# Service history — why it's the single most important paperwork

Live version: https://autoscout.fyi/guides/service-history

A car's service history tells you more than any photo, spec sheet, or conversation with the seller. It's the evidence that the previous owner spent money keeping the car healthy instead of running it into the ground.

## What "full service history" actually means

- Every manufacturer-specified service completed on schedule — every 12 months or set mileage, whichever comes first.
- Each service stamped in the service book, or logged in the dealer's electronic service record, or supported by dated invoices listing mileage and parts.
- The right oil grade used every time (listed on the invoice).
- Cambelt or wet belt replaced at or before the manufacturer's interval — usually 60,000–80,000 miles or 4–5 years.

Partial or gap-filled service history is fine on a cheap older car. On anything priced above £10k, expect full history and discount the price if it's not there.

## Green flags

- Invoices from a franchised main dealer or respected independent, with the car's reg number on them.
- Consistent mileage progression across stamps and invoices.
- Evidence of scheduled work: cambelt, brake fluid, coolant, DSG oil, spark plugs, air filters.
- Recent MOT with no or very few advisories.

## Red flags

- A cluster of stamps on the same day or week — "service history refreshed before sale" by a dealer who bought a neglected car.
- Gap of 2+ years with no service record.
- Cambelt interval exceeded with no replacement on record.
- Service book doesn't match the dealer's online service record (many brands publish history in the manufacturer's app).

## Why missing history matters

Skipped services show up later as expensive repairs:

- **Engine problems**: sludge from skipped oil changes wrecks bearings, turbos, and variable-valve systems. A fresh engine on a modern petrol is £4,000–£8,000.
- **Timing belt failure**: a snapped belt on an interference engine bends valves. £1,500–£3,500 in the best case, a new engine in the worst.
- **Gearbox issues**: DSG and other wet-clutch gearboxes need their oil and filter changed at specified intervals. Miss it and you're looking at £2,000+ for a rebuild.
- **Cooling system**: old coolant becomes acidic, eats water pumps and head gaskets. £1,500–£3,000 to fix.

## What to do if service history is missing

1. Drop the price. A car with no history is worth 15–25% less than the same car with full history.
2. Get a pre-purchase inspection at an independent specialist (RAC, AA, or a marque specialist). £180–£250 and well spent.
3. Plan to pay for a full service immediately: oil, filters, brake fluid, coolant, plus cambelt or DSG oil if due. Budget £500–£1,200.
4. If the car is a modern turbocharged engine (VW EA211 1.0/1.4 TSI, Ford 1.0 EcoBoost, PSA 1.2 PureTech), no service history is a hard no. The wet-belt failure mode on these engines is too expensive to take a chance on.

Service history is the cheapest insurance in the used car market. Buyers who demand it pay less over three years than buyers who don't.