HORRIBLE HISTORIES

Mike Humble questioning the value of many vehicles’ full service histories (In My Humble

Opinion, August 2019) has highlighted something that troubles me. I tend to buy low-milers with a FSH from established dealers, then do a car check on the internet before parting with the readies. Nevertheless, I’ve come across sump plugs that won’t come out, oil filters that won’t move, spark plugs that are welded in place, coil packs that have obviously never been examined, non-working EGRS in places where they can’t be got at, pollen filters that are growing stuff inside and easilyaccessible air filters that have never been changed or have broken plastic clips that haven’t been fixed. When I checked the tyre pressure on my latest purchase, one wheel was about 10psi and the rest not much better, and no amount of reinflating would make them hold their pressures – yet the car had a fresh service stamp and MOT from a main dealer.

One of my former colleagues used to put a paint mark on things like filters and spark plugs, then confront the check-in desk if he discovered they hadn’t been changed!