2016 Audi A5 - No service history/logbook. Should I pay for an Audi service or use an independent garage?
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice as I’m a bit unsure what the best thing to do is.
About a month ago I bought a 2016 Audi A5 from a dealer/garage. The car itself is great - it drives well, looks in excellent condition, has no accident history (not Cat S/N etc.), and I felt it was very fairly priced.
The only issue is the service history.
When I bought it, the dealer said they couldn’t find the service logbook at the time but would send it to me once they found it. They’ve since told me they don’t actually have it and won’t be able to provide it.
They’ve also told me they service every car before selling it. However, my dashboard is still showing that a service is due, which has made me question whether it was actually serviced, or whether they simply didn’t reset the service indicator. Either way, it’s made me lose a bit of confidence.
Because I have no service history, I’m planning to get it serviced anyway so I know exactly where I stand.
My questions are:
Would you take it to an Audi main dealer, or would you use a good independent garage with strong reviews?
Audi have quoted me around £220 for an oil service, or around £550 for an oil service plus inspection/service (including things like the pollen filter). Is the £550 option worth doing as a “baseline” given I have no known service history, or is that unnecessary?
Alternatively, I’ve been quoted around £120 by a reputable independent garage for a full service. Would that be a perfectly sensible option instead?
Finally, how do I replace the missing service logbook? Can I just buy a blank service book, or is there an official way to get a replacement? Can Audi recover any of the previous service history if it was serviced within their network?
I’m fairly new to owning an Audi, so I’d really appreciate any advice on what you’d do in my position.
Thanks!
TL;DR: Bought a 2016 Audi A5 from a dealer a month ago. They promised the service logbook but later admitted they don’t have it. They also said they’d serviced the car before sale, but the dashboard still says a service is due, so I’m not sure I trust that it was actually done. I’m planning to get it serviced anyway and want advice on whether to use an Audi main dealer or a reputable independent garage, whether a £550 full inspection/service is worth it as a fresh baseline?