Member Since: 30 May 2016
Location: LANCASHIRE
Posts: 60
MOT advisories and the service history mystery
I'm currently looking to buy a D3 and have a couple of queries regarding service/mot...
Firstly is it common practice with these vehicles to have a up to date service book but hardly any to no paperwork/bills for works done? Ive looked at a few now and this is quite common. I presume if main dealer has serviced it will be on computer record, but what about independents etc? I'm not liking the situation to be honest.
Secondly, am I safe to presume that a vehicle that has had very very few advisories and only failed on the odd bulb throughout its MOT life to date, has been well looked after and led a pampered life, ie had whats its needed when needed?
Cheers
13th Feb 2018 5:59 pm
ClassikFan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1045
Bills & Invoices are always good so you can see what has been changed recently. I guess it wouldn't be too hard to get a service book stamped up. If it's been serviced at a reputable garage then they should have history of services on file.
Few fails or advisories on the MOT give a good indication of how previous owners looked after the car and the money spent to maintain it. If every MOT the cars failed on Tyres and suspension it could suggest the car got driven hard and not maintained until necessary to pass the test. I advisories turn into fails the following year you could draw the conclusion of maintenance having been kept to a minimum.
13th Feb 2018 7:03 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72954
I'd lost the service book for my now dead D3 pretty early in its life, but had a file over 2" thick of invoices and receipts. I'd be suspicious of a car with anything less than half that.
Saying that, my D4 has only had routine servicing, a new battery and a few bits fitted. The only thing that's gone wrong is a loose tailgate handle cover. Now I've blown it.
13th Feb 2018 7:11 pm
Splitpin
Member Since: 30 Dec 2010
Location: At the toolbox
Posts: 535
If it’s been company owned the receipts will be in their accounts...
13th Feb 2018 7:45 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72954
What ever info/receipts you get, ya pays yer money & takes yer chance. Just coz lots has been replaced doesn't mean it doesn't need replaced again. And if nothing has been replaced you could have a good 'un or be about to face a tsunami.
13th Feb 2018 7:48 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4470
I would like to see receipts. But saying that, not everyone keeps receipts.
I'm not overly trusting of stamps in a book.
My car came with an incomplete (dealer) service history, but a comprehensive 'wad' of invoices and receipts from a competent indie, detailing all the work done in its life.
The history with a vehicle won't prove it to be a good buy, but helps reassure you about its trustworthiness. Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
13th Feb 2018 7:52 pm
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
Bought at both extremes. Bought a vehicle from here with a 2” thick wad of receipts - and turned it into a fire ball. Bought a replacement for it with next to none..
To me, a car of a certain age maybe on the second, third or even fourth owner then you have to be very careful. I agree with the consensus that stamps mean nothing unless a fairly new car.
Conversely, my latest disco, was self maintained by an enthusiast and a cursory inspection of things like the updated hoses, re-map, EGR blank, polly bushes, updated lights, etc - all the sort of things a knowledgeable enthusiast would deal with, however, there was little in the form of actual paperwork but they had owned the vehicle for six years and the vehicle was the right price.
In the end, the condition, drive and ride, their body language, knowledge, and understanding all made the vehicle “feel’ right and so I bought it.
So I guess a vehicle should “feel right” and in all the cars I have owned I have only bought a few pups. Interestingly I have generally had the worst problems with the newer cars and not the older ones.D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
13th Feb 2018 8:17 pm
sweetpea54321
Member Since: 23 Nov 2015
Location: Bolton
Posts: 220
I don't think this exclusively applies to Landrovers but cars and bikes in general.
Its a very personal thing but I keep every scrap of paperwork for everything relating to the car or bike and keep them in a file for future reference.
I think it goes a long way to demonstrate that you have an interest in its up keep and I think its appreciated by the prospective buyer when the time comes to sell.
Just my two pennies worth....
SP Mods so far:
New wheel winch
Instrument upgrade (clock on dash)
D4 fascia + Garmin nuvi
LED side light, interior etc
New FL2 rear wheel arch seals
Parrot MKi9200 hands free kit
14th Feb 2018 8:46 am
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8162
In searching for a newish D4 it amazes me how many people will pay thousands of pounds on a vehicle and can't be bothered to have it serviced simply because they are swapping it in 2-3 years time and then expect to get top price for them. Worst example was a 3 year old 80k miler that had had one service done at 33k miles had 4 different make of tyres on all with bald shoulders, it was "the wife's" car and only used for holidays and the school run It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
14th Feb 2018 9:15 am
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
sweetpea54321 wrote:
I don't think this exclusively applies to Landrovers but cars and bikes in general.
Its a very personal thing but I keep every scrap of paperwork for everything relating to the car or bike and keep them in a file for future reference.
I think it goes a long way to demonstrate that you have an interest in its up keep and I think its appreciated by the prospective buyer when the time comes to sell.
Just my two pennies worth....
SP
I couldn't agree with you more. Me too.
I am hoping to maximise the money for my car when I come to sell it and keeping the receipts can only help.D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
14th Feb 2018 9:42 am
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
M3DPO wrote:
In searching for a newish D4 it amazes me how many people will pay thousands of pounds on a vehicle and can't be bothered to have it serviced simply because they are swapping it in 2-3 years time and then expect to get top price for them. Worst example was a 3 year old 80k miler that had had one service done at 33k miles had 4 different make of tyres on all with bald shoulders, it was "the wife's" car and only used for holidays and the school run
Tens of thousands..
I wish I had that kind of money to throw away..
Sadly, unsuspecting members of the public who don't have the combined knowledge of this forum behind them, will end up with cars like this. Or else it passes through the hands of a dealer who will gloss the history and offer "dealer facilities" and a 12 month £199 worthless warranty and charge main dealer prices for it D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
14th Feb 2018 9:45 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8088
A service book full of Indy stamps and nothing to back it up I wouldn't trust at all. Too easy to buy a 'homemade' stamp on eBay. In that instance you buy with your gut and instincts and if price is right then no issue.
A folder of receipts just shows care and value to me, a traceable timeline of events and the back-story. It doesn't matter to me then that it doesn't have a service book stamped as often home spannered as it gets older.
A stamped service book and folder of receipts is the best thing to find
Best of all is turning up to find a nice house, decent seller, nice garage with tools in their place, folder of receipts and paperwork laid out in chronological order ready to view.
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had 4 different make of tyres on all with bald shoulders, it was "the wife's" car and only used for holidays and the school run 
