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Will a delayed service during the pandemic affect my car's resale value?

I purchased a second-hand Volvo S90 in January 2021 from a dealership under the Volvo Selekt scheme and am very happy with the car. However, I examined the service handbook today and realised that the car does not appear to have a full service history.

The car was purchased by the original owner on 28 March 2018 and had its first service early, on 19 February 2019. According to the service handbook, the next service is always due one year or 18,000 miles after the previous one, even if the previous one was early. This would make the second service due on 19 February 2020, which it also says in the service handbook underneath the stamp for the first service. However, the second service was not performed until 29 October 2020.

I have enquired with the dealership where I bought the car seven months ago and the salesman insists that the delay was due to the national lockdown and that the car still has a full service history.

Am I right in thinking that the car does not have a full service history? And if yes, what should I do next, given that the salesman at the dealership denies the problem?

Asked on 1 September 2021 by JJ

Answered by Andrew Brady
There will have been lots of missed or delayed services in 2020. I agree that there should have been time to get this car serviced ahead of the national lockdown, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. No damage will have been done in that time period (assuming it hasn't covered a lot of miles in that time) and, provided you stick to the servicing schedule from now on, it's unlikely to affect the resale value of the car.
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