MX5 Mk3 - Dealer has no service history
Discussion
Hi,
First off, I know little about cars and I'm buying one by myself for the first time.
Today I viewed a 06 MX5 and really liked it. Took it for a short test drive and it felt good, couldn't fault it. Nothing under the bonnet looked wrong.
When it came to paperwork the dealer had no service history for it. That made me nervous so I walked away. He said registered owners have access to it online but I don't want to buy the car blind.
Firstly can Mazda provide service history when you're a perspective buyer?
Secondly, shouldn't the paperwork have receipts?
I really like the car and would love to own one but very nervous.
Any help is massively appreciated.
Cheers
First off, I know little about cars and I'm buying one by myself for the first time.
Today I viewed a 06 MX5 and really liked it. Took it for a short test drive and it felt good, couldn't fault it. Nothing under the bonnet looked wrong.
When it came to paperwork the dealer had no service history for it. That made me nervous so I walked away. He said registered owners have access to it online but I don't want to buy the car blind.
Firstly can Mazda provide service history when you're a perspective buyer?
Secondly, shouldn't the paperwork have receipts?
I really like the car and would love to own one but very nervous.
Any help is massively appreciated.
Cheers
It's a bit of a git really but Mazda don't have service books anymore, it's all online. When I bought mine (same year/model) I got the Mazda dealer to print it out for me - no problem.
As for paperwork, dealers bin all extra bits of paper, I've never received any reciepts for a car unless buying privately.
As for paperwork, dealers bin all extra bits of paper, I've never received any reciepts for a car unless buying privately.
The PDI was logged on 12/06/2006 at 10 miles
The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
Superhoop said:
The PDI was logged on 12/06/2006 at 10 miles
The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
Really impressive that you can get that detail so quickly but isn't there a chance that the reason the car was serviced 3 years after the PDI more likely to be due to it needing an MOT?The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
Whilst the electronic record is a great as a durable history I think it should be used along side a paper copy, I bought my car 2nd hand and was told it was serviced recently and it was only when I could get the electronic record that I found the service record wasn't as complete as it should have been.
Superhoop said:
The PDI was logged on 12/06/2006 at 10 miles
The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
Really impressive that you can get that detail so quickly but isn't there a chance that the reason the car was serviced 3 years after the PDI more likely to be due to it needing an MOT?The only other record is a 37.5k service at 25,574 miles on 27/05/2009.
That said, that's almost bang on 3 years after the PDI, so you can bet that the 12.5k and 25k services were done, just not logged by the dealer. It was originally a lease car, registered to a lease company in Birmingham.
Nothing recorded since 2009 though.
Whilst the electronic record is a great as a durable history I think it should be used along side a paper copy, I bought my car 2nd hand and was told it was serviced recently and it was only when I could get the electronic record that I found the service record wasn't as complete as it should have been.
There should be a paper copy printed off and handed over by the dealer, and there is a sleeve in the handbook to place the printed copy - problem is they either don't get given to the customer, or, the copy never finds its way into the service manual.
As for why it's got no record of the first and second services, I've no idea, and like you am giving a best guess - either way, there's no record of anything since 2009 and since there will be cars out there that do, I'd be looking elsewhere.
As for why it's got no record of the first and second services, I've no idea, and like you am giving a best guess - either way, there's no record of anything since 2009 and since there will be cars out there that do, I'd be looking elsewhere.
I really dont know why folk get so het up about a service history, if the car looks right and drives well I really dont see the problem. My cars rarely have much service history as I do the maintenance myself yet my cars are always in top condition. Much more important is how the car has been driven, has it been thrashed from cold etc.
Whilst I would not advocate it my neighbour left the oil change on his wife's Fiesta for more than 60,000 with absolutely no adverse affect (in fact the only reason he finally did an oil change was that the filter was leaking because it rusted through!) , cars and oils are very different today......It's not at all unknown for service history to be fabricated, For me I will take or leave a car on its condition and how it drives regardless of service history.
Whilst I would not advocate it my neighbour left the oil change on his wife's Fiesta for more than 60,000 with absolutely no adverse affect (in fact the only reason he finally did an oil change was that the filter was leaking because it rusted through!) , cars and oils are very different today......It's not at all unknown for service history to be fabricated, For me I will take or leave a car on its condition and how it drives regardless of service history.
MX-5 Lazza said:
Lease cars should have spot-on servicing.
They should, but I'm afraid lead cars are particularly susceptible to strategic 'mileage correction' ahead of the first MoT. You really do have to look very carefully at wear levels of everything in the drivers reach.If you want s proper car, then buy one that was bought new as a third car, there are so many to choose from
Peter
Your man super hoop has found out some good information for you there, and like he said, I'd quickly walk from this one. I would not touch an ex lease car, regardless of how many services It has had. Plenty others around, take your time and get the correct car that you are comfortable purchasing. In my experience when I have bought cars, and had some queries with It, I was generally right too, and it never ended well.
Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff