RS4 B7 Saloon Low Mileage Avus Silver

[Ian_C]

They're the prestige car dealer I bought it from. The did an oil change which is why I recorded it for information. It didn't need one since they'd been advised as had I, that Nottingham Audi dealer had conducted a major service as part of their Multi Point Check prep work for sale as an Approved Used Car.
If you class a full Audi Service History as only ever being serviced by Audi then you're right. My point was that the car had done all of its 'main' services at Audi. It's the same with my other cars in the past, I book the car in for a service at the dealer when it's due per the maintenance record and I take it for an oil service to my trusted independent in between that (i.e. every other 6ooo miles).

Sounds like the trader telling porkies to get the sale. If indeed Audi had serviced it, why on earth would the trader throw away the oil after 100 miles?!

DEFINITELY call Audi in the morning! Their computer will not lie! Double check it wasn't wearing a private plate before you ring them

(I always booked services under the original VRN when my car was plated, and left the original number plate on the dashboard in the windscreen when I dropped the car down for service, however the last service I had at Audi they printed the service invoice under the private plate the car was wearing at the time)

[Loko]

Thanks for taking the time to provide some advice.

According to my HPI check the car has been on the same plates since 2010 (the first owner had private plates on it until then); but I do know what you mean about the private plates being able to throw the search. I always do a HPI before buying a car for that very reason, that way when I call the dealer to verify the service history they can check for the right reg. It's a good idea to have the invoice done with the original DVLA reg though, I'll remember to do that in the future (haven't had any private plates to date though!) that's good advice thanks.

The lady at my local Audi garage was very helpful this afternoon and dug out all the details. I did then call Audi Nottingham and the chap couldn't say 100% for sure but he thought it would very likely had been prepped. Nevertheless, the car is in fantastic condition so I'll do the service to avoid doubt. I would be doing an oil service anyway as it's been 6k miles since the last one so for a little more I'll just do the major and that way the buyer can be happy it's all up to date. Audi Derby actually quoted me a very competitive price so I'm having it done all ready for the next owner to enjoy. The master tech does a good job on my A3 daily driver so I'm happy to have it done there.

[Surrey Sam]

Sounds like the trader telling porkies to get the sale. If indeed Audi had serviced it, why on earth would the trader throw away the oil after 100 miles?!

This ^

Audi's Approved Used Check is not a service, it's only a 145 point vehicle check. If this brings to light any additional work required then it would be booked into the workshop under another job card/reference and then recorded on Audi's system. The sales department will have needed to give the workshop a green light to carry out this additional work, as they will be billed by the workshop department, at an agreed internal rate.

My guess at what has most likely happened here is: The car was traded into an Audi dealership who took the vehicle into stock giving it an AUC to ensure that its forecourt material. They'd advertise it for a while and if a buyer was found, would then carry out the service and any other work agreed in the sale. Here, no buyer was found and the car then ousted to the trade, where upon you picked it up a while later.

Assuming this 3rd party trader actually carried out a service, your car appears to have a gap of 30 months between services which is well beyond the recommended intervals and the later one being a non Audi dealership.

As I mentioned originally, it would be pertinent to change the claim of Full Audi Service History to something like Service History. People can then make their own mind up.

For you information, here is an Audi Approved Used Check sheet/s carried out on my own car a few weeks ago:

click on picture for full resolution

[Ian_C]

Nicely put Sam.

My guess at what has most likely happened here is: The car was traded into an Audi dealership who took the vehicle into stock giving it an AUC to ensure that its forecourt material. They'd advertise it for a while and if a buyer was found, would then carry out the service and any other work agreed in the sale. Here, no buyer was found and the car then ousted to the trade, where upon you picked it up a while later.

Another possibility is that whilst the Audi dealer accepted the car as px, the fact it hadn't been serviced for over two years meant they were unable to retail it / put a years Audi approved warranty on it, hence they sent it to auction / sold it to trade

[Surrey Sam]

Hadn't thought about the warranty/service aspect. Your train of thought sounds more likely

[Loko]

Thanks for the input. I called in to my local dealer and booked it in today for a major. When I was explaining it all to the chap that served me he looked it up and generated a Service History Certificate and kindly printed it and scanned it in for me. It does only say used car MPC on it at 40,041 but he did say that it could mean various things and not necessarily that is was serviced. The chap @ Nottingham Audi I spoke to when I bought the car told me a different story, so lesson learnt. My local dealer today did point out today that it had also had a minor at Liverpool Audi on 29th August 2013 at 38,217, which is recorded on the Service History Certificate on Audi's national system. I called Liverpool and they confirmed it was on their local system. They said I can send the service book in to get it stamped but I don't know if I'd want to risk it getting lost in the post.
I have amended the ad to point out the last service was done at an independent. So once this major is done in a few days it will have had 6 services at Audi and a 7th at the independent I bought it at.

[Ian_C]

Definitely worth getting paper proof of that August 2013 service! Maybe ask for a copy of the invoice? Or send the service book recorded delivery if June 2012 is the last Audi stamp on the book

[Surrey Sam]

Nice result and fills the gap in, which will certainly help towards allaying any concerns. Well done. It's just a shame that the independent trader didn't do this before you purchased the car, it's not rocket science phoning up Audi to confirm the service history & specification of a car.

Buyers are generally lazy and just want to pay you the money and then enjoy the car. If there is too much work involved for them getting your car the way they want, they'll just find an excuse and move on to find another car. I'd personally get the service book sent in after taking photographs of all the service stamps as a precautionary belt & braces measure. First speak to Liverpool Audi and get a person/contact name whom you can send the service book to - make sure they're aware of what you want and explain my next point to them as well. Go to the Post Office and explain that you wish to send a self-addressed 'pre-paid' special delivery envelope, for the return of your document which is being sent to the dealership.

From memory, unless things have changed. They will provide a serialised 'pre-paid' envelope which you self-address and pop inside the main envelope, along with your service history booklet. Probably worth typing out a cover letter too, again explaining what you require and include that inside. Seal, pay for both ways of postage and send. Then await the return of stamped booklet.

[Loko]

Yes, I often wonder why the dealers don't go to the extra little trouble of dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

Thanks a lot for the advise Surrey Sam, I understand/agree with your point regarding buyers just wanting to go out and enjoy the car. I am a bit paranoid about losing the service book since it is the original one with the car as it has the build Sticker on the inside page (the one that makes you feel warm and fuzzy the book is genuine). I'll pop down to the post office and sort something out.

[Loko]

SOLD.