jimbo3

I had the previous owner who had the work done call the dealership to approve them sending me the records with no problem. I didn't purchase the service and had no right to expect that the dealer (or independant mechanic) simply hand over the records of work performed for someone else.

WHB Porsche

But the dealer IS selling the car...

rome

If so, then I misunderstood.

steve g

If you are paying the selling dealer to perform the Pre-purchase mechanical inspection - you should have some negotiating leverage to see the records with the name of the customer blacked out. I've had that done on 2 occaisions with Porsche dealers.

Maybe Rennlist member Alfie - IRA.com can chime in here...you might PM him.

jimbo3

Doesn't matter that the dealer not providing the records happens to be the dealer selling the car. The records are between the person who purchased the service and the servicing entity. Period. Their business isn't anyone else's business no matter how one slices it or how bad one wants it or how ironic/stupid it seems. However, if the dealer was smart, he'd be on the horn with the PO to get the PO's approval.

WHB Porsche

Jim - it depends on whether or not the person who traded the car in to the dealer had copies of the records anyway. If they did, no reason the dealer can't share. I suppose it's different if the car was serviced at the dealer by owner 1, owner 2 bought without records, traded it in to dealer with only 2's reords. Then they can't share 1's history.

RallyJon

We're not talking about medical records here. The records are for the car and if you are the current owner of the car, there's no reason for the dealer to withhold info about YOUR car. Confidentiality--gimme a break.

Bull

Exactly. We often have the records, but black out all of the PO's info and the servicing facility's info so that there is no trail that could cause a violation of the privacy laws.

911C2

The dealer can print a vehicle history out of their system(as opposed to copies of the individual repair orders). The cusotmer info only appears on teh first page. Put a sticky on that make a copy and have it with the vehicle.

THere is nothing secret in that. the person who paid for the services has sold the car at this point so why would they care. I would at least hope the dealer would have it available for inspection when you come in to inspect and or buy the car.

When I bought my wife's MB (we bought it from some friends), I knew the car had been serviced, knew the dealership went and asked them for the records. They told me they could not print them after 90 days.

jimbo3

Not sure I'm understanding how the PO happening to have copies of services performed for him changes anything in your example. Dealer can't share any of 2's records of the service performed for 2 by dealer without expressed permission of 2, irrespective of whether 2 happens to have copies of the services 2 had paid for or not. 2 paid for the service and that makes it 2's business.

If they know that the owner no longer has the car, many mechanics may give the new owner (or prospective buyer) some general information verbally and answer a specific question or two, but it's unlikely that they'd even let you peek at the records without permission. Talking about the scrupulous ones, of course.

WHB Porsche

If the PO gives service records to the dealer with the car, that means that he forfeits the confidentiality. He is essentially giving those records to the dealership, and the potential/future owner.

jimbo3

Once again, the person that paid for the service owns the records. No one else. He is the owner. Period. The owner is highly likely to release the records if a legitimate party asks, but he can do what he wishes. One can feel any way one wants to about that, but one's feelings won't change the fundamental fact that the owner of the records owns the records.

vjd3

Sometimes a $20 bill helps.

Just sayin'.

WHB Porsche

Yea, at a Yugo dealership.

jimbo3

That is correct, but is limited to the copies given and any additional copies of the "original" copies that may subsequently be made. If a future owner loses all copies, he can't expect the servicing entity to automatically go back and make copies unless previous or current permission can be established.

For that reason (and also so he has the history), my mechanic has a copy of the copy I retreived so that we each now have a copy. I don't want to have to go through the process of re-establishing the service history again!