Service history
A full service history adds value. A gap in it should make you ask why.
Service stamps tell you whether a car was maintained on schedule, who did the work, and whether anything expensive was flagged along the way. Gaps don’t always mean neglect — but they mean you’re trusting the seller’s word instead of verifiable records.
38%
of used cars have incomplete records
£2,400
avg. value penalty for missing history
12 mo
max recommended service interval
Why it matters
A car with verifiable service history is worth more, insures for less, and is cheaper to maintain — because you know what’s been done and when. Without it, every component is a question mark. Was the timing belt changed? Were the recalls done? You don’t know.
What to look for
Stamps that skip years. Garages that no longer exist. Mileage at service that doesn’t track the MOT history. Digital service records that were added retrospectively. Main dealer stamps that switch to independents mid-way through the warranty period.
How we check it
We pull available digital service records from manufacturer portals and cross-reference them against the MOT history timeline. Where records are available, we present them in order with mileage, date, and servicing garage. Where they’re missing, we tell you what’s absent.