What on Earth is Happening?

Let me explain my irritating predicament. I'm trying to buy a 'previously enjoyed' vehicle with a fully documented main dealer service history. This paperwork is important because (at least in theory) it proves the car has been properly maintained, validates the mileage, and suggests that any manufacturer recall work has been completed.

The definition of a 'full history' varies slightly according to the particular vehicle's requirements, but in general terms it means the car should have been serviced every 10,000 miles or twelve months - whichever is sooner. That's pretty straight forward stuff, so not much chance of 'professional traders' getting 'confused'.

Well, this week I enquired about ten cars all advertised with full service history. Guess how many actually had it? It's none, less than one, nothing, squat, zero out of ten. As you can imagine, this was more frustrating than a ten-foot sudoku puzzle. The moral of the story is to double-check everything the trader says and to walk away if it smells fishy. After all, there are numerous honest dealers out there - it's just sometimes hard to find them.

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