MINI service history check

A full service history is one of the best signs a used MINI has been looked after, and it supports the price. A MINI service history check shows you the dealer services recorded against the car, with the date and mileage of each, so you can see for yourself rather than relying on the advert.

How MINI servicing works

Most modern MINIs use the same Condition Based Servicing as BMW: the car monitors oil condition, brake wear and time-based items, and shows the driver what's due and when. Service dates can vary a lot from car to car, which is fine. What you want to see is each service done when the car asked for it.

What to look for on a MINI

• Timing chain noise on older petrol Cooper and Cooper S models, and any record of the chain being replaced
• Oil services done late, especially on turbocharged Cooper S and John Cooper Works models
• Brake fluid changes, which are due on time rather than mileage

One late service isn't a reason to walk away. A pattern of long gaps, or a burst of servicing just before the car was advertised, is worth asking about and should be reflected in the price.

Services at independent garages

Dealer records only include work done at franchised MINI dealers. Plenty of owners switch to an independent specialist once the warranty runs out, and a good specialist history is nothing to worry about. It just won't appear in the dealer record, so ask the seller for the invoices and check the dates and mileages fit.

Check the mileage too

Every service records the mileage, and those numbers should fit neatly between the MOT readings either side. Our free mileage check lists every MOT reading, so you can line them up. If they don't agree, read our guide on signs a car has been clocked.

For the rest of the car's past, including finance, write-offs and theft, run a vehicle history check on the reg.