Spotting a clocked car

[Prizam]

I'm looking at a type of car that is high on the list of clocked. usually used by Choffures.

These (most modern) cars wear very well and don't show mileage in the usual places. And plugging in my own diagnostics equipment is likely frowned upon. And even then won't necessarily show the true mileage if hidden properly.

Assuming no MOT discrepancies, how do you spot a modern, well-clocked car?

[kiethton]

You’d check:

Mileage recorded on invoices that go with the digital record/book - don’t have them = extra caution
Seat condition/wear
I would scan the OBD software - state the reason and judge the reaction (even if you don’t actually do it)
Look for other signs - stone paint chips, especially on things like headlight lenses which can’t be sprayed

[Pericoloso]

Steering wheel worn smooth on a seriously high miler.

Unlikely to be replaced due to not wanting to disturb airbag.

[rampageturke]

Kinda crazy in this day and age and just shows how lazy/cheap/incompetent car makers are when it comes to security that we can still clock cars.

[Prizam]

Anything other than the usual suspects?

Car im looking at is an F01 BMW 730d. M Sport if I can afford it.

Cars with 400k on them look the same as ones with 50k. hiding the miles very well, visually at least.

[avenger286]

It's a more and more common thing happening. There are sellers on ebay offering mileage correction services any one can get hold of vagcom to also change mileages especially taxis. It's a minefield out there these days.

[A900ss]

Pericoloso said:

Steering wheel worn smooth on a seriously high miler.

This will show up an urban high miler (taxis etc) but not a motorway mileage muncher.

[familyguy1]

if the vehicle has any manufacturers servicing and the manufacturers allow it, check with them to see if they can detail the mileage on their service records.

[cbmotorsport]

Used to know a mechanic who did a lot of servicing for a Private Car company that used new high end Mercs. He would never be given a service book to stamp.

They would get it Serviced by a main dealer once a year, just after they'd clocked it, and it turns out he was doing an off the record 'interim service' due to the high mileage. When it was sold on, the service book (and MOT history) looked like an average mileage car, but it had done double or triple what was shown.

[underphil]

this probably doesn't apply to the ones you're looking at, but if the car is relatively new and supposedly low mileage I check the DOT code on the tyres to make sure the manufacture date tallies up with the build date

[ninjag]

Front windscreen can be a good indicator also. Try and get it out in strong sunlight to see if there's lot of tiny marks on it.

[SCEtoAUX]

It's a disgrace that this still happens and technology could stop it in a jiffy. GPS receiver and mobile data connection uploading to a secure government server once per week and job done.

Privacy wouldn't be an issue, only the distance travelled during one week would be uploaded.

Discrepancy flagged automatically at any service/MOT/repair.

A bit big brother, and not 100% fool proof, but what is? Would stop most offenders dead in their tracks.

[mcg_]

I remember a thread on here where someone had bought a merc I think

Wasn't an on old one, say a couple of years.

after buying it they had their suspicions. The front looked ok but there rear seats looked like theyd seen about 100k miles with passengers.

cant find the thread

[Robbidoo]

SCEtoAUX said:

It's a disgrace that this still happens and technology could stop it in a jiffy. GPS receiver and mobile data connection uploading to a secure government server once per week and job done.

Privacy wouldn't be an issue, only the distance travelled during one week would be uploaded.

Discrepancy flagged automatically at any service/MOT/repair.

A bit big brother, and not 100% fool proof, but what is? Would stop most offenders dead in their tracks.

And cost an absolute fortune to build deploy and maintain.

[Trevor555]

If they've covered their tracks well and the car's done motorway work then you'll struggle to tell.

I once bought a 730d ex taxi with nearly 200k on it and it looked great.

I'd say the only bits that gave it away was the wear on the back seats, but even the steering wheel looked like it'd done a lot less.

Not sure a chauffeur would chose a sport model though.

[lornemalvo]

underphil said:

this probably doesn't apply to the ones you're looking at, but if the car is relatively new and supposedly low mileage I check the DOT code on the tyres to make sure the manufacture date tallies up with the build date

That's an excellent idea

[lornemalvo]

I know someone who does mileage "correction". he said that later Mercs (after 2015) are more difficult, but not impossible to do. Merc dealers can apparently detect any shenanigans with their software

[Jamaica]

Prizam said:

I'm looking at a type of car that is high on the list of clocked. usually used by Choffures.

These (most modern) cars wear very well and don't show mileage in the usual places. And plugging in my own diagnostics equipment is likely frowned upon. And even then won't necessarily show the true mileage if hidden properly.

Assuming no MOT discrepancies, how do you spot a modern, well-clocked car?

Bet you are looking for a prius, 99.9 percent of priuses are dodgy and the characters selling them ever dodgier.

[ZX10R NIN]

Ask for receipts & check that against the service history but truth be told buy on condition because if it's been clocked properly you'll never know.

[myvision]

Jamaica said:

Bet you are looking for a prius, 99.9 percent of priuses are dodgy and the characters selling them ever dodgier.

He's said it a 7 series BMW.