05 November 2024
FSH: The Meaning of Full Service History, and More
5 minutes
If you’re wondering about the meaning of FSH in a car advertisement, or you’re asking, ‘What does FSH stand for in cars?’ this post covers everything those three letters can tell you.
In a nutshell, FSH means ‘Full Service History’. For buyers, it’s a sign of transparency about the car’s history and a powerful tool to inform their decision. For sellers, it can sometimes help the car to sell for a higher price than it would with a ‘partial service history’.
Here, we go through the facts about what FSH means, how to maintain it, and whether it’s worth paying more for a used car with an FSH.
What does it mean when a car has a full service history?
An FSH means that the car has been serviced at all the intervals specified by the manufacturer since it was built.
If a car has an FSH, it means there’s evidence that it was serviced at an approved service centre at every point laid out in the maintenance schedule (which you can find in the manual or the car’s service book – if it came with one).
If the services weren’t done at the right intervals (for example, if a new car was supposed to be serviced after 12 months and the owner didn’t have it serviced until it was almost two years old), it can’t be listed as having an FSH.
People often ask, ‘Does full service history mean every year?’ but it’s not quite that simple.
The manufacturer will lay out timeframes and mileages in the manual, and the car should be serviced at the point that comes first. For example, if the manual states ‘Every 12 months or 12,000 miles’ and the owner covers 12,000 miles in eight months, the car needs to be serviced then rather than waiting for the next annual service.
Read more: How often should you service your car?
It’s also important to emphasise that the service has to be done by the manufacturer or at an approved service centre to count towards the FSH.
If the car was serviced by a local garage that wasn’t on the manufacturer’s approved list, or if the owner can’t provide receipts and stamps from the service, they can’t claim that it has a full service history. In this case, the car has to be listed as having a partial service history instead.
Why do you need FSH?
When a car has an FSH, it’s a reassuring sign that it has been well looked after. FSH means that the car was both:
- Regularly serviced, increasing the chance that small issues were fixed before they turned into larger problems with the engine.
- Serviced to the manufacturer’s specification and with new parts that are an exact match to the car, rather than being repaired with third-party parts or tools.
Approved service centres follow the procedures laid out by the manufacturer and have the right tools for the job. This is particularly important with modern cars, as the complex electrical and automation systems often need to be inspected and repaired with specialist tools. They’ll also be able to keep the software in the car up to date.
So, while it can be more expensive to have your car serviced at a certified garage, it can be worth it for both:
- The quality of the repairs and replacements
- The peace of mind of knowing that the job was carried out in the way the manufacturer designed
- The reassurance to potential buyers, who would often prefer to buy a car with an FSH because they believe it’ll be in better condition than a car with only a partial history.
How much is a full service history worth?
Whether you’re buying or selling a car, it’s normal to want to know how much a full service history is worth.
While it’s difficult to put an exact valuation on an FSH, newer cars with an FSH indeed tend to sell for more than cars with a partial service history. Surveys tend to put the added value at between 5% and 20% of the car’s value – it’s down to the make, model, and age of the car.
As cars get older, the service history can have less of an impact on the price. However, for newer cars where parts are still under warranty, an FSH can be particularly attractive to the new owner.
For example, suppose you buy a four-year-old car and then take it for its MOT, where the mechanic discovers that the clutch needs to be replaced. If the car was sold with a five-year warranty, and you had an FSH, you could claim on the warranty for the new clutch even as the second owner. Without the FSH, it’s much harder to prove that the car was properly maintained, and the manufacturer might not accept your claim.
Is part service history bad?
There are no guarantees when buying a used car, but many buyers will be warier if the car doesn’t have a full service history.
Part service history (also called partial service history) indicates missed services, a variety of different mechanics, or potentially cheap repairs. It could also mean that smaller, niggling issues with the car haven’t been addressed, which can leave the new owner with an expensive repair when something gives out completely.
Plus, if a car doesn’t have an FSH, it’s harder to get a complete picture of what you’d be taking on. As well as the service book, for example, an FSH means that you can access all the receipts and relevant documents for the work that’s gone into the car. This can give buyers more peace of mind as they choose a new car.
Just as a full service history can raise a car's value, the absence of an FSH can lower its price. Potential buyers may be more cautious about purchasing a car without a complete service history, as it could indicate potential issues or higher maintenance costs in the future.
How do you check your car’s service history?
Depending on where the car has been serviced, there are several ways to check the service history.
The fastest way might be to check the service book, which should be stored with other important paperwork like the manual. The service book should have stamps showing when the car was serviced and how many miles were on the clock at the time.
The garage where your car was serviced may also have saved a record of the service history – especially if they’re one of the garages approved by your car’s manufacturer. You can contact the garage to ask for copies of the paperwork. You’ll likely need to show some ID and the car’s VC5 logbook before they’ll share the information with you.
Most importantly, if you’re in the market for a used car and you find one advertised with an FSH, it’s important to ask for proof of the FSH before you agree to the purchase.
Sometimes, sellers will give an excuse like, ‘The service history is on its way,’ or ‘We need to look it up with the manufacturer.’ This should be a red flag. It can indicate that the car only has a partial service history, and the seller is trying to make their used-car ad seem more attractive.
FSH meaning in cars: Quickfire summary
With all this in mind, is a full service history worth it?
The short answer is yes. FSH generally shows that a car has been well-maintained by the previous owner or owners. For a buyer, an FSH is a good sign, as it gives a fuller picture of how the car has been looked after and can help you claim on the warranty if you ever have to. For a buyer, an FSH is also an advantage, as it can help increase the value of your car on the second-hand market.
You can view the car’s service history in its service book or ask the garage that maintains the car to extract the details from their database or the manufacturer’s online records.
Also read: