The car service record itself typically includes details such as the date and type of service, parts replaced, and any other relevant information. If you’ve ever had any type of servicing done on your car, it’s important to ask the garage for an itemised receipt that documents all of the work that has been carried out. This includes details such as the date and mileage of the service, the type of work performed, who carried it out, and any parts that were replaced. Ideally, a car will have been issued with a service book in which the garage performing each service will log the vehicle mileage, detail the completed work and authenticate the information with a stamp.

While regular car servicing isn't a legal requirement, it can prevent breakdowns and prolong the life of your vehicle.Figures are shown as a range under WLTP testing measures. The lowest figures refer to the most economical/lightest set of options. The highest figures refer to the least economical/heaviest set of options. We are authorised and regulated for credit-broking activities by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”). We are not a lender. Our FCA Firm Reference Number(s) are 689220, 688824, 688878, 688893 respectively. If some of the car's service history is missing, then fret not. You may be able to recover it. If the vehicle was maintained by a franchised dealer, your local showroom should be able to produce all of the documentation relating to the car's maintenance. However, older vehicles are less likely to have records stored online, so keep this in mind. A car without regular servicing is more likely to go wrong than one with. Imagine it a bit like your teeth — regular brushing will help prevent decay, but going without will be more likely to cause pain down the road.

Finding the service history of your car can be a bit of a minefield, particularly if you don’t know who the previous owners were or which repair centre they took the car to. If you’ve got access to the service book, it might be an idea to call the garages where work has been done to find out more about the history of the car. Simply put, this is the yearly list of what work has been carried out on a vehicle by a mechanic – including servicing, maintenance, or repairs.You may have to refer to the digital records of the work carried out on your car instead, which you can find online. It’s designed to keep the car running in tip top condition, doesn’t break down unexpectedly and ensure it’s safe and fit for the road. When the time comes to sell the car on, buyers like to see clear evidence that it has been serviced to this schedule.It’s often referred to as FSH or full service history in the trade.

If you have used a franchised dealership or national garage, then they will likely keep digital and paper records of the work carried out on their vehicles.Once you have recovered your service history, you must make sure you update it every time you book a car service. Staying on top of regular maintenance and servicing is vitally important to the long term health of your vehicle. The history can come in three forms. There’s the traditional method, which is where the garage that performed the work stamps the vehicle’s service book and records the mileage and tasks performed during the service. This book is typically kept together with the car’s handbook and various warranty documents, more often than not languishing in the glove box. The majority of vendors, both trade and private, should be aware that you can request to see the service history logs. Trade vendors are required by law to provide you with an essential service history disclosure. Impact of missing or falsified service history records