Would you buy a car with missing service history?

[Brappy181]

Hello all

I’m looking to purchase an Audi A3 S-Line and so far I’ve found four (all dealers apart from No.3), looking for a quick bit of advice. All prices after trade in of my current car.

1) 2.0 TDI Quattro, 2016 with 51k miles, going for around 13k. First service stamped at 40k, then 50k
2) 1.4 TFSI CoD, 150PS, 2015 with 66k miles going for around 12k. Unknown service history, dealer said there was some but never got back to me
3) 2.0 TDI Quattro, 2015 with 64k miles, going for around 14.8K. Full Audi SH
4) 2.0 TDI, Quattro, 2014 with 71k miles, going for around 13k. Full Audi SH

I’ve listed them in order of preference. I’m not a big fan of the colour of 3 and 4, and 3 is nearly 200 miles away.

I think a petrol would suit my current commute more although I am looking for a new job atm. The attraction of quattro and the little extra power would make me consider a diesel and I’ll just accept the higher insurance, tax, maintenance, and ocasional half hour spent giving it a blast on the motorway to clear the DPF.

Would anyone chance 1 or 2 or is service history in a low-ish mileage car actually that important? My thinking is that the engine is just broken in, how much wear could have occurred in the first couple years of missed services? Or is it a lot and I should wait for a different one to come round?

 

[NHN]

Tbh allot of people do services themselves these days or cash job by a friend or garage, I wouldn't be too worried if it shows no issues, however, I would scan the car diagnostically every time I buy to see if anything pops up.

 

[northpole]

also a car with missing service history or non at all should be cheap as chips compared to a car with FSH... if they haven't already priced it way lower walk away.

 

[AlS3BE]

Would probably avoid diesels especially if it’s not euro 6. Whole campaign against them with ever expanding low emission zones across the country and it's getting worse. Bath and Bristol looking at charging diesel cars more for parking than petrol.

 

[Brappy181]

Thanks for the replies folks.

also a car with missing service history or non at all should be cheap as chips compared to a car with FSH... if they haven't already priced it way lower walk away.

My problem is that I bought my last car pre-COVID, so before the second hand car market imploded and I don't really have a feel for what is reasonable these days. 14k for a 8/9 year old car is absolutely insane to me (I paid 3k for a 8 year old 3 series back in 2016). £14k doesn't feel cheap as chips but for a 2nd hand car, that might be how it is now, I'm not sure. Any 2 cents you got on this would be appreciated.

Tbh allot of people do services themselves these days or cash job by a friend or garage, I wouldn't be too worried if it shows no issues, however, I would scan the car diagnostically every time I buy to see if anything pops up.

Car 1 looked very clean and felt like it drove well. But the dealer never got back to me when I asked him a few questions so I guess he doesn't want to sell or do a deal. Car 2 is an online dealer so I haven't seen or test drove it. Got a 14 day returns policy but I wouldn't get my trade in vehicle back and I need a car. So difficult to decide.

Would probably avoid diesels especially if it’s not euro 6. Whole campaign against them with ever expanding low emission zones across the country and it's getting worse. Bath and Bristol looking at charging diesel cars more for parking than petrol.

All cars Euro 6, the diesels included. It's a joke how much motorists are being taxed at every opportunity now, it's only going to get worse as more people shift to electric and the tax shortfall increases. Most people aren't wealthy enough to have a house with a driveway where they can charge an electric car, especially in or around a city, but politicians are so rich these days, they have no idea how a normal person lives. I don't pay for a parking permit and rarely park in the city but it's something to keep in mind I guess.

Of course... U have today hundreds of possibilities online to find what was happening with the car
Get an nice S3 sportback face lift with virtual cockpit
Am saving will be selling mine A3 tdi 2.0 quattro 230 bhp
Just want so go step above never sat in S3 or tried to drive it

Unfortunately there's nowhere that I can find to confirm service history. Audi will only tell the registered keeper if they have any records and ask for copy of the V5 before they'll tell you anything. Everything else on the cars check out. MOT histories were typically fine. Just the usual wear items like tyres, brakes, occasional light misting on shock, etc

 

[Brappy181]

I've used those car history checks before, free and paid. I currently use Total Car Check as it's effectively the same report as CarVertical but a fraction of the price and less aggressive marketing. One thing all the car history reports have in common is that they don't cover service history as far as I'm aware.

