are service records / vehicle history required when buying 2nd hand??

You're wise to be sceptical and factor that into the price you're prepared to pay but it isn't necessarily indicative of a bad history. As vehicles age some, like me, prefer to do the routine servicing themselves so the service record might be incomplete. However if there are no logbooks or handbooks at all that's sometimes an indicator of commercial/fleet use. Another sign to be wary of is when the underside has been recently sprayed with black resin(?).

I'd be asking them lots more questions such as: Is it a one-owner? Has it been used commercially? Has it been in any accidents? etc. If they can't answer and you don't know whether they have a good reputation, walk away.

Gee, a 96 Paj? I reckon any 17 year old car needs to be approached with caution, service records or not. There are things that could break the next pothole it hits that might have nothing to do with a service history. Independent inspection is probably essential at that age.

Cheers

Hi Keith,
as a general rule when buying second hand vehicle in the past, I generally don't worry about log books but I do make sure the vehicle that I am interested in has an RAC inspection and one that I pay for not the owner or the car yard. If the seller is not prepared for the vehicle to be inspected, I just walk away, following that, I get a Revs check on the vehicle, and also make sure the engine number tallies with the rego papers. By all means be cautious, it could save you getting burnt. I hope this is of some assistance to you. Being a 96 year vehicle I doubt If the previous owner would have the paper work, or know the full history of the vehicle as it is getting on in vehicle years. just my observation.

Keith,
here is a good technique that has worked well in the past.
if there is no service book, pass on the car.
where there is a service book, try to identify the last owner.
if all you have is a name - look their phone number up (you can do it there and then in the sales yard if you have a smart phone). some service books will have receipts and other useful phone details in them. dont let the rep know youve spoken to the owner.
ask the previous owner about the car, they have already traded the car in and are often only very helpful.
you need to find information like "i traded it in as the gearbox is stuffed"
then after you've test driven the car, raise suspicion about the condition of the gear box and ensure this is going to be covered in the warranty. make sure the gearbox cops a special mention in the paperwork.
after you have acquired the vehicle, get another opinion on the gearbox and if it all works out - return it to the dealer for the respective repairs.

try it out. you've got nothing to lose. you can even practice on a car you have no interest in buying.

Keith.
As customers we are groomed by the dealers to believe the service book is important.
It may be record of service history but is usually a record or religious book stamping rather than accurate records of what service the vehicle actually received.
The attitude of the motoring industry is to stamp the book no matter what as the the amount of service has is performed, that doesn't matter anywhere near as much.

A vehicle with full book record and "possibly" serviced as well, may have had a hard life/thrashed by the owner and was treated poorly.

It is how the kilometres are done not necessarily how many kilometres it has done.
A thrashed 50,000km vehicle may be much worse than a 80 to 100,000km vehicle driven properly but they both received identical services.

A competent vehicle condition assessment will reveal what you may not know/see or aren't in a position to judge for your self.

A friend of mine ran a motor wreckers and bought vehicles for resale too. He never took any notice of any books in the vehicle.
Are dealers honest? They fill in the books.
I have a record of a few vehicles in my area which have their books stamped by the dealer, only problem is most of those never had the diff's, transfercase, gearbox or tailshaft greased at the 10,000km despite the books showing it was all done by the book. Customer was charged for it all though.

Another issue is the quality of the lubricants used, dealers don't usually use the best available but a unfilled book owner often uses very good lubricants at appropriate times and love their vehicle.
Dealers require it to fail so as to sell new ones and/or keep the workshop busy because there is money to be made there, owners want it to keep going. Big difference there.

Don't judge a car by it's book contents. Peoples trust in dealerships is amazing but they sometimes have a Titanic failure.

Ross M

Keith when buying a vehicle of this age I MUCH prefer to buy private as you can talk to the owner . Dealers are expert in covering faults. Just make sure you get the checks done as well.I sold my 98 Jack privately a year ago, and the young bloke gives me and update every few months on how its going, and I am happy yto provide any info to him as well.
Log books are a guide only, and its not unusual for them to get bulk stamped, but if every entry is a diff pen,complete with smudge marks you will be pretty right.
Cheers Pete