Martynn Randall is technical editor at Haynes and has been with us for approaching 30 years. He's written more than 60 Haynes publications and has owned more than 85 cars and 60 motorbikes... so far!
Ever since people worked out that an odometer is a good way to measure how far a car has travelled, and therefore is a good gauge of how much that car is worth, others have made it their business to work out how to wind back the clock. That’s because reducing a car’s apparent mileage is a way of, in effect, turning back time, making it seem more youthful, less ravaged by countless journeys, and therefore worth a bit more cash.
Hence, unscrupulous car-sales people have been known to wind back the clock in order to maximise profit on a vehicle. However, the flip side of that coin is that unsuspecting customers can often end up paying top dollar for something that’s only a couple of junctions short of a scrap heap.
So, it pays to know what to look for.
Check the paperwork and MoT history
A good rule of thumb is that if an owner has cared for a vehicle, there will be plenty of paperwork to hand.
So, take your time, and go through the paperwork with the owner, so they can detail what was done, when any work was carried out, and why.
Not only will that give you a good idea of what sort of life the vehicle has had, but it will also give you a good idea of what type of owner the seller is.
In addition, the Government offers a free MoT check website (https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history) which tells you whether or not a vehicle has a current MoT certificate, and what it has failed on in the past. It also details the advisories flagged up in each MoT test.
As an extra precaution, it can be worth calling the garages that have carried out the servicing and MoT work on the vehicle you’re looking at, just to make sure their records match the ones in front of you.
Pay for a history check
It’s worth paying for a history a check through the numerous online companies that offer such a service. These companies typically offer a range of reports, and charge you accordingly for each, starting with a free check that covers the MoT status and history and how much the car is likely worth, up to the full service, which covers whether or not a car has been stolen, whether there’s finance outstanding on it, if it’s ever been exported, scrapped or damaged in an accident, or whether or not it’s ever been written off.
These online checking companies can’t verify if the mileage is genuine, but they can tell you a lot about what the car has been through in its life.
Take your time to check over the car
A thorough inspection of the car will also give you a good idea if its mileage is genuine, or if the odometer is telling porkies.
So, spend plenty of time going through every aspect of the car that you can think of. Do the usual checks for colour and level of oil, and whether or not there’s “mayonnaise” under the oil filler cap, but also look at items such as the carpets. Do they look more worn out than they should? Have they been covered up with brand new mats? If so, check underneath the mat.
All of the bits you touch when driving along will look more worn on a car that’s been to Saturn and back, so check out the rubbers on the pedals, the steering wheel, the gearlever, and the driver’s seat. If the seat’s sagging and has holes in its bolsters, it’s a clue that someone has spent a lot of time there.
Make sure you check out the suspension and brakes, too, which leads us on to…
Take it for a thorough test drive
A good, long test drive on a variety of roads is vital. Any car that has been looked after, and which has travelled the low mileage figure on the dashboard, should feel tight, responsive and be fairly rattle free.
However, if the car has gone a fair way further than the number on the odometer would suggest, there’s a good chance that vital components in the steering, suspension and brakes will be far more worn out, so it’ll feel soggy and wallowy. Don’t be tempted.
Double-check the mileage
If someone is crooked enough to alter a vehicle’s mileage in the first place, then you’d be foolish to believe that this would be the end of their underhand endeavours.
It is not unknown for dodgy car sales outlets to wind back the clock on a car, allow an unsuspecting soul to test it and put down a deposit, then to wind the mileage forward once more before pick-up day, so that they cannot be prosecuted for selling a clocked vehicle.
Be extra vigilant, and always check and doublecheck that the mileage is the same as advertised, and as it was when you test drove the vehicle.
Check the on-board diagnostics
In these digital days, you can’t really tell whether or not a car has been clocked from the odometer itself, because it’s an electronic display. Gone are the days when you could check a mechanical odometer to see if all the numbers lined up properly (crooked digits were always a sure sign of clocking). And electronic odometers are pretty easy to alter.
However, there is a way to double check the mileage, because on many car the odometer isn’t the only thing that records mileage. Numerous cars have separate ECUs that also record the distance a vehicle has travelled, and ‘clockers’ can often forget to alter these, so you can take the car to a suitably equipped garage, and then have the car’s ECU interrogated.
Verdict
If you’re looking at a used car, and are worried that it might have been clocked, then you have a couple of choices. First, you can simply walk away. This is the risk-free option. If it’s a popular make and model, then there will be countless others out there.
However, if you really want the car you’re looking at, then vigilance is key. Go over absolutely everything with a fine-toothed comb. Check all the paperwork carefully, and go over it with the owner to make sure the verbal and on-paper accounts match. Check the vehicle over in detail, and give it a comprehensive test drive. And it’s well worth paying for a history check, which will give you more background on the car.