 

[Brappy181]

I always check the MOT and if all MOTs passed not a single fail I would go for it
If there would be MOT fail I would ask owner what been done after MOT fail

Ask them what been done? Presumably it's repaired since you're buying a car with an MOT and/or going to a dealer. If they got a dodgy MOT just for sale, they're not exactly going to tell you.

If buying private, I also look at the tyres. If it's got premium tyres, it's typically been looked after. Budgets and everything will have been repaired and maintained cheap as possible.

 

[CraigM]

Personally I would go on the overall condition/feel of the car and also look at the MOT history to decide on a car as this will usually show how well the previous owners have looked after it more than whether it has dealer service history or not. This is mainly because from experience I know that dealer service history means nothing - I have on several occasions now experienced main Audi dealers not actually doing the work they claimed they did. Twice I have supposedly had services done (on a previous Audi A1) which I know were not done as I had marked the oil filter before, and on two other occasions I have discovered the brake fluid change they allegedly had performed had also not been carried out - this was with Perth Audi and Edinburgh Audi btw. As most people don't ever check if work has been done after a service the dealers get away with it. And it's something I have seen happen rather a lot over the years, both on previous cars and also friends cars where dealers/garages just don't bother to actually do the work, so that's why I don't see the value in having service history.

 

[northpole]

i wouldn't even be on here f i didn't decide to buy a car with missing service history, granted there where only 2 years missing, and the previous owner clearly stated he used it to get from A to B... I bought it anyway because not to much was needed. The missing service history was backed up by the MOT history anyway and in all it's live the car didn't pass MOT just once because of tires. Yeah no big deal at all.

I did find that the car was in need of a big service so did that, and had to sort out the Multitronic CVT TCM but other than that the car is now in way better state than when i got it... all was DIY to keep the costs down and my wallet happy (it also gave me something to do and enjoy the results even more)

 

[Brappy181]

Man listen... Don't go deep into it pointlessly... veryone knows today how normal honest seller behaving and how fake seller.. Simply walk away .
No u don't look for tyres.. Tyres are in use constantly that is consumable part of car you don't walk away just because tyres aren't good jeesus.. That's some picky nerd who I would never sell used car and would send him to buy new one..
It is all about individual.. Som will go without history some enthusiastic need bible of history..
If u gonna moan too too much over used car then go buy new..
I bought cat S and upgraded and improved myself..
If you not DIY person get new car simpl...

The tyres are as an effective check on how the car has been cared for as service history, MOT records, or when the ad says "owned by a little old lady, used only for getting to the shops". They're a fairly important consumable that directly affects the way the car handles. If the owner is willing to spend money on consumables, they're likely spending money on the rest of the car when needed. If they're budgets, the owner is probably cheaping out wherever possible.
If a car comes with a full legit MOT, does really matter if the MOT history shows a fail or what the owner done afterwards? It's obviously been repaired since or are you just being "a picky nerd" as you call it? Tyres alone don't make or break the deal, it's just another source of information like MOT History to decide if the car has been looked after or possibly neglected.
"Just buy a new car", I "just" didn't realise it was that simple, you've changed my world.... I'm asking questions on a forum cause it's been quite a few years since I bought a second hand car and they've more than tripled in price since then and you're calling it moaning? What the hell you doing on a forum then? Is it just to brag about modifying Cat S' or being a DIY-er and never have any questions? If you're gonna be a tool, don't bother replying. No-one appreciates it.

