Are dealerships approachable when it comes to service history?

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Horrgakx

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Uk, West Cumbria
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Audi S4 B9
HI all. I'm looking at buying an older Merc and when I find one I'm interested in I'd like to know what it needs for the current age/mileage. Are dealerships generally ok for people like me to call them and ask the history and needs of a certain car? Would they help me? If not, where would I go?
 
Generally no, due to GDPR. They won't reveal any information about a car unless you can prove that you're the registered keeper (which you obviously won't be able to do because the car isn't yours yet).

That said, it's still worth a try, some dealers might be willing to help although strictly speaking, they shouldn't.

But other than that, the only thing to do with digital service history, is put pressure on the seller to produce it, or knock the price down if they can't/won't (on the premise that it's worth less without FSH).
 
(Edit: Sorry, didn’t read the first post properly, so hadn’t realised the OP hasn’t bought the car yet. However, it might be of interest, so I’ll let my comment stay...)

FWIW, I recently bought a Skoda, and just went into a dealership, (and not even where I’d bought it from!) with the V5c and some photo ID, and they printed out the digital service history while I waited.
 
When viewing my current W204, the car came with no history (non-MB dealer couldn't/wouldn't get the info from MB).

The car had a set of brand new front discs and pads, fresh-looking honey-coloured oil, and 4 identical premium tyres, so I thought there's no way this car hasn't been properly serviced, and bought it anyway.

Next day I walked into the local MB dealership and they printed-out for me a perfect full main dealer history...

But yes, with digital service books, buying from a non-franchised dealer often requires a leap of faith (and very close inspection).
 
Once you own the car, email [email protected]-benz.com with the following info and they'll email back the history. The seller can/should do this for you if they're serious about selling:
- copy driving license
- pages 2&3 of the V5 document showing your name

Alternatively a friendly Indie with access to STAR should be able to pull the record for you.

In terms of what needs doing, pop the details in here and play with the dates, it'll tell you what is needed at what service:
 
My car sourced by me from an all makes used forecourt. I tracked down original & last keeper from an old V5 slip & wrote to him.

Mine came with a full MB digital history print out & some old invoices BUT sadly the prior owner told me he threw out some old invoices after he P/X'd. Original new supplying & my local dealer say they cant print details of specific repairs for newer owners....only the routine service visits. .....I guess this is to avoid conflict for prior customers with subsequent owners in event of non disclosed major work that may be deemed to compromise integrity of a specific vehicle or sale.

Original keeper, (owned by his owned company then by him), had agreed to ask main dealer to provide him with copies of old invoices & paperwork which he would then send to me. He seemingly never got around to doing so..... I decided not to pester further.

I keep all old invoices and all papers in a ring binder.....My paperwork OCD perhaps more of an issue than anything else.
 
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My car sourced by me from an all makes used forecourt. I tracked down original & last keeper from an old V5 slip & wrote to him...

I did this with the Suzuki - previous owner turned out to be a very nice couple from Scotland (though sadly they gave the dealer both keys when Px-ing the car...).
 
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The issue being what exactly ? Did you only get one key ?
 
I've only ever bought two cars from used car dealers and been given two keys. Do they lose them, or sell them, or collect them, or what? Whenever I've sold a car, it has always had two keys with it, as have almost all the cars I've bought from private sellers.
 
The issue being what exactly ? Did you only get one key ?

Yes. The London dealer I bought the car from only had one key. The previous owner confirmed he handed-in both keys (and also said that the Pxing dealer was very adamant about it...), so the spare key must have gone missing between when the car entered the trade chain in Scotland and emerged from it in London... it has keyless system, so the spare key didn't come cheap... but at least I have two keys now.

I wrote a polite letter to the previous owner explaining what I was looking for and providing my email address, and they replied by email (the husband replied, it was his wife's car).
 
Yes. The London dealer I bought the car from only had one key. The previous owner confirmed he handed-in both keys (and also said that the Pxing dealer was very adamant about it...), so the spare key must have gone missing between when the car entered the trade chain in Scotland and emerged from it in London... it has keyless system, so the spare key didn't come cheap... but at least I have two keys now.

I wrote a polite letter to the previous owner explaining what I was looking for and providing my email address, and they replied by email (the husband replied, it was his wife's car).
Hmm...Allegedly some odd goings on re SOME in motor trade car sales & keys.

