Clarkie172

My mate has just called me. He has a 55 Plate STI (Constantly winding me up saying his is newer! ) but he bought it off a dealer who imported it. He was promised it had full history but somehow the book has been lost between the origional seller and the garage. Where can he get a new one? Subaru? Ebay? Can Subaru not just look on computer and re-stamp a new one for him? He is only on just over 10k I think ( grrrrrrrrrr 2k less than me)

Anyone help?

s70rjw

iTrader: (2)

Saw one go n Ebay for £47. Don't knowhow much Subaru charge. Doubt Subaru will stamp one retrospectively

Clarkie172

nah I dont think they would but he seems to think they might as its supposidly full subaru service history! £47 that seems steep?

JimmyBFC

My mate was in same dilemma, if he takes the V5 down to a dealer, they will order a service book/log book pack, everything you get with a new car...for around £20 according to Monty's at Sheffield anyway.

Btw, they obviosuly won't do this for an import.

Otherwise, like mantioned above, scour ebay and be willing to pay a lot, as remember, all the laddo's with imports are after them.

Clarkie172

do imports not come with them from new?

JimmyBFC

They told me on the phone, and I quote;

"we need the V5 to prove its a UK car, because we get ppl who've imported them trying to pass them off as UK cars"

Obviously some older import will have no service history at all, so to make it look a bit more appealing when selling, some fellas will want the service book to make their own history etc.

To sum up, what im thinking is that they will only give or order the books for genuine UK cars, I think with hindsight, he can either try a dealer and see what they say, or maybe ebay will be best best

JimmyBFC

What type of dealer was it from mate? He might be leading your mate a merry dance tbh.

Clarkie172

toyota in Donnington mate he said

tim's wrx

If this is a European import then any replacement service / warranty booklet will have to come from the originating Subaru distributor/dealer. Most seem to come from Malta / Cyprus so he will need to get in touch with them. Also need to find out which garage did the servicing to see if they have any records without which I doubt they would stamp the book. I would also be getting Toyota Donnington to pay some sort of compensation if they have gone back on their word..........

Clarkie172

he has modified it now and had it a while, what do tou think he could get out of them? what could you try and do? will it not screw up him trying to sell it? He had it serviced recently and got that??????

JimmyBFC

If he's got paper work to prove HE'S had it serviced he should be fine, I know just having the book and stamps wouldn't particuarly put me off if he had proof he'd had it done with invoices to prove etc. Most ppl will accept that imports won't have a service book when buying tbh, if he keeps all receipts for everythign he's had done etc, then it shouldn't affect selling it too much, depends how fussy the potential buyer is, invoices prove its been serviced and looked after, stamps in books...whilst good, are just stamps.

renny

iTrader: (2)

Not strictly true.

I had a Rover 220 Coupe turbo import that had 9k miles on the clock when i bought it but had no history for the miles before purchase.

Went to trade it in 3 years later and a trader who specialises in buying imports offered me £1k less because of the lack of service history.

I did get what i wanted in the end from someone else but it's just worth bearing in mind.Also,the OP's mate should have chased this up at the time of buying and not let up until he'd got one.

JimmyBFC

I did state it wouldn't particuarly put me off, in those exact words. If selling to a stealer then yes, they will look to offer less money for anything, as will a run of the mill private sale, but then again, everyone tries ot on when buying a car. I must say I have to agree with your last statement/paragraph though, it should ahve been raised (the issue) there and then.