Should I be worried about buying a used car with a partial service history?

I have put down a deposit on a Hyundai i10 with 34,303 miles on the clock. The MoT history shows no fails and two minor advisories from years ago - other than that it's a clean sheet. However, from 2021 the car has no proof of servicing (lines up with when new owner, an older lady, took on the car). That means it has gone 3.5 years or 20,000 miles without proof of servicing. Have had a test drive and there's no weird sounds, feels good to drive, and is immaculately kept apart from the wheel caps that the seller is going to replace. Was feeling anxious about the lack of service history so got my mechanic cousin to have a look and he believes it's a great wee car, but noticed thinning brake pads that the seller has agreed to replace. My cousin also said that if I am worried about the service history I can give it an engine flush after 5k miles for peace of mine? Despite all this I'm still very anxious about the gap in service history. I am naturally a very cautious person so I am looking for someone to tell me whether I am overreacting and should buy the car or if I am right to consider moving on.
Service history is no guarantee that a car will be reliable, but it does increase the likelihood that it will be reliable. Buying any used car carries a degree of risk, and it is up to the buyer to try and mitigate that risk by considering service history, condition, vehicle history and so on. Ultimately if you are not happy purchasing the car because of the service history gap then it is better to walk away.
Answered by David Ross on

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