We just bought a car from the main dealer, it is nearly 3 years old. We are planning to extend the warranty in a few months when the manufactures' one runs out. We were told that they had done all the services etc. When we got the documentation we noticed that the service interval is every 12m/18k but the first service wasn't carried out for another 6 months 18m/15k. The 2nd service was 26m/26k.
I always thought it was important to carry out the first service on time. Should we worry?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 24/08/2008 at 01:36
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What car is it? 12mth / 18k mile service interval is unusual.
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What car is it? 12mth / 18k mile service interval is unusual.
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Unless you have a Nissan, Renault, Saab, Vauxhall, ....
and maybe even longer mileages with BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, ....
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It's a 55 Renault Clio III automatic. I'm concerned too that it had a timing belt kit done last year after only about 20k/25k.
{car details added to subject header}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 24/08/2008 at 01:37
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I'm concerned too that it had a timing belt kit done last year ...
I suggest it is time to talk to the garage that did the servicing, and ask them searchinn questions.
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Well, I'm going back a few years, bit we had a Clio and the service interval was 24mths or 18K miles.
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...bit of Googling and looks like the interval changed back to to 12mth on the ClioIII (from 2005).
This history is a bit odd - wonder why they bothered to do the second service relatively soon after the first? The belt change timing is weird too.
Agree you should speak to the dealer. Did they service the car before you bought it - that would be normal if it's a manufacturer backed approved used car and it's close to needing a service.
Maybe you can get them to pay for the first years warranty and put it in writing that the dodgy service history will have no bearing. If they won't do that then they can have the car back.
Edited by Bill Payer on 23/08/2008 at 17:22
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I have asked about the timing belt, they say they're looking into it. I've always had old crocks before, but they'd all been serviced by the book for the first couple of years at least. The interval is definitely 12 months.
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Thank you. That's a plausible explanation as to why the previous owner didn't get it serviced on time. They assumed it would still be 18 months interval.
The dealership serviced it before sale. They sold the car to 'reliable' and regular customers, as well as serving it from new and that was a major factor in why we bought it.
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They sold the car to 'reliable' and regular customers
Oh, that old story...
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Its a bit puzzling this service history.
Having the cam belt done so soon in the life of the car sounds like a owner not unlike myself who overservices their vehicles, ( a good, but expensive thing IMO) can't help it, need help but too old to bother..;).
But that doesn't add up with leaving a first service for so long, unless like me the previous owner has slipped in some interim servicing between new and first official service.
Have you tried contacting the previous owner to ask them, i would imagine the previous is a more mature person by car choice anyway...another good thing.
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I had a similar problem a year ago. Despite promises, the seller, a main dealer, couldn't provide proof that the car was serviced in line with manufacturer's warranty. Therefore I couldn't confirm this when I looked at buying an extended warranty. To cut a long story short I indicated I would pursue the matter via the Small Claims Court ( probably has a more modern title now) i.e. I was missold the car under the terms of the Trade Descriptions Act, and eventually got a cash refund from the seller. I thought this a fair solution. The refund was equivalent to the cost of a year's extended warranty.
I would add that I was dissatisfied with the seller for other reasons which made me take the stand that i did.
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Many thanks. I think maybe I should reject the car, as apart from problems with the warranty surely it will impact on any resale value when we come to trade it in? the timing kit came 3 or 4 months after the service. can't help thinking there might be some connection.
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My Octavia first service came up at 19,000 miles about 8 months after i had the car from new so no need to worry about mileage.
Our Shogun bought secondhand at 33,000 miles had no stamps in the book however Mitsubishi assured us that it had been serviced on the dot at 9000 miles but had missed a service at some point.
The car has now done 69,000 miles including a cambelt change with no ill effects.
We have had it serviced at 9000 miles as per the book and took out the extended warrenty. We have had a couple of minor warrenty claims but no problem in mitsubishi in agreeing to them.
Moral of story if garage is prepared to back up warrenty and agree to include this to extended warrenty you should be o.k.
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Thank you to everyone who replied. The mystery of the cam belt was explained by the service manager as something akin to a recall. Seems one of the top pulleys made a horrid noise on starting and Renault decided to change the pulley and cam belt for customer who complained. I haven't seen anything about this anywhere else though.
Still in discussion about the warranty. The warranties person said that being a main dealer there wouldn't be any problems.
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