Warranty still valid? - Bought 2022 ZS EV with no proof of first service

[tiagoespinha]

Hi everyone!

Coming here hoping to get some opinions from others based on their experience with using MG's warranty.

Earlier this week I bought a second-hand 2022 ZS EV from a mains MG dealer. When I first saw and test drove the car, the salesman guaranteed that the vehicle had full service history. I trusted this at face value and (perhaps foolishly) didn't ask to see proof...

The handover day comes and they didn't send any proof of servicing at all with the vehicle. I chase them up on this and suddenly they can only find proof of the latest service (done in Dec. 2024) but not from the one it should have done in Dec 2023 (since it was registered in Dec 2022).

My worry is purely about warranty. The MG ZS EV has a generous 7 year warranty, but it's very clearly stated in the terms and conditions that the warranty is conditional on having full service history. This is reiterated under the conditions for the "extended warranty" between years 4 and 7.

The wording leaves no room for interpretation:

MG Warranty conditions require that:  
(...)
- Each main service is carried out within 1000 miles / 1609 kilometers or 28 days of the recommended mileage interval or service anniversary date as shown on the Service Interval Plan (within the service portfolio) and that the appropriate service record page is stamped and endorsed by the servicing agent. Whilst the warranty will not be invalidated if a non-authorised repairer carries out this work, Warranty faults resulting from work carried out by a non-authorised repairer may not be covered under the MG Warranty.

- Note: To qualify for the MGZS 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th year warranty, the vehicle must have a full and accurate service history, in line with MG Motor UK’s recommended servicing plan, using genuine parts and fluids to the correct specifications.

Now the salesman is claiming they have an internal document from MG that they're (conveniently) not allowed to share with customers claiming that MG has instructed them to honor warranty on any vehicle registered since 2021 regardless of service history.

The salesman is trying to get approval from his manager to share this with me but this sounded a little too fishy and I therefore decided to give a couple of other main MG dealerships a ring. Neither acknowledged the existence of such document, and both stated that the vehicle in principle needs full service history to be repaired under warranty. On top of that, both dealerships checked the car in the MG digital service record system, and it turns out this car has had no services registered at all in the system. They did mention that it doesn't mean that the car wasn't serviced but that in principle, mains dealers should have registered the service in that database.

Now what's been people's experience here with getting their car serviced? Have you had any issues exercising your warranty? Has MG ever explicitly asked for proof of servicing? (Although I'm conscious that if services are all recorded in the system, MG would be able to track that and might not necessarily ask, just look the car up...)

Do you reckon the warranty on the car is basically as good as non-existent? Particularly on years 4 to 7?

The kicker here is that the dealership offers a 14 day money back guarantee and I still have over a week to go... Currently I'm inclined to just return the vehicle and get another one with proper full service history and potentially avoid a whole host of trouble in the future... but conscious that this is also a whole lot of hassle because I part exchanged my old vehicle, and I'll need to quickly scramble to buy another one since I need the car...

I'm thinking about also giving the MG customer service a ring and getting their take on it... it's worth for what it is because even if they give me some verbal assurance that the car's warranty isn't void, it'd be worth very little should I actually need to use the warranty later on.

Any thoughts and experiences much appreciated

 

[peterseddon]

You don't get a record of service with the car, it's all held digitally by MG, any MG dealer should be able to see that it has been serviced or not.

 

[tiagoespinha]

You don't get a record of service with the car, it's all held digitally by MG, any MG dealer should be able to see that it has been serviced or not.

Ah, I should have mentioned, my local dealerships looked the car up in the MG digital system and nothing has been logged there.

The dealership where I bought it from does have a paper worksheet of the service done last month though. I suspect they just didn't log it in the system... which isn't ideal, but not a deal breaker I think...

 

[Peterboat]

I tried to find out if my car was serviced with no success at all! Apparently they only know if their dealership has serviced the car, so if that's correct I have no idea if I have a warranty or not. The issue for them is block exemption anyone can service a car and it counts, but of course anyone can't update the system can they?

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Get them to honour the full warranty in writing in 48 hours or threaten to hand the vehicle back.
Then hand it back if they fail to deliver.

You'll have to start all over again but at least you will have peace of mind.

 

[tiagoespinha]

Get them to honour the full warranty in writing in 48 hours or threaten to hand the vehicle back.
Then hand it back if they fail to deliver.

You'll have to start all over again but at least you will have peace of mind.

I've thought about something to this effect, but what would be reasonable here?

Surely just the salesman signing such a statement puts me in a fairly weak position. What if they leave the business? The company could still refuse to honour and claim that their employee had no right to offer this...

