When buying a car, we’re often told to look for a full-service history, as this shows that the car has been serviced on a regular basis. But when it comes to scrapping your car, could its service history have an impact on its value here too?
What is a service? What is a full-service history?
Unlike an MOT, a service is not mandatory to keep your car on the road, but it is a part of a vehicle’s maintenance schedule as recommended by manufacturers.
Servicing your vehicle on a regular basis can actually improve the lifespan of the vehicle and prevent breakdowns. When a service takes place, a qualified mechanic will check different parts of your vehicle and change oil and fluids to meet the requirements of the manufacturer.
Every car has a service history – this is essentially a collection of evidence that shows all of the times the car has been serviced and maintained. The reason a full-service history is seen to be positive is because it is reassuring evidence that the car has been well treated, and it can also give a clearer picture on the car’s current condition.
Why it’s important to service your car
When it comes to selling your car, a full-service history provides the buyers with proof that the car is in a good condition. If you don’t have a full-service history, suspicions about the state of car may arise and this could decrease its value if you can’t prove that the car has been maintained to the manufacturer’s standards.
If you want to scrap your car and get the maximum value, make sure you can provide a full documented service history.
If you have not had your car serviced at key intervals, but you have still had it serviced at some point and have the documentation to prove it, this is called a part-service history. Some cars may also have no service history. This is when a vehicle has either not had a service or the historical service documents have been misplaced or lost – either way, no records exist to prove any services have been carried out.
How can I find out my car’s service history?
Service records can take the form of stamps in a service book, service invoices or even a digital service history. Before selling your car, you should obtain these documents either online or in physical form to provide as evidence of its condition.
If you’re thinking of scrapping your car, you can simply enter your registration and post code into our Scrap Car Comparison calculator to compare prices and get the best value for your car. All of the quotes you receive are guaranteed, as long as the information provided is accurate and the vehicle has been described correctly.
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