Potential Clocked Car
Discussion
I have arranged to go and have a look at a car tomorrow afternoon as a bit of a luxo barge stop gap for a few months.
This evening i have been doing a bit of digging and have discovered that the car has potentially been clocked, the basis for this has been an MOT history check that i have done online.
The current owner, who has had the car for a few months has given me the MOT ref no which i have checked online, according to that the mileage history is :
2006 - 60k
2007 - 80k
2008 - 105k
2009 - 130k
2010 - 155k
2011 - 165k
2013 - 110k
Now i don't think that the current owner is aware of this, he is advertising the car as having done just over 110k with the MOT due at the start of 2014, the reason i don't think he is aware of this is due to the fact that he has no service history with the car and quite happily gave me the MOT reference no, however the price that the car is advertised for is more aligned to a car that has covered nearly 200k as opposed to a car that done 110k.
Question is what do i do, should i inform the seller that the car has been potentially clocked or should i go view the car, the reason i am a little confused is due to the fact the car has had a number of plate changes:
2006 - Private reg 1
2007 - Private reg 1
2008 - Private reg 2
2009 - Original reg
2010 - Private reg 3
2011 - Private reg 4
2013 - Original reg
Again all this info is from what i can make out on the MOT history info available online, therefore wondering if it could potentially be a genuine mistake or a clocked car.
To be honest i have no issue if the car has done 200k or 100k, as all i need is a car for a few months, however i expect this could be a potential nightmare to sell when i have had my use of it, so looking for any advice really.
Also i know when i got my car MOT'd earlier this year the new MOT was showing the mileage from the previous few MOT's too, when did this become the norm, if this car is due an MOT in feb, will the current MOT certificate show the previous MOT miles, in which case the owner will know??
This evening i have been doing a bit of digging and have discovered that the car has potentially been clocked, the basis for this has been an MOT history check that i have done online.
The current owner, who has had the car for a few months has given me the MOT ref no which i have checked online, according to that the mileage history is :
2006 - 60k
2007 - 80k
2008 - 105k
2009 - 130k
2010 - 155k
2011 - 165k
2013 - 110k
Now i don't think that the current owner is aware of this, he is advertising the car as having done just over 110k with the MOT due at the start of 2014, the reason i don't think he is aware of this is due to the fact that he has no service history with the car and quite happily gave me the MOT reference no, however the price that the car is advertised for is more aligned to a car that has covered nearly 200k as opposed to a car that done 110k.
Question is what do i do, should i inform the seller that the car has been potentially clocked or should i go view the car, the reason i am a little confused is due to the fact the car has had a number of plate changes:
2006 - Private reg 1
2007 - Private reg 1
2008 - Private reg 2
2009 - Original reg
2010 - Private reg 3
2011 - Private reg 4
2013 - Original reg
Again all this info is from what i can make out on the MOT history info available online, therefore wondering if it could potentially be a genuine mistake or a clocked car.
To be honest i have no issue if the car has done 200k or 100k, as all i need is a car for a few months, however i expect this could be a potential nightmare to sell when i have had my use of it, so looking for any advice really.
Also i know when i got my car MOT'd earlier this year the new MOT was showing the mileage from the previous few MOT's too, when did this become the norm, if this car is due an MOT in feb, will the current MOT certificate show the previous MOT miles, in which case the owner will know??
It could be an MOT mistake.
It could be clocked.
The current MOT certificates will show the last 4 years mileages at each MOT. if it stands out on there YOU will have difficulty selling.
If you can negotiate a cheap car then it might not be such an issue for you, and you can run the car for a few months and sell cheaply.
It could be clocked.
The current MOT certificates will show the last 4 years mileages at each MOT. if it stands out on there YOU will have difficulty selling.
If you can negotiate a cheap car then it might not be such an issue for you, and you can run the car for a few months and sell cheaply.
JimmyConwayNW said:
It could be an MOT mistake.
It could be clocked.
Reading the OP's thread noting that the current mileage is just over 110k, and looking at the VOSA records showing consecutive increases up to 165k, I cant see how this could be an MOT mistake.....which entry do you think could be a mistake? There are often MOT mistakes, but it doesnt look like it on this occasion.It could be clocked.
OP - I wouldn't bother...if there's a question mark on it, then it's probably too much hassle.
johnnyBv8 said:
Reading the OP's thread noting that the current mileage is just over 110k, and looking at the VOSA records showing consecutive increases up to 165k, I cant see how this could be an MOT mistake.....which entry do you think could be a mistake? There are often MOT mistakes, but it doesnt look like it on this occasion.
OP - I wouldn't bother...if there's a question mark on it, then it's probably too much hassle.
Scan read it it says in advert it is 110k advertised mileage.OP - I wouldn't bother...if there's a question mark on it, then it's probably too much hassle.
MOT errors are more common than you think however in this instance its either been mega clocked or new dials.
After much thought and a few more conversations with the seller I have decided to leave this now. Turns out the seller does not have a v5 as he bought the car at the end of oct and not received the v5 yet.
He also didn't seem that surprised when I mentioned the mileage, had it been my car I would expect myself to be very shocked and very pissed off
He also didn't seem that surprised when I mentioned the mileage, had it been my car I would expect myself to be very shocked and very pissed off

Sounds like they may well be aware of the mileage 'discrepancy'. It may be a good car so maybe it's done just to make it easier to shift, what some seem intent on calling an 'honest lie' in SP&L?
RZ1 said:
This evening i have been doing a bit of digging and have discovered that the car has potentially been clocked, the basis for this has been an MOT history check that i have done online.
Perhaps the more people mention that dvla.gov.uk MoT history check website, the more people may be less inclined to mess around with odometer readings?For me it's another reminder of that PH 'would you?' 200K mile B5 RS4 that had the mileage 'adjusted' after being featured here.
RZ1 said:
After much thought and a few more conversations with the seller I have decided to leave this now. Turns out the seller does not have a v5 as he bought the car at the end of oct and not received the v5 yet.
He also didn't seem that surprised when I mentioned the mileage, had it been my car I would expect myself to be very shocked and very pissed off
Exactly. He's well aware of the fact it's clocked, probably did it himself?He also didn't seem that surprised when I mentioned the mileage, had it been my car I would expect myself to be very shocked and very pissed off
Why no MOT for 2012? Has he 'lost' the MOT cert?
Absolutely amazing the number of people who assume it is clocked, it could be but the number of errors made by MOT testers and their spotty stupid 17 year old assistants is huge. I have to oversee around 15-20 MOT tests a month in the course of my business and I regularly have to pull up our MOT ststion because they have made a mistake on the mileage. I check every certificate very carefully now because as has been mentioned you only get 7 days to correct it. The most common mistake with the digital odometers we have these days is the idiots read the trip meter instead of the odometer.
Its a major issue because one small error like this will put a permanent discrepancy against a car that might up to that point have an impeccable history. If anyone knows of a way of correcting this with VOSA after the 7 days have elapsed, I would love to know
Its a major issue because one small error like this will put a permanent discrepancy against a car that might up to that point have an impeccable history. If anyone knows of a way of correcting this with VOSA after the 7 days have elapsed, I would love to know
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