Service history query

[muddyboots]

Hi all

 

Just got a few more details about a Yeti I was looking at buying (it's the one in the other thread I posted the other day).

 

It was registered in Sept 2010, so roughly 3 and a half years old.

It's done just over 37k miles.

 

When I asked about the service history - I'm told it has 1 stamp by Skoda, at 37k miles.

 

My question is this:

 

Is it possible that first service could occur at 37k legitimately ?

 

Although we longlife servicing, I doubt you'd get near 37k, and I'd have thought there should be a time-based interval too.

 

Instinct is to avoid (or there's a chance it's been serviced previously & not stamped, need to check with dealers).

 

Thanks for any help!

[muddyboots]

It's a CR170 Elegance by the way

[mannyo]

No, the maximum even for variable servicing is 18,600 miles so their should be at least one other stamp. Since it seems its had a second service on time, it maybe worth contacting that same dealer to see if they did the first one and just not stamped the book.

[muddyboots]

No, the maximum even for variable servicing is 18,600 miles so their should be at least one other stamp. Since it seems its had a second service on time, it maybe worth contacting that same dealer to see if they did the first one and just not stamped the book.

Does sound that way, so am trying to find out both the supplying and servicing dealers (if different).

I know I've picked both my Focus and the wife's Mondeo up from services at a local Ford dealer before, and they'd forgot to stamp the book.

 

There's someone I know who lives nearby to the car (a lot nearer than me) who is hopefully going to have a quick look, to see what the overall condition is.

If it's tattered and dinged and got cheapest chinky tyres on, that would suggest someone didn't care about it...

Edited 20 January, 2014 by muddyboots

[speedsport]

With the reg no, I'd have thought the dealer can check 'the system' & see what services (and any other attention) the car has had since new - wherever the work was done.

[muddyboots]

With the reg no, I'd have thought the dealer can check 'the system' & see what services (and any other attention) the car has had since new - wherever the work was done.

I did wonder that, but apparently not according to Lee from Preston Motors, here: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/301680-lj-cfm-anyone-know-this-steel-grey-yeti-170/?p=3599576

[mannyo]

The system only records recalls etc. Service details are locally stored, so try the dealer who did the last service since they are most likely to have serviced the car previously. Failing that try the supplying dealer if local to the previous registered keeper.  The supplying dealer stamp should be in the service book due to the PDI.

[muddyboots]

Thanks. I've asked for details of the supplying and last-servicing dealer(s). If I can find that out, I'll call them up and check.

[muddyboots]

Seems the car really has only had one service, at 37k miles.

[gadgetman]

The owner would have been told via the dash a service was needed.

Is it private or Skoda dealer?

[muddyboots]

It's for sale at a car supermarket.

 

A lot of car supermarkets don't entertain the idea of discounts, but I emailed the sales manager back after the lack of service history was confirmed, to tell him I wasn't interested.

Well, not unless the price was dropped significantly, IE below what I'd expect to pay privately for a similar car - thinking he'd dismiss me immediately (over £1.5k off the screen price...). Surprisingly though he didn't dismiss it immediately, but suggested I ring and have a chat...

 

Would I be mad to consider a car with such history, if the price was dropped ???

[gadgetman]

Could have been serviced at an independent with no traceability due to no stamps or paperwork.

Is it possible to learn the previous /original owner?

[mannyo]

Could have been serviced at an independent with no traceability due to no stamps or paperwork.

Is it possible to learn the previous /original owner?

 

This ^^^ I cannot believe it would go for so long without any kind of service, the dash will have been prompting very annoyingly that a service is required otherwise.

[muddyboots]

I find it hard to believe too, but that's as much as I'd be able to know. 

 

Question is - would you take a punt on it if the price was dropped ?

[DGW]

I wouldn't buy it without seeing evidence that it has had the missing service. If it hasn't had that service, what confidence can one have that the first owner topped up with the correct oil.

[RS939]

If you do get it for a good price get it serviced striaght away and checked over for peace of mind

[Its me]

Without proof of that service I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.........all that filth and muck circulating round the engine for 37000 miles, the wear on that engine will be more like one that's done 137000 miles.

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

[rwbaldwin]

You'd be amazed how many fleet cars have delayed 1st services. One rep returned his car to his company with 40k miles and no services. It was fine but who knows what the long term effects will be.

[muddyboots]

Turns out it was actually owned by a private individual. Dealer has emailed them, and they've confirmed it only had one service - at 37k, last month.

It's got the cheapest nastiest chinese tyres on too. The sort where you could buy like a 245/30/19 ish size tyre for about £60...

[bilun777]

Amazing...I wonder how much money he lost when he traded it in?

It would have been cheaper to hire a Rangerover for a week while it was serviced.

[JCP]

Just a personal prejudice but if the previous keeper thinks tyre choice is governed by price they may not look after it at all-It might be OK but i'd want a warranty and the fitment of rubber suitable for the performance and use of the car.

[muddyboots]

Agreed. It suggests the owner wanted to only spend the bare minimum they could get away with to keep it running legally.

Tyres etc can be replaced, and so long as everything works and the bodywork is fine, there's not much can be wrong in those areas.

 

But the engine - 37k on factory oil fill, there's no way of knowing the long term effects. Maybe it ran for 2 or 3 years with low oil warning on and lost oil pressure in corners ? Maybe it got topped up with cheapest oil going that's not DPF friendly ?

Maybe it's been pottering around on stop-start journeys with supermarket fuel, doing regens often and so regularly having excess diesel injected and diluting the already-far-too-old oil...

Who knows.

 

I intend to keep the car for at least 3 years and probably to 100k plus miles, and it'll be remapped too.

 

There. I think I've just talked myself out of it

[speedsport]

With the info you have, I'd give it a very wide berth!

[Trevorminor]

Like everything it's a gamble buying this one.  Everything could turn out fine but the gamble comes at a cost by way of a decent purchase price.

 

Whilst this one is for sale via a car supermarket, the price is pretty much on a par with what a franchised dealer would ask for something that has been looked after.  They are clearly waiting for someone with more cash than sense and as the saying goes 'Buyer beware'. 

 

I know someone who bought a 2 year old diesel Focus with a very dubious history.  It was a vehicle seized from someone who'd acquired cars from hire companies and not returned them.  The insurers wrote it off and then went bust.  The buyer then bought it 'as seen' for under £3k via a banger auction.  The sump oil looked like treacle but the car ran well despite having done 35k miles on factory oil.  As far as I know it's still going really well and the last I heard it had done 150kmiles+.  There again it had no DPFs or Cat converters to complicate things.

 

You'll find something more suitable!