Lost service record between purchase and handover - any attributable loss in value of MoHo?

[Minxy]

Yeah but there are other Van's that cost £100k new that at 10 years old are around 40k

65k seems high .....and with no service history now I think I'd be walking fast in the other direction

You might like to have a shuftie at them before commenting further as they are not cheap MHs, some cost over £300k depending on model, equipment etc ... they're not 'standard' MHs off a production line like top of the range Hymers for example, most, if not all, are 'bespoke' to the original purchaser.

I think this may be the one which the OP bought:

Used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for Sale | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for sale ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.

www.gumtree.com

 

[Northernraider]

You might like to have a shuftie at them before commenting further as they are not cheap MHs, some cost over £300k depending on model, equipment etc ... they're not 'standard' MHs off a production line like top of the range Hymers for example, most, if not all, are 'bespoke' to the original purchaser.

I think this may be the one which the OP bought:

Used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for Sale | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for sale ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.

www.gumtree.com

I know I've seen them , I've been in them

It's still a 10 year old Iveco chassis with now currently no service history
I'm just saying that personally I'd be walking away from it

 

[joka250]

Is it not possible a vehicle of this quality and value has had some, if not all, servicing carried out by the bespoke manufacturer. Worth speaking to RS.

 

[peterc10]

Is it not possible a vehicle of this quality and value has had some, if not all, servicing carried out by the bespoke manufacturer. Worth speaking to RS.

Which RS. Yesterday's, today's or tomorrow's. They have a bit of a reputation for going bust and starting again with a slightly different name.

 

[27 TUG]

Morning could you contact last owner to see if it did have History and were it was done then order a service book and get the garage to stamp it up also that will tell you if the sales company we’re pulling a fast one Andy

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[acropolis22]

I know I've seen them , I've been in them

It's still a 10 year old Iveco chassis with now currently no service history
I'm just saying that personally I'd be walking away from it

He's already bought it.......

 

[Clive Beeza]

Do as TUG suggests speak to the previous owner, ask whether he gave the dealer the service history book ?
if not you were hoodwinked by some smart arsed salesman,
and with a statement from the previous owner you will have access to redress
If the service book was handed in by the PO, then he will be able to advise who did the servicing
and the selling dealer will be able to establish the service record, and supply you a copy
DO NOT give up,
this is a valuable document.

 

[peterc10]

Do as TUG suggests speak to the previous owner, ask whether he gave the dealer the service history book ?
if not you were hoodwinked by some smart arsed salesman,

If that was the case "hoodwinked" would be too mild a description. It could be argued that it was criminal fraud, and certainly would be considered to be fraudulent misrepresentation in a civil case.

 

[Northernraider]

He's already bought it.......

Yes but my understanding was that the service book was missing on collection

That's when I'd have walked away.

 

[Pausim]

He didn’t know it was missing until he got home and waded through the folders of paperwork he was given. He then raised it with the dealer.

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[Mr Colpot]

Our current Van had a blank Service Book when we bought it from the Dealer. I went through the receipts and wrote the service dates/mileage/garage details in the book. We have bought numerous vans over the years and hardly any have had a full service history. If you plan on keeping it long term you should build up a history yourself so this will help when you come to sell it.

 

[mikeandmary]

Sorry to hear of your sisters situation. You mention £4.5k, can you give me a rough indication of what that was as a percentage of the purchase price?

My situation is slightly nuanced from your sisters and shows deliberate deceit and acknowledgement of the loss of the original service book and or deliberately trying to deceive me at the point of sale. If they don’t play ball, I will find legal precedents for breach and material loss in value through breach and pursue to a maximum value through small claims court!

Despite being nearly ten years old, the monetary value is high, this is a £65k purchase!

What a disgraceful state of affairs. Please, under no circumstances allow this dealership to deceive, lie and rip you off. He knows what he’s done, go after him hard. A service record is an important document, not to mention the fact that you want to know whether it’s been carried out correctly, or not. Not that it’s any consolation but, I took an individual to court some years ago who tried to rip me off for £12. It cost me a lot more than £12 to do it but, he’s the one with a CCJ and record, not me.

 

[Hotcrossman]

This seems to be a regular "mistake" by the dealer(s). Last July bought a 2018 Caravan and had the same conversation about the 'missing' service book. Also, in October we changed the Wife's Smart car. I was told, on both these occasions "Don't worry, you don't have a book now, all the records are kept by us (the Dealer) at each service or when there is a Warranty claim.
If I buy again I will ask - at the time of leaving the deposit - to retain, and take away with me, any and all service records. Should this be a problem it will be simple to cite "the avoidance of records getting lost" surely a sensible procedure?

 

[Bognor Saint]

He didn’t know it was missing until he got home and waded through the folders of paperwork he was given. He then raised it with the dealer.

Seems a bit odd that it had plenty of paperwork and not the service info. I would have thought someone who kept detailed records would also have a service book. As others have suggested, contact previous owner.
My car doesn't have a service book, all the info is stored on the key and can also be seen in the connected drive computer in the car. Not much good if you don't have your car serviced at the franchised dealer though.

