Faked service history

Hi,

so as many people might know as i have asked questions before about a previously bought automatic Ford Focus i got a few days ago but since then i have came across something disgraceful, i bought the car from Evans Halshaws which at time of sale on the phone sold me the warranty pack as well as telling me the car comes with free AA cover and that the car has a full service history and will be serviced before sale.

Still haven't received the V5 nor the warranty and AA paperwork and also service history but after looking around in the side door in the back i found a logbook with manuals and a service book, looking at the book the car has been serviced only at 10k, 20k, 25k then last service stamp is from Evans Halshaw the day i bought the car at 57k miles but when i got the car and checked the engine bay it was mucky clearly showing nothing had been unscrewed or taken out etc or checked and on top of this the fluid levels are all minimum or below minimum so clearly Evans Halshaw has falsely stamped the service book without even looking at the car and two local garages have confirmed this car has not been serviced i.e fluids are minimum and filters are old, i want to know where i stand on this? i have been told this is illegal but i'm not sure but surely i have some sort of stance agaisn't them? garages also pointed out the wiper blades are useless at clearing the screen and brake pads are worn very thin.

**Update

"You've got no proof that they haven't serviced it." suppose you didn't read half of it, upon them dropping it off and i say dropping it off i mean a man driving it 200 miles with no mask or gloves then not wiping anything but anyways so the car turned up and first thing i did was check the engine bay, "cant tell its not been serviced" don't suppose a service includes checking all fluids and changing filters? all fluids were minimum some even below minimum like oil and coolant, engine bay is dusty with no markings that would appear if someone actually worked on the engine looking at things and wipers didn't clear the screen effectively it just blurred vision, brakes were useless and needed replacing and on top of that had two independent garages confirm the car hasn't been serviced in months possibly even a year judging by fluid levels and filters, spoke to Evans Halshaw and gave them a video of the engine and garages opinions in writing and they've gave me £250 back and a free service near me so i got this sorted so thanks guys.

I'm sorry, but no, that's not conclusive evidence that it hasn't been serviced.

Did they claim it was a major service with additional service items included? No? Well gee...

To classify as a "service" all they need to do is change the oil and that keeps most average punters happy.

By your logic, my car hasn't been serviced in a year because my oil filter is dirty and I didn't bother to give the engine bay a spruce up... it was serviced a month ago

Do you just look for an argument or some ****? you can quite easily tell and prove if a car hasn't been serviced if they stamp it saying it was serviced with a given list of items checked and changed a day before they give it you then it turns up with all fluids minimum or below and filters that clearly have not been changed in ages and you can tell this by having eyes and something called common sense.

"Did they claim it was a major service with additional service items included?" Yes....full service and maintenance service or something fancy they call it which supposedly checks if the car is safe to drive which with brakes you have to stand on to come to a stop and wipers that don't clear a screen and needed binning shows they lied about that too.

"To classify as a "service" all they need to do is change the oil and that keeps most average punters happy." what service only includes a oil change? i'd call that more of a DIY job anyone can do at home never mind paying a garage for a "service" for just an oil change....every service especially from dealerships such as Evans Halshaws includes all fluids and filters which was never changed.

Anyways clearly Evans Halshaw know they lied or else they'd tell me to **** off rather than payout money and free services and mechanics can tell if a car has been serviced just from experience and if two independent garages confirm it hasn't i'm pretty sure i know who to believe.

So what, you dumped the oil just to check the filter? Makes so much sense?????

Brakes aren't a service item.

All filters aren't changed at a full service. There's specific intervals for most filters other than oil.

They gave you a goodwill payment. It is NOT admission of liability as you have NO evidence of any wrongdoing on their part.

It was very clear the car was not serviced from my own opinion and i do alot of jobs at home on cars so know abit about them and with no oil in the car its quite a clear giveaway....all fluids were minimum so if you got sent a car with coolant below minimum along with oil and brake fluid and also a dry window wash with not even a drip in you wouldn't be concerned they lied at all? just told you the service they give is not just oil only and even if it was THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR, when they service your car and change oil they obviously change the filters too...never said brakes were included in a service i said they ran a maintenance service along side a full service which checks the car is safe to drive so brakes, wipers and things like that.

Stamping service books and telling customers the car was serviced then retracting that and saying sorry and offering £250 and free services sounds more like an apology for being wrong if you ask me and i do have evidence they faked a full service on my car from calls stating what they were servicing along with a list of stuff and then a video + two independent garages opinions on the car that shows the car was not serviced like they claimed.

Why am i even carrying on at this point, got what i wanted so all good.

Naming and shaming companies is fine in my books... as long as evidence is presented. You've presented none as you have none. I'm quite certain this is potentially libelous.

No oil in the car? 200 mile journey? Nope. That's nonsense. It would seize up after the 5th mile and that's being extremely conservative.

Oh right you want me to upload a video of my car and two written opinions by garages here? makes sense, i sent all my evidence to Evans Halshaw you know the actual place it needs to be sent to and you literally took that as in the oil was dry and literally none obviously there was some but way below minimum like i have been saying 66 times now, you literally just look for arguments for sake of it like i cant see how at this point you still see no wrong doing and shrug it off...its like me selling you a car saying its red and turns up blue but you're too scared to even say anything.

I got a free service and £250 now my car is fine and thats all i care about i just wanted to know how i would go about doing something to get to this stage and followed what people suggested and it paid off..sorta like the point in the forum.

Thanks StriderHort & virgil1

No, you said, and I quote, "THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR"... yes, even with the caps!

You should not slander a business without evidence. Simples.

Man are you that bored or some ****? slander? oh right because everyone else who comes on here for advice provides proof to nobodies? pretty sure people come on here for advice and help and don't come on presenting evidence like its a legal case or some ****, when the oil is so low below minimum you might as well class it as none but yes was a little but way below the recommended levels which is my whole point and to top it off when i took the car back to them they confirmed it themselves that the work was not carried out and said sorry, so much for not being able to tell.

i asked a question which got answered = the point in the forum so thanks.

I mean, you've basically stated that an entire chain of dealerships is doing dodgy services. You didn't even bother to state the specific dealership.

Without any evidence, it's untrustworthy information.

Below minimum is not "none" - odds are there's still 4 litres in the sump...

Nevertheless, if this vehicle was as bad as you claim, I do wonder why you haven't rejected it?

I mean they like to claim and call everything "Evans Halshaw Standards" and talk to you as the company in general not an individual dealership (impression i got from the phone anyways) and my car actually went through a few different dealerships before getting to my local one and with very basic paperwork and communication its been hard to track which dealership is actually responsible for the service issues as it could of been the main dealership who serviced then sent to my local dealership or vice versa, i don't really care who believes me lol thats not the point in asking a question as i didn't come on trying to get the users of SR to believe me and write me up a legal case, i simply wanted to know where i stood and what people would do in my situation.

You really cant get over this oil thing can you? the point is if the oil is below minimum its still not right is it? oh the odds are there is still 4 litres left thats alright then silly me for mentioning it when my car has apparently been serviced and topped up, my bad, next time i pay for a service and car comes back with no fluids topped up i'll just say thank you and ignore it.

" I do wonder why you haven't rejected it?" why do you think i was offered some money back and a free service along with an apology? soon as i seen the low fluids and worn pads i obviously phoned to send the car back but if they were willing to correct it then i didn't mind keeping it as the car is nice and now they've corrected the car i love driving it.

Anyways they apologised and corrected the issue so i cant fault them now, thanks again to the people who actually gave me advice on what to do