And how far up should I then ask the document to be signed by? His manager? The branch's manager...?

I've basically told them now that I want to return the vehicle and am waiting for their response... Shame, because I actually really like the car, but my plan is to bite the bullet, dish out an extra 5k or so and get a brand new one, and avoid all this hassle...

 

[Gadget Geek]

So the dealership you are buying from serviced the vehicle in December? Does the worksheet have the name of the dealership on it? If so then that is your proof that it was serviced on time.

 

[tiagoespinha]

So the dealership you are buying from serviced the vehicle in December? Does the worksheet have the name of the dealership on it? If so then that is your proof that it was serviced on time.

It doesn't unfortunately... And that's only from December 2024, they don't have one from December 2023 when the car should have done its first service...

 

[Everest]

Get them to honour the full warranty in writing in 48 hours or threaten to hand the vehicle back.
Then hand it back if they fail to deliver.

This ^^^^

Surely just the salesman signing such a statement puts me in a fairly weak position.

I'm not a lawyer, but I believe an employee acting on behalf of a business would commit the business, but probably more hassle than it is worth if it became a legal wrangle in the future. Dealerships are not large corporations - it would make sense to insist on the manager of the dealership to sign the document if you go down that route.

However, does that commit just the dealership or MG to future warranty claims? If only the dealership, they may not exist in 4 year's time. Then what happens?

Very interesting thread for me, as I'm still looking to buy. Only yesterday I posted this thought on servicing and warranty situation..

Tusker leasing and software updates

I'm currently on software R40 in a 24 plate, but which was probably built late 2023. I'd like the ACC improved as it is useless, as are the automatic headlights and traffic sign recognition. Other randomly occurring software niggles abound: bluetooth disconnections, carplay icon greying out even...

www.mgevs.com

 

[tiagoespinha]

Very interesting thread for me, as I'm still looking to buy. Only yesterday I posted this thought on servicing and warranty situation..

My lesson learned here was, ask to see proof of the service history before paying. Don't trust salesmen words.

One of my local dealerships was kind enough to look up this vehicle in the system, but realistically based on everything I've heard so far from different dealerships is that it doesn't matter all that much whether it's submitted into the digital service record as long as you have paper records of the services...

 

[Alb]

You've already had a breakdown of trust.
I'd return the car.

 

[tiagoespinha]

You've already had a breakdown of trust.
I'd return the car.

Yeah I've already laid this out to them this morning explaining I want to return it.

Sad times.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[Everest]

Did the dealership express any mention of the 7 year warranty, even verbally, when you were initially looking at the car?

 

[tiagoespinha]

Did the dealership express any mention of the 7 year warranty, even verbally, when you were initially looking at the car?

Don't think they did... the only thing I did ask about was the full service history and the salesman said the car did have full history. I trusted it at face value. Big mistake.

Given the current situation, I'm definitely leaving them a scathing review on Google Maps and Trustpilot, and will be making a formal complaint to their head office and to MG itself so they're aware of the crooks they have representing their brand...

They're flat out lying to turn a bigger profit...

 

[Gadget Geek]

Warranty question

Hi all, New member. Partner has just bought a 2021 MG ZS. The car isn’t 3 years old until the end of next month, and has a couple of issues that we were expecting to be able to have fixed under warranty. However, it now looks as though the car may be late on its service. Mileage is...

www.mgevs.com

Look at philkeel's post. Might be worth checking with MG Customer Service.

 

[Everest]

Out of interest, not that this may change the course of action, but is:-

a) the salesman now claiming he didn't say the car had a full service history, or
b) is he admitting he said that, but is now admitting he was wrong?

I'm thinking if it was (b) then surely you could additionally claim - or threaten to claim - for other out-of-pocket expenses. Especially as the reason that you part-exchanged your car was for because you were sold a car with a full service history, when it wasn't.

As a general rule, the law considers that verbal agreements are legally binding.

 

[tiagoespinha]

Out of interest, not that this may change the course of action, but is:-

a) the salesman now claiming he didn't say the car had a full service history, or
b) is he admitting he said that, but is now admitting he was wrong?

I'm thinking if it was (b) then surely you could additionally claim - or threaten to claim - for other out-of-pocket expenses. Especially as the reason that you part-exchanged your car was for because you were sold a car with a full service history, when it wasn't.

As a general rule, the law considers that verbal agreements are legally binding.

Technically he's so far only been trying to claim that the car's warranty is still good and that MG are very lenient with warranty claims (whereas I found another post in this forum of someone claiming exactly the opposite, that MG are getting stricter with how they handle warranty claims..).

