service history missing

[st13phil]

I can understand people being suspicious of Main Dealers (for many, there's good reason to be), but the chances of a 3 - 4 year old car having no prior service undertaken is roughly zero so the most likely cause is c*ck-up rather than conspiracy.

That said, part of the "MB Approved Used" criteria is that the car has been serviced according to the manufacturer's specification, so if the selling dealer can't evidence that - especially if a full service history was referenced as part of the sale process - it's clear grounds for rejection.

My guess is that if that is pointed out, they will manage to produce the service history for the car in question.

 

[Martyn_n]

We bought our 2012 car from MB Stratford upon Avon last summer, the salesman happily sent over the FSH details and build sheet within minutes of asking before I committed to viewing. If they are not able to do the same for you I would suggest it is because it is simply not in the system. As Bobby Dazzler states the reason is probably because it was serviced outside the network, and by someone without access to the MB system, but it may not be. Good luck.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

At least its showing 0 previous keepers, thanks for the link
Registration
KF17UZE

VIN ends in ......2714.
Last (and only) service 38,990 miles, 16/02/21 Gerard Mann Inchape, Stratford upon Avon.
"Vehicle not maintained, 3 missing services".

 

[W1ghty]

VIN ends in ......2714.
Last (and only) service 38,990 miles, 16/02/21 Gerard Mann Inchape, Stratford upon Avon.
"Vehicle not maintained, 3 missing services".

Wow if that’s correct , how is the car in the approved used scheme and on Mobilio ?
Also how has it only had an A service with others missing , it must have needed a B

 

[Doodle]

Punt it out, hope nobody notices (or at least until its too late).

 

[Spider10]

I can't understand why it hasn't been serviced to MB spec? Wouldn't that void the warranty i know there's none with it now but to buy a new car and not do that is lunacy

 

[markjay]

Having no service history on a 2017 A205 will significantly reduce its resale value.

I would inform the Principle at the dealership that unless a printout of the car's history - showing all services up-to-date to MB spec - is produced pronto, the car is being rejected due to being 'not as described'.

 

[W1ghty]

Obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception is almost in play by the dealer

 

[rom1]

**update** stratford upon Avon spoke to previous owner who had it serviced by a local garage, now it has been serviced by a Mercedes dealer it is classed as approved used, let them no I'm not happy as it does not have any evidence of service and I want to return car, they are looking into it, logged a complaint with customer services and MB finance, awaiting responses. They did say happy to write a letter explaining it was serviced outside Mercedes for first 2 services. I've told them it still not FSH.

Will mention at the least should have had B service as no proof of last service.

 

[st13phil]

They did say happy to write a letter explaining it was serviced outside Mercedes for first 2 services.

I bet they would be - talk is much cheaper than taking the car back.

At this stage, I'd be inclined to return the car.

 

[Spider10]

I would have to agree with above if no record it could of had a couple of oil changes which to me isnt full service history to MB spec

 

[pmcgsmurf]

**update** stratford upon Avon spoke to previous owner who had it serviced by a local garage, now it has been serviced by a Mercedes dealer it is classed as approved used, let them no I'm not happy as it does not have any evidence of service and I want to return car, they are looking into it, logged a complaint with customer services and MB finance, awaiting responses. They did say happy to write a letter explaining it was serviced outside Mercedes for first 2 services. I've told them it still not FSH.

Will mention at the least should have had B service as no proof of last service.

Tell them you are not accepting it as it is not as described.
Don't let them talk you around.

 

[ChrisHGTV]

It's pretty poor show on their part for not checking/collecting any relevant paperwork etc. Unless they paid the previous owner under the odds due to the missing history.

Before i bought mine from a dealer (not Mercedes) i noticed it didn't have full documented service history. However i noticed a sticker on the windscreen from a garage i didn't recognise from any of the paperwork. I called them and lo and behold they sent me the docs from the "missing" services, all to MB specs - which included water pump and a few other bits. I didn't tell the dealer of course and haggled the price down due to the service history. Their fault for being lazy - took me all of 5 minutes!

Unless you get a significant discount i wouldn't consider a car with less than perfect documented history if you intend to sell on at some point. It will always be more difficult to move on.

 

[W1ghty]

**update** stratford upon Avon spoke to previous owner who had it serviced by a local garage, now it has been serviced by a Mercedes dealer it is classed as approved used, let them no I'm not happy as it does not have any evidence of service and I want to return car, they are looking into it, logged a complaint with customer services and MB finance, awaiting responses. They did say happy to write a letter explaining it was serviced outside Mercedes for first 2 services. I've told them it still not FSH.

Will mention at the least should have had B service as no proof of last service.

Sounds like they are playing for time ? Waiting for you to loose impetus . “It will be a couple of weeks until we get an answer from head office Sir , bear with us “

 

[Jockcl500]

It's mental that Mercedes would do this, they must realise that the marketing for approved used, would become worthless if this sort of thing was exposed, just imagine watchdog or whatever plastering the strict rules of approved used being broken by them, and them trying to shaft their customers.
I would return the car or want a huge discount, put the reg into we buy any car and see how much it's worth without service history, and that's how much you should be paying.

 

[Spider10]

It's mental that Mercedes would do this, they must realise that the marketing for approved used, would become worthless if this sort of thing was exposed, just imagine watchdog or whatever plastering the strict rules of approved used being broken by them, and them trying to shaft their customers.
I would return the car or want a huge discount, put the reg into we buy any car and see how much it's worth without service history, and that's how much you should be paying.

It doesn't work like that put the reg in with FSH and it will be nowhere near what its price is usually around 2 thirds of the price ,try it it's good fun I wish I could buy cars for there prices

 

[Scooby_Doo]

It baffles me why somebody spends £20k + on a new Mercedes and gets it serviced by Del Boy down the road, MB approved or not.
I appreciate that MB prices are excessive but I'd always be concerned that if the s*** hit's the fan MB would try and wriggle out of any warranty claim.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

My guess is that it’s part of a large fleet which are maintained by the fleet operator.

As suggested, I would reject it regardless. You bought on the basis that it had documented service history and it doesn’t.

Best of luck. Remain firm and polite.

 

[markjay]

As others said... reject it.

Or, if you do like the car... then I would accept in compensation a 4-year service plan and 3 additional years of MB warranty (on top of the 1 year Approved Used warranty).

Think about it this way: if has to hurt, or they'll do it again to someone else.

 

[Smiley]

You would think that a fleet operator would know that they would devalue the car by not retaining the service records so doubt that's the explanation. If the first owner was too tight to pay for MB servicing then there is a good chance that they are too tight to have had any servicing done at all. At nearly 40k miles, the damage has already been done if this is the case and the consequences will show up in early failure of the timing chain as one example. What is shocking is that a main MB dealer thinks it is acceptable to write a letter confirming previous servicing when it sounds like they have no real evidence for at all. Can you imagine the conversation when you come to p/x the car in 2 or 3 years time.........
There is no way I would keep the car or buy any car from them.