BUYERS WARNED OF CAR CLOCKING AS COUNCILS FAIL TO ACT
Discussion
Was looking on Arnold Clark website at a car which suspiciously had 29997 miles after 3 years.
Turned out it as ex pcp on a 10k year lease.
Seemed to good to be true the previous owner had finished so close to the limit; especially as the brake and clutch pedal was worn out (barely any groove on the rubber), gear box as loose as a goose but what really have it away was the drivers seat was considerably worn and faded.
I then checked out the same car but a year older and 14k miles more, it didn’t have any of these wear issues.
Makes you wonder
Turned out it as ex pcp on a 10k year lease.
Seemed to good to be true the previous owner had finished so close to the limit; especially as the brake and clutch pedal was worn out (barely any groove on the rubber), gear box as loose as a goose but what really have it away was the drivers seat was considerably worn and faded.
I then checked out the same car but a year older and 14k miles more, it didn’t have any of these wear issues.
Makes you wonder
I would suggest that most PH ers would be able to spot a car may have been "clocked" owing to having a good look at all the above "tale tales" already mentioned. But, it is wrong in this day and age it is possible to do with the IT skills the car manufacturers have, along with recording the miles on a car prior to MOT age when it is serviced, or the cars computer is showing a "tamper"
I have looked at many cars to replace my current car I use for teaching in (a Mini) mine has done 168k on a 12 plate, I like the car so much I fancy another upto a 13 plate where they changed the design to one I don't like....some of them have only done between 40-60k....I am instantly suspicious....do people really only do a few k miles a year in diesels? no wonder they have dpf issues...another subject i know.
Mine has a shiney wheel....sweaty hands, seat is getting shiney and scuffs on bolster, chips on windscreen and bonnet, gear stick has millions of scratches, scuffs in footwell plastics, it's on it's second drivers floor mat, pedal rubbers are getting worn, clutch is very high (still first one!!!) strangely the alloys are in great nick (i don't let them hit kerb), the sides of car covered in tiny tar splashes/spots. I would be grateful for other "tale tales to look for
cheers
I have looked at many cars to replace my current car I use for teaching in (a Mini) mine has done 168k on a 12 plate, I like the car so much I fancy another upto a 13 plate where they changed the design to one I don't like....some of them have only done between 40-60k....I am instantly suspicious....do people really only do a few k miles a year in diesels? no wonder they have dpf issues...another subject i know.
Mine has a shiney wheel....sweaty hands, seat is getting shiney and scuffs on bolster, chips on windscreen and bonnet, gear stick has millions of scratches, scuffs in footwell plastics, it's on it's second drivers floor mat, pedal rubbers are getting worn, clutch is very high (still first one!!!) strangely the alloys are in great nick (i don't let them hit kerb), the sides of car covered in tiny tar splashes/spots. I would be grateful for other "tale tales to look for
cheers
I've always wondered if many of these so called "barn finds" are largely a 'cover' for bringing back to life a clocked car.
10,20,30 year old rare cars that only have a few thousand miles on them, being restored for big resale value based up on a "low mileage" engine/chassis.
Even many of the adverts on autotrader of "investment" cars of recent years, private sellers not wishing to show or divulge the number plate on adverts or responding to such questions in email contact. Maybe just waiting for the type of muppet to show up who doesn't do their history checks?
10,20,30 year old rare cars that only have a few thousand miles on them, being restored for big resale value based up on a "low mileage" engine/chassis.
Even many of the adverts on autotrader of "investment" cars of recent years, private sellers not wishing to show or divulge the number plate on adverts or responding to such questions in email contact. Maybe just waiting for the type of muppet to show up who doesn't do their history checks?
I would say most UBER taxis are on private leases or finance and are clocked several times during their life.
The 6 month MOTs are sometimes a giveaway but the car is usually got rid of before it is 3.5 years old by which time it would have had it's 4th MOT (as they are every 6 months after 3 years old)
The 6 month MOTs are sometimes a giveaway but the car is usually got rid of before it is 3.5 years old by which time it would have had it's 4th MOT (as they are every 6 months after 3 years old)
There is an answer, but it seems a little invasive due to all the data collected.
https://coinjournal.net/news/bmw-presents-blockcha...
I remember reading that some manufacturers are having the odometer reading stored in all the computer modules in the car. PCM, BCM, etc.
If they don't match, as in someone is clocking one, the odometer reading goes blank and can only be reset by the dealer who would use whichever mileage reading was the highest.
https://coinjournal.net/news/bmw-presents-blockcha...
I remember reading that some manufacturers are having the odometer reading stored in all the computer modules in the car. PCM, BCM, etc.
If they don't match, as in someone is clocking one, the odometer reading goes blank and can only be reset by the dealer who would use whichever mileage reading was the highest.
NMNeil said:
There is an answer, but it seems a little invasive due to all the data collected.
https://coinjournal.net/news/bmw-presents-blockcha...
I remember reading that some manufacturers are having the odometer reading stored in all the computer modules in the car. PCM, BCM, etc.
If they don't match, as in someone is clocking one, the odometer reading goes blank and can only be reset by the dealer who would use whichever mileage reading was the highest.
30% of cars are clocked???https://coinjournal.net/news/bmw-presents-blockcha...
I remember reading that some manufacturers are having the odometer reading stored in all the computer modules in the car. PCM, BCM, etc.
If they don't match, as in someone is clocking one, the odometer reading goes blank and can only be reset by the dealer who would use whichever mileage reading was the highest.
I didn't realise it was so easy, they are not even trying to hide what their doing! from website I just visited:
We offer mileage correction services within London, we offer a mobile service which means we come to a place which suits you be it at work, home or a friend’s house, where ever is best for you.
Why is mileage correction needed?
Sometimes you could get a power surge on the system, which could cause your mileage to jump, either to a higher or lower value.
We offer mileage correction services within London, we offer a mobile service which means we come to a place which suits you be it at work, home or a friend’s house, where ever is best for you.
Why is mileage correction needed?
Sometimes you could get a power surge on the system, which could cause your mileage to jump, either to a higher or lower value.
MarkwG said:
bongtom said:
If you buy a car without getting it checked then you're a fool!
well, ok, but if there's no way of telling if it's been clocked between MOT &/or service, anyway, what's the point? Or do you mean a visual "does it look like a good car" check?bongtom said:
It’s not illegal for anyone to correct a mileage or to have your own car corrected. It only becomes a legal issue if you sell it on and claim the mileage is correct.
That’s why dealers always have those stickers on the odo.
Why would the council care?
Council as in Trading Standards?That’s why dealers always have those stickers on the odo.
Why would the council care?
I wonder how many of this big number of clocked cars have been clocked by enough to matter to a buyer? Back in the day, that was the point, reducing 90,000 miles to 30,000 or the like to increase the sale value , but thanks to PCP limits there is now an incentive to reduce say 33,000 to 29,800, which surely doesn't affect sale value and really doesn't matter to the buyer at all.
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