And yeah, I think I'd have grounds to claim for more but verbal agreements are always a bit tricky when there are no witnesses other than me and him... I'll just be happy when I hand the car in and get my money back.

 

[Lovemyev]

The car could have been serviced at a third party approved EV garage ?.
This is totally permissible as long as the garage uses genuine MG parts.
An EV has very few parts to replace, so then it is entirely possible that the car WAS serviced but no parts where fitted.
In these cases, a paper copy of the service work is absolutely essential !.
Without this, you are unable to prove that the work has been carried out.
If the car is a lease vehicle, then it’s very likely that the driver will be that bothered in requesting paperwork TBH.
Question:- Who was the first / previous owner(s) of the car ?.
Was it a dealer or a private owner, or a X lease vehicle.
If a X lease vehicle, then main lease companies will always use the cheapest option to get the car serviced, rarely does that mean employing the services of an expensive main dealer.
My nephew has a really nice Mercedes EQ EV and the lease company dictates to him who carries out the service work on what is ( after all ) still their property.
The last time it was serviced, it was carried out by a small local garage and not the main agent, which was more convenient to his home address, but way more expensive !.
But when this does happen, the service is then not logged by the main dealer of course.
The lease company is not overly concerned either, as at the end of the contract, the car will just go through the auction.
The dealer you bought the car from, will have access to the V5 document and therefore will know who was the previous owner(s).
Dealers very rarely let buyers see the V5 for data protection reasons, which is handy for them if the car has been an X lease / auction purchase, as disguising its history until the car has changed hands.
The number plates are a good place to start, as many lease companies like to have their names printed on the bottom of the plates.
It’s worth considering that the driver is the person responsible for keeping the service appointment upto date.
The car has no “in built” digital reminder to alert the driver when the services are due.
Therefore it is easy for the driver to completely miss the annual service due dates.
Regardless of who services the car, having a paper trail record is vital if you are asked to produce it.
Missing service dates are not important, until that is you need to make a claim for repairs under the warranty .
Then you can bet your boots that any loop holes in the cars history, will raise its ugly head !.
I still personally like the idea of the owner holding a paper service record booklet, that can carry an official dealer approved stamp as evidence that the work had been completed.

 

[Peterboat]

We service Jaguar's, if the car is in warranty we enter the invoice number in the service document and bill to prove Jaguar's parts were used. This has paid dividends in the past, however in truth you only have to use of parts and oils that meet spec

 

[tiagoespinha]

The car could have been serviced at a third party approved EV garage ?.
This is totally permissible as long as the garage uses genuine MG parts.
An EV has very few parts to replace, so then it is entirely possible that the car WAS serviced but no parts where fitted.
In these cases, a paper copy of the service work is absolutely essential !.
Without this, you are unable to prove that the work has been carried out.
If the car is a lease vehicle, then it’s very likely that the driver will be that bothered in requesting paperwork TBH.
Question:- Who was the first / previous owner(s) of the car ?.
Was it a dealer or a private owner, or a X lease vehicle.
If a X lease vehicle, then main lease companies will always use the cheapest option to get the car serviced, rarely does that mean employing the services of an expensive main dealer.
My nephew has a really nice Mercedes EQ EV and the lease company dictates to him who carries out the service work on what is ( after all ) still their property.
The last time it was serviced, it was carried out by a small local garage and not the main agent, which was more convenient to his home address, but way more expensive !.
But when does happen, the service is then not logged by the main dealer of course.
The dealer you bought the car from, will have access to the V5 document and therefore will know who was the previous owner(s).
Dealers very rarely let buyers see the V5 for data protection reasons, which is handy for them if the car has been an X lease / action buy in and are able to disguise the fact.
The number plates are a good place to start, as many lease companies like to have their names printed on the bottom of the plates.
It’s worth considering that the driver is the person responsible for keeping the service appointment upto date.
The car has no “in built” digital reminder to alert the driver when the services are due.
Therefore it is easy for the driver to completely miss the annual service due dates.
Regardless of who services the car, having a paper trail record is vital if you are asked to produce it.
Missing service dates are not important, until that is you need to make a claim for repairs under the warranty .
Then you can bet your boots that any loop holes in the cars history, will raise its ugly head !.
I still personally like the idea of the owner holding a paper service record booklet, that can carry an official dealer approved stamp myself.

Absolutely. Third party garages don't void the warranty, the question here is the complete lack of proof that the car did the first service at all.

The previous owner appears to have been a private owner, and doesn't look like the vehicle was a lease... and after this ordeal started, the salesman claimed he was going to call the previous owner about this, so I'm expecting that either the previous owner didn't do the first year's service, or lost the paperwork, or just can't be bothered to look because it's not their problem anymore...