My daughter took (home) delivery of a brand new, ( other marque brand), car some years ago. I specifically took issue with the young sale guy delivering as he was adamant the new car only came with one key.

I subsequently queried the above some time later with the DP who refused to accept my version of events. DP insisted I was mistaken re the handover & had misplaced the 2nd...He quoted me a price for another & told me I had upset his young salesman by suggesting a lack of integrity !

....DP then had the audacity to infer I had inappropriately influenced an excessive discount by somehow taking advantage of his elderly, (his words), semi-retired father who had been covering in his absence when car ordered.....DP refused to further engage. No point in escalating to head office as DP would only stand firm & get them on side. Not surprisingly I used another dealer for servicing...... I was genuinely livid at the time !!

FWIW - If we had knowingly lost an original fob key we would have happily paid for another.

I have other stories re main dealers but wont expand here as we are already going off topic.

Back on topic....it is frustrating & totally unacceptable IF a potential purchaser allegedly cannot enquire re history so as to consider a used purchase. I would ask seller to obtain it as a pre condition to any viewing...I accept that fraud concerns could be a concern if info not passed direct to buyer from MB or other reputable source.
 
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Yes. The London dealer I bought the car from only had one key. The previous owner confirmed he handed-in both keys (and also said that the Pxing dealer was very adamant about it...), so the spare key must have gone missing between when the car entered the trade chain in Scotland and emerged from it in London... it has keyless system, so the spare key didn't come cheap... but at least I have two keys now.

I wrote a polite letter to the previous owner explaining what I was looking for and providing my email address, and they replied by email (the husband replied, it was his wife's car).
Thing is if you trade a car in to a garage or put it into Webuyanycar with only the one key, they will knock off about 300 quid depending on make.
 
Generally no, due to GDPR. They won't reveal any information about a car unless you can prove that you're the registered keeper (which you obviously won't be able to do because the car isn't yours yet).

That said, it's still worth a try, some dealers might be willing to help although strictly speaking, they shouldn't.

But other than that, the only thing to do with digital service history, is put pressure on the seller to produce it, or knock the price down if they can't/won't (on the premise that it's worth less without FSH).
Thanks for this - but GPDR is about protecting identity. So if I'm after history or upcoming service info on a car, then how does GPDR prevent that?
 
Once you own the car, email [email protected]-benz.com with the following info and they'll email back the history. The seller can/should do this for you if they're serious about selling:
Thanks for your reply, but the point about asking for information on a car is to make an informed decision about buying it. I don't want to buy a car just taking the sellers' word you see. I'd also like to know what the car needs *before* I buy it.
Thanks for the link to the service sheets, I'll be sure to bookmark that and look!!
 
You raise some good questions - but I am afraid there are no answers... just don't shoot the messenger :)

The trade will argue that while service history was much more accessible when paper books were in use, fakes and forgeries were rife. The new digital system reduces the chances of fraud (though it does not eliminate it completely).

A good seller will go the extra mile and provide a printout of the service history to potential buyers. Consumer shouldn't be complacent and should walk away from car dealers that can't be bothered.

Alternatively, don't take the seller's word for it, but put it in writing so that it's part of the contract between you and dealer, explaining that you will reject the car if it turns-out to be 'not as described'.
 
Thanks for your reply, but the point about asking for information on a car is to make an informed decision about buying it. I don't want to buy a car just taking the sellers' word you see. I'd also like to know what the car needs *before* I buy it.
Thanks for the link to the service sheets, I'll be sure to bookmark that and look!!
In that case you need to insist the seller shares the electronic service record (and if they say they don't have it they, as registered keeper, can get it in a couple of working days following the instructions I've given). And then you compare to the service sheets to confirm what was required was done.
 
Doesn't all this depend on what year the op is looking at ?
 
Thanks for this - but GPDR is about protecting identity. So if I'm after history or upcoming service info on a car, then how does GPDR prevent that?
Car registration number and VIN are both considered to be indirectly identifiable information by the ICO. I’m not an expert but the ICO is pretty nifty.

A duplicate copy or print out of service history isn’t much use if the registration number and VIN is redacted, so it’s only given to confirmed owners.

 
Thanks for your reply everyone. When I'm ready to look at a car I'll ask the seller about it and also I'll approach a dealer, they can only say no.
 

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