk to work and only tend to drive to do the food shop. only reason Im getting rid is because Im 8 months pregnant with my second and we won't all fit in a fiesta! whoever buys it will be getting a cracking car just a shame i don't have more paperwork

OP posts:

Original poster

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 11:26

good to hear peoples thoughts though, i thought the low mileage would make it really attractive! obviously i was wrong but then Im biased as its my car!

OP posts:

Bartman · 05/02/2014 11:57

As has been posted above. Mainly driven from cold leading to excessive engine wear and condensation within the engine combined with lack of oil changes causing sludge in oil ways. Other consumables which would normally have been replaced due to wear will have degraded due to age. Is it on the original tyres? Does it have a cambelt? Assuming you have not had other work done I'd expect it to need oil/filter change, air filter, cabin filter, spark plugs, coolant change, gearbox oil change, discs/pads, brake fluid change, cambelt, suspension bushes and 4 new tyres. The exhaust will also likely need replacement soon due to condensation build up and rotting from the inside out. I'd take a well cared for 90k mile version with FSH instead please.

45redballoons · 05/02/2014 12:08

Sorry Bartman to ask you so many questions but you sound like you know. My fiesta is quite old so not expecting much from it. It hasn't the service stamp for about 30,000 miles until the one before I bought it where it has been stamped every year for the past 4 years and is now at 78,000. would that put you off when servicing recently has been consistent?

Bartman · 05/02/2014 12:19

It would depend on how much the car is worth. If it was a £30k car then I'd walk for any missing history if it was a £2k car then not so much. Yours has obviously been used and well maintained in your ownership so I'd expect things to have been picked up and fixed. My only concern would be that it may have gone a long period without an oil change and could that affect the longevity of the engine. Your Fiesta is probably toward the cheaper end of the market and if it's clearly been looked after then I don't think most private buyers would be put off.

45redballoons · 05/02/2014 12:24

Thank you! You're giving me things to think about when I look for my new car too.

Bartman · 05/02/2014 12:40

Yes whether buying privately or trade make sure you check the service history carefully and check that the work done meets the schedule detailed in the book - call the garage and check with them if you like. A pile of invoices is better than just a stamped book - service books and stamps are easily bought on ebay to create fake histories in conjunction with clocking cars. A nice paper trail with the car makes this less likely. Never ever drive a car away without the history - the old "we'll post the service history" is a classic from less scrupulous traders.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 05/02/2014 12:41

It doesn't matter when the dates are anyway. Full service history means a history of every time it's been serviced, not just the ones that needed to be done.

Bartman · 05/02/2014 12:47

That's the excuse used by people without proper FSHs!

Bartman · 05/02/2014 12:50

I found this good definition of FSH - "The car has been serviced on time and according to the manufacturer's instructions"

Original poster

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 13:52

thanks all, this has been an interesting read!

nothing has been replaced except all the tyre when some kind person slashed all 4 tyre of every single car in my block of 12!

OP posts:

SilverViking · 05/02/2014 13:53

I would agree with Bart, it will be relatively more wear than if your 1 6k miles was clocked up on long journeys ... But I disagree with it making the car less desirable... it is only 16k, and if the car is in excellent condition it will not put most people of! In fact, it will sell at a premium if you trade it in!
One of or cars was bought from a relative with low miles (12k over 4 years, not serviced in last 2 years). I got it serviced (oil, filters, bake fluid) and have not had any problems with it .... Certainly not with any of the non consumable items bartman mentioned on his list that would need changed....and it has now done another 45k in last 3 years.
If I was looking does car at the moment, I'd make you an ofget!!

SilverViking · 05/02/2014 13:54

Offer = offer!

Bartman · 05/02/2014 14:39

The thing is that your car had only been under that regime for 4 years and only missed one service which probably won't do it any harm. I would expect that everything on my list has been changed by now on your car with the possible exception of cambelt if it is a chain engine and suspension bushes although they will be decidedly second hand by now. The car we are talking about has been serviced twice in 8/9 years and had nothing else but a set of tyres - I wouldn't be able to run away fast enough from that unless I was paying something like £500 and just planning to run it until it died.

Original poster

MrMacadoo · 05/02/2014 18:33

no the car has been serviced more than twice i can only prove it has been serviced twice. it has actually been serviced 4 times but my normal garage can't stamp my book as they don't have the records on computer. the paperwork is all filed away and i have moved so not sure if i even have docs from that far back anymore

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