What does 1 owner with full service history mean to you ?

[gasketface]

Hi all.

Just wondering what your thoughts are on the above question.

If you were interested in a car you saw advertised somewhere and it said 1 owner from new with full service history then what would you expect the service history to be in a physical form ?.What would you expect to get if you bought the car history wise ?.

Thanks in advance 

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

The clue is in the name. FULL, as in EVERYTHING the car has ever had done to it with reciepts. Doesn't have to mean all at Main dealers. Just got to show that the car was looked after.

Granted very few cars still have that. But in those cases it should say PARTIAL history. And more importantly SAY IN THE ADVERT what is and isn't there. They should also say if it proves mileage. Too many sellers say "History" and it's just a few random invoices or a couple MOTs and 1 service sheet.

It should have been serviced to the manufacturer's recommendations and has the stamps to prove it.

[Mr_Orange]

Agreed.... Is full "full"? Check for stamps in service book.
Also, everyone sells their car on for a reason. 1 owner from new suddenly selling up? Pessimist in me always thinks they just found out there's a massive problem brewing with it.... :/

[itavaltalainen]

Once bought a car like that...

Granted he was second owner..... but first was motability and he was second and had car for over 10 years. Service manual was stamped every second year, every other year he did oil change himself and made meticulous note what was done in service book (e.g. spark plugs etc - car only did 5k a year!).

Just depends on what you believe.... on a mk3 I'd rather buy from someone private where you can believe history rather than dealer where the whole book is filled in with same pen and stamp... 

[VW BUSH]

In terms of "old cars"

The guy or gal you buy it off is the only previous owner, they bought it new.
Said person had it serviced according to makers schedule at the local "brands" garage.
Every MOT and receipt from day one in the book or folder.

Any gaps or frequent use of indy garages show that it was not looked after properly or looked after on a shoe string.
Unless you buy it off the 1st owner it could have sat or been used unregistered and abused in the process.

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

In terms of "old cars"

The guy or gal you buy it off is the only previous owner, they bought it new.
Said person had it serviced according to makers schedule at the local "brands" garage.
Every MOT and receipt from day one in the book or folder.

Any gaps or frequent use of indy garages show that it was not looked after properly or looked after on a shoe string.
Unless you buy it off the 1st owner it could have sat or been used unregistered and abused in the process.

Pretty much what has been mentioned lol

[gazareth]

If they have a legit reason for suddenly selling on then there is no problem. I bought my golf a couple of years ago of a woman that had owned it for 18 years. she was only selling as it has no power steering and she was getting bad arthiritis in her wrists. she had lots of history for the car but I never bothered taking it as I was going to go through the whole car fixing/replacing the slightest defects anyway. and I have no intention of selling it but if I ever do then I have built up a fair old wad of receipts myself so far.

[snozan]

Bought a MK3 Variant this winter. It didn't have full service history. Only up to 30 000km (18641miles). However, this car had one owner since new (1997 - 2014). I didn't get nay papers on things he fixed BUT i got something greater. Every single MOT paper since new, andf not a single fault. Not "good to know" (as we have here in Sweden). Totaly clean papers. That to me means that the car has been looked after. Service history dosent mean anything. Everyone can change oil etc. MOT paper, thats what counts for me.

[VW BUSH]

Correct, its not about the paperwork all the time, I think the term one owner or fsh is used to freely as it normally not entirely true.
A legit second hand car always has something wrong with it when you go to look at it, I always find something....

Got my dad a partial engine for his 2013 A4 2.0tfsi and few bonus bits after finding out it was covered on a recall, £6k
Garage he bought it off (Main dealer) sold it on knowing it needed the work
Local dealer couldn't apologise enough, did the work, fixed all the stuff they found wonky + Battery
For a car with a Full Audi inspection check and one owner 30k miles and fsh it had over 8k of stuff wrong with it...
It now has a rebuilt bottom end full under tray, no oil or coolant leaks and a properly working auto box.

Driftbridge VW/Epsom Audi

[Jasikasisback]

Some "services" mean the dealer "changed" the cambelt and tensioner by simply writing it down...this done by a vw dealer in London...previous owner was a young lady...she told me the dealer said her transmission was shot and needed replacing...turns out needed a filter and gearbox  oil change and good as new..original cambelt survived 100000miles...amazing no???original exhaust survived until 120000 miles...so I think you have to take a good look...found out original factory exhaust has the date stamped on it...remember the year was 1996....