 

[Hotcrossman]

MikeandMary have it right. Do not be affraid of the legal route, the Small Claims procedure is simple and the process once started is fairly swift. I had a problem with a dud Leisure battery bought from a well known leisure outlet who denied receiving my complaint letter (recorded AND signed for) and refused to acknowledge my complaint. Result - Battery cost me £110 pounds, I was awarded (with all my costs) £210, they even posted the cheque to the wrong address - accident? NOT. NEVER GIVE UP!

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[richard8]

How many previous owners if not too many you could go onto the dvla site, MOT history check, and check where it was motd in the past, phone them up and ask if they have ever serviced the vehicle. You will require the document reference number from the v5 to open up the history check on line. I’ve been purchasing vehicles to order for people for years and would never purchase one without good history.

 

[Carpmart]

Thanks for all the comments and messages of empathy and support. I have no intention of letting this rest and I’ll seek remedy by whatever approach and channel I deem necessary.

There are a couple of areas I would still be grateful of people input around. Obviously the statistics of a £25k van being impactacted £4.5k in value is somewhat alarming, as that suggests a near 20% value reduction in not having a proper service history. This intuitively to me seems a high percentage, what do others think?

Regarding comments on the purchase price for my MoHo, yes nearly 10 years old and £65k seems a lot, but it’s nigh on £150k worth new when purchased with the configuration of my van and more like £200k today. I appreciate this seems like illogical sums to spend on a used MoHo to many and I fully understand that. I need something with two tons of payload and the ability to function for two weeks fully off grid when I am fishing a large lake in Europe and without going full Lara Croft and overland machinery, this is the answer for my needs. Particularly as parked up and in use in more normal settings, it provides a fully specified ‘normal’ motorhome when needed too. Both Mr & Mrs Carpmart are then catered for! ?

Finally I have had a follow up mail today. In a nutshell they can’t find the service book still and are in the process of contacting the previous owner and RS to compile a history. I’ve a fundamental problem with this. Have they deliberately and in a way that has a material cost to me deceived me? If I think no, then a compiled history produced by them may satisfy me. However at present I think they have.

My logic is that they procured and completed a new service book which they have then duly completed for the service work they did for me between purchase and handover. So they new that they had no service record and never once addressed this with me. This is a material change to the contract of sale which they ethically/contractually/reasonably have a duty to have informed me of prior to completion. Not doing so is at worst fraudulent, at best deciptful and frankly unacceptable full stop!

Any help in qualifying with reasonable logic the loss in asset value would be very much appreciated.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Most of us look for a motorhome that fits our needs and budget. Was the service history included in the advertising or contract?

If the dealer offers to take back the vehicle would you be happy? Could you find another?

I would wait to see what the dealer comes up with before doing anything.

 

[Pausim]

I really have no idea about the reduction in value and 20% does seem high but as a negotiating position to start from it could be reasonable.

I think the effort to reconstruct the service service history is a good sign, the dealer seems to be trying to salvage their reputation rather than stone walling you. Hopefully you can remember some of the details from the book you saw during the sales pitch to see if they are being consistent. I would also suggest you do some of your own enquiring with the previous owner and any agents they used, that way you may get a feel for how genuine the dealers efforts are.

If you are not satisfied I suggest you invite the dealer to propose a remedy. If you back them into a corner too soon I fear it is human nature to clam up. Mr Reasonable can still be assertive and make it clear that the problem is not going to go away. Whilst playing Mr Reasonable in a dispute I once had over management fees a member of staff gave me exactly the information I needed to hang the firm out to dry, which I did.

 

[PhilG]

It wont make any difference to the purchase in their , opinion, but try doing the same when you trade it in. I had the same when I bought mine, FSH , with receipts, including a cambelt change, but when I came to collect, no evidence of cambelt swap.. that said, he agreed to do it without a quibble.

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[Hippy]

How many previous owners if not too many you could go onto the dvla site, MOT history check, and check where it was motd in the past, phone them up and ask if they have ever serviced the vehicle. You will require the document reference number from the v5 to open up the history check on line. I’ve been purchasing vehicles to order for people for years and would never purchase one without good history.

 

[Spriddler]

You will require the document reference number from the v5 to open up the history check on line.

You don't need a document ref. number to check MOT history of a vehicle.
Just enter the vehicle's reg'n number here to get dates of MOT's, any faults found and mileage:

Check the MOT history of a vehicle

Check the MOT history of a vehicle from 2005 onwards, including if it passed or failed, its mileage and why it failed, download MOT test certificate

www.gov.uk

 

[Rudski01]

I feel your pain, it seems the salesmen wear dick terpin masks, I’ve had mine a year with various faults which most of got sorted not all, I then asked for a trade in value against a newer twin slide out, I was offered £20,000 less than what I paid 9 months earlier.
With regards to FSH “it’s all here on the computer sir,” I received the most recent one, so I thought might sell private can you forward the FSH please, “ah sir very difficult to retrieve that info from our system”!!WTF?
Trying to get them to answer e mail is a bloody nightmare, I’ve asked for a confirmation e mail to state they have carried out all the Hab checks and servicing (which is done by someone else) on headed paper, not as good as a genuine paper trail i know but I won’t out much hope anyway, I am at the point of walking away from them as they are so far from me ( which I knew could be a problem) but their aftersales is s**t, shame really cause it s a bloody good well made unit, just got lying salesmen and an overworked service manager.
Aaaannnd Breath