Dealer lost my service book!

keith

Member
Messages
638
I would be interested in opinions on the following.
I took my DS3 to my local Stellantis dealer for its annual service today. When I collected the car I was told the service book was stamped and left in the car. I drove away and after 10 minutes I thought where did they ,eave the book. It was nowhere to be found in the car, so I returned to the dealer, who can't understand where its gone, possibly the valeters have put it somewhere and they will ask them tomorrow. My hunch and the service advisor sort of agreed, is that the cretins have taken it out of the car when they were clearing and now lost it.
For background I bought the car new in 2018 from a dealer in Portsmouth, and its first year service was from a dealer in Chalfoht in Bucks, from then on it was serviced by Robins and Day Edgware and then Chiswick, now under the Stellantis name.
It would from investigating with the now Hyundai dealer in Portsmouth and they could put the initial stamp in, and same with the place in Chalfont, whilst the subsequent records would be easier to reproduce given its all the same group.
However my point is, given how important service history's are, even down to a replacement Service Book matching the existing handbook, what I should be asking them for in terms of compensation. The service advisor did say he could upon arrival of a duplicate send a driver down to Portsmouth for the stamp and presumably the same for Chalfont, but I always sell my cars as pristine, and if the subsequent book is not quite right it could have an adverse impact on a prospective buyer.
You could argue that if they are willing to replace it, I should be satisfied, but I'm not sure...
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,961
I would be interested in opinions on the following.
I took my DS3 to my local Stellantis dealer for its annual service today. When I collected the car I was told the service book was stamped and left in the car. I drove away and after 10 minutes I thought where did they ,eave the book. It was nowhere to be found in the car, so I returned to the dealer, who can't understand where its gone, possibly the valeters have put it somewhere and they will ask them tomorrow. My hunch and the service advisor sort of agreed, is that the cretins have taken it out of the car when they were clearing and now lost it.
For background I bought the car new in 2018 from a dealer in Portsmouth, and its first year service was from a dealer in Chalfoht in Bucks, from then on it was serviced by Robins and Day Edgware and then Chiswick, now under the Stellantis name.
It would from investigating with the now Hyundai dealer in Portsmouth and they could put the initial stamp in, and same with the place in Chalfont, whilst the subsequent records would be easier to reproduce given its all the same group.
However my point is, given how important service history's are, even down to a replacement Service Book matching the existing handbook, what I should be asking them for in terms of compensation. The service advisor did say he could upon arrival of a duplicate send a driver down to Portsmouth for the stamp and presumably the same for Chalfont, but I always sell my cars as pristine, and if the subsequent book is not quite right it could have an adverse impact on a prospective buyer.
You could argue that if they are willing to replace it, I should be satisfied, but I'm not sure...

Possibly the valeters put it in the wrong car. If they dont turn it up tomorrow i would get them to check with the owners of the other cars that were in that day.
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,794
Sounds like they're doing all they can if they're sending drivers to get a duplicate book stamped, presumably you still have the invoices to back up the stamps so still have a service history without the book

I don't see how compensation comes into it, people make mistakes, it's how they're handled that matters
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,945
Hopefully it will turn up but given the way dealers and people in general treat paperwork these days it might be gone. No one seems to take care of this sort of stuff and with people interpreting GDPR legislation in correctly often paperwork is removed and destroyed rather than passing on to the next owner a real shame. I always love to see a big wad of past MOTs, Service records and invoices
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,812
Lots of new cars don’t even have service books, such as my Rangie, Alpine and Audi. It’s just on record at the dealerships (which they can print out if you so wish). Plus of course, you sound like the sort of chap (like me) that would keep the invoices anyway. So overall, while arguably annoying, it is technically irrelevant.
But if they have lost it, I’m sure they would replace it and have it stamped up correctly retrospectively if you felt it necessary.
All the same, fingers crossed it turns up today anyway, to save the hassle of producing a copy/replacement.
 
Last edited:

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,565
Lots of new cars don’t even have service books, such as my Rangie, Alpine and Audi. It’s just on record at the dealerships (which they can print out if you so wish). Plus of course, you sound like the sort of chap (like me) that would keep the invoices anyway. So overall, while arguably annoyingly, it is technically irrelevant.
But if they have lost it, I’m sure they would replace it and have it stamped up correctly retrospectively if you felt it necessary.
All the same, fingers crossed it turns up today anyway, to save the hassle of producing a copy/replacement.
Agreed Ewan, least at the very minimum they will bare the cost of said replacement , cost me £200 to get a new Service book from Bentley and copies of the online service records and recalls ........robbing buuggers
 

keith

Member
Messages
638
Agreed Ewan, least at the very minimum they will bare the cost of said replacement , cost me £200 to get a new Service book from Bentley and copies of the online service records and recalls ........robbing buuggers
Shocking! How did the original get lost?
I’ve spoken to the dealer and as I suspected they’ve lost the book.
Now of course the hassle of nagging to get a new book and have it stamped and the history recreated.
Whilst the service manager has offered to do this, I think it’s a fair assumption that in several months time I will still be waiting!!
Being proactive, I located an almost identical duplicate from eBay (20 quid), which I’ve purchased.
I could of course give it to them to do the legwork of going to Portsmouth- the selling dealer for their stamp, and then Chalfont St Giles -first service, for their stamp (fortunately as already said by Ewan, I am someone who keeps invoices, as they no longer have my records on their system). Then it’s all Robins and Day/Stellantis Edgware and Chiswick for which hopefully Chiswick can’t c**k up!!
But as the service manager said to me this morning, it’s impossible to completely replicate the original, and he would provide a letter explaining the reason for the new book.
Of course this can still raise concerns in the mind of a future buyer, but how do you quantify this…Hence my original post…
 

ScottH

Member
Messages
219
I think a few of us have said the stamps themselves are quite meaningless, the invoices for the actual work tell you much more. Would you be bothered buying the car at x years old? Other than the ‘set’ being incomplete.
 

JMS

Member
Messages
264
The invoices will satisfy all but the most an al future buyer. Combined with the covering letter from your current dealer you’ll be fine.

You’ve just reminded me of when I had to sell my Corrado that had had replacement Speedo/odometer display that read the wrong mileage. It wasn’t a problem- most private buyers judge the seller as much as the car.

Hope the book turns up for you anyway.