Personally I would go on the overall condition/feel of the car and also look at the MOT history to decide on a car as this will usually show how well the previous owners have looked after it more than whether it has dealer service history or not. This is mainly because from experience I know that dealer service history means nothing - I have on several occasions now experienced main Audi dealers not actually doing the work they claimed they did. Twice I have supposedly had services done (on a previous Audi A1) which I know were not done as I had marked the oil filter before, and on two other occasions I have discovered the brake fluid change they allegedly had performed had also not been carried out - this was with Perth Audi and Edinburgh Audi btw. As most people don't ever check if work has been done after a service the dealers get away with it. And it's something I have seen happen rather a lot over the years, both on previous cars and also friends cars where dealers/garages just don't bother to actually do the work, so that's why I don't see the value in having service history.

Shoddy work is always tricky. My brother enjoyed finding dodgy mechanics back in the day. He did his own services and once asked ATS if they would stamp his book if he brought in receipts for the oil, filters, n such. The guy just said £50 and he'll get him a fully stamped book. He also knew a mechanic that would do "Sunday morning MOT's" without seeing the car. That was a while ago now but I guess you got to take everything with a pinch of salt and look at all the information available.
At the price bracket I'm looking at, it really should have FSH or be cheaper then they are. I found another one down south that ticks the boxes but don't have time to go see it and I'm not going to risk buying sight unseen. I don't have the time nor desire to spend my weekends wrenching on my car.

I think I'll just wait a little longer for something else to come up closer to home. I'm in no rush and what I need in a car might change now. Negotiated a new deal at work and I have 2 days home office a week now.

 

[northpole]

well when it comes to Audi the price of an 8/9 year old car you are looking at 8 to 9k privately but add another 6 to 7 k to that if it's a car dealership... and when it's that expensive I'd only use the Audi dealer in this case... get one of their A classed used cars with as much warranty as you can squeeze out of them... PS you should try and squeeze them even harder if you are buying it without finance... you'll be amazed as to how quick the price will drop.

 

[SDB]

Not true.
All dealers, franchised or not, make money from finance deals. They would prefer you to have it on finance, paying for your car in cash earns them nothing.
I've even bought new cars on finance because I got a better deal and then settled it a month later. Dealer got his commission and I got a cheaper car, win-win. Just be careful to check the small print to see if there are any penalties for settling early.

 

[northpole]

i got 2 cars way cheaper paid straight out than doing it on finance... true most car dealers make more money selling you the finance and the right to use the car, some don't and not all of them will give you a bigger discount if you buy straight out.

 

[400ixl]

Made no difference to the price for mine for either cash or financed. Putting some on finance (and then paying it off) meant I got an extra years warranty and 2 year service plan included from Audi finance though.

Just paid it off in the cooling off period and interest was under £20.

 

[northpole]

Yeah most car dealers and car re-sellers make extra cash selling finance guess I was lucky knowing the person selling me the 2 cars I bought back than and did me a solid on both purchases.

 

[Brappy181]

well when it comes to Audi the price of an 8/9 year old car you are looking at 8 to 9k privately but add another 6 to 7 k to that if it's a car dealership... and when it's that expensive I'd only use the Audi dealer in this case... get one of their A classed used cars with as much warranty as you can squeeze out of them... PS you should try and squeeze them even harder if you are buying it without finance... you'll be amazed as to how quick the price will drop.

I tried squeezing the dealer on the 1.4 CoD. Told him I can do finance or cash, whatever would get me the better deal. He told me finance, proposed £200 off, 2 years warranty and servicing but he would need to get it approved by his manager and then never called me back.

The car is still listed for sale and £400 knocked off the list price over the weekend. Don't really like being ghosted like that so I guess he has no desire to sell. This was despite the usual line of "our cars are the cheapest possible, list prices are fixed"

 

[northpole]

nope they aren't the only ones selling cars, NEXT!

 

[boost-addict]

Between options 1 and 2, I’d lean towards option 1 given the Quattro and its more consistent service history.

 

[AudiSporter]

In the past I have, massive gamble, but I ended up chucking over 100k on it and ran it in to the ground (work horse). Luck of the draw I guess.

 

[boost-addict]

When I got my Audi, I did a ton of research on how to evaluate its condition and value, much like assessing classic cars. Found some interesting facts on https://www.a1autotransport.com/how-do-you-rate-classic-cars/. It helped me make an informed decision.