Should I buy a car without a full service history?

I am considering buying a Kia Sportage from a main dealer with 30,539 miles on the clock. It was first registered in February 2017 with a 66 plate and is priced at £16,750. It has one registered owner. My concern is the car only has year three and four service history, with years one and two missing. The dealer cannot find the record either. What are the potential pitfalls in proceeding? Should I use it to negotiate a better price?

A patchy service history can be very serious. Not only could this void the seven-year Kia warranty but the car may have also suffered undue wear and tear due to the fact the owner has skipped vital maintenance tasks, like an oil and filter change.

I'd expect the dealer to find the missing service history or offer the car at a much-reduced price (at least a 20 per cent discount) to reflect the fact it has no manufacturer warranty.

Answered by Dan Powell on 9 May 2022

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