Trading in car and mileage wrong

[badlands95]

Hi all,

Got a 15 plate Ford Fiesta which had its MOT a couple months ago and mileage was 48,878.

Meant to be trading in for an Audi S3 on Saturday, however today got a call from the sales guy at Audi who said they’ve noticed an issue with the historic MOT certificate mileage.

2018 - 26,915
2019 - 32,813
2020 - 52,656
2021 - 40,631
2022 - 44,907
2023 - 48,878

As you can see, there’s been a mileage entered wrong in 2020. My own fault for not checking it after, but it’s potentially biting me in the arse now.

Hoping the Audi garage is successfully able to reach out to garage who carried out the MOT to either obtain some evidence of the correct MOT mileage from 2020 (probably wishful thinking) or confirmation from the MOT provider that this was definitely their error.

Been advised from a couple of places (including this forum) to contact the DVSA to explain the problem, however without any concrete evidence of what the correct mileage was at the time of the 2020 MOT, I’m not sure if this can actually achieve anything?

Has anyone ever had anything similar? Just want to know what to expect

[200Plus Club]

Way too late to change any errors. Has to be done almost immediately, had similar myself and they won't action anything after a year plus.

[silentbrown]

Do you keep receipts from when the MOT was done? May well have the mileage recorded on that by the garage.

[Heathwood]

I think there may be more success in seeking service history to corroborate the true mileage rather than getting to the bottom of any potential error by the MOT station.

[georgeyboy12345]

I think you’ll probably have to accept the dealers revised offer based on the discrepancy. Otherwise try to sell it privately to some idiot, obviously point out the issue before selling that way you won’t get into trouble.

[badlands95]

Unluckily for me 2020 was the only year I didn’t have it serviced (obv other stuff going on that year!)

Don’t have a receipt for the MOT, so hoping the garage has a copy filed somewhere. Never got a paper copy, can’t think why, may have been due to Covid, but can’t find an email with the receipt either.

My concern isn’t amending the record, it kind of is what it is - my only hope is they have enough info that the trade in value isn’t stung the day before I pick up my new car…. Dependant purely on what the MOT garage says!!

Enough to make a man cry, and defo a lesson learned here

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

200Plus Club said:

Way too late to change any errors. Has to be done almost immediately, had similar myself and they won't action anything after a year plus.

100% wrong. My TVR had an MOT corrected after nearly a decade! (Just recently)

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

georgeyboy12345 said:

I think you’ll probably have to accept the dealers revised offer based on the discrepancy. Otherwise try to sell it privately to some idiot, obviously point out the issue before selling that way you won’t get into trouble.

Dealer being a bit sharp in my opinion. It looks fairly obvious to me that one year the mileage has been entered incorrectly.

OP, if not serviced anything else done? Tyres replaced? Mileage declaration to insurers?

[stevemcs]

It can be changed by the tester but 2020 would be too far out. Can the garage give you a copy invoice from the garage ? We always check the past recorded mileages and the current, we also write the mileage on the jobcard, can the garage give you a letter ? It can be corrected with proof but only by the DVSA

[badlands95]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Dealer being a bit sharp in my opinion. It looks fairly obvious to me that one year the mileage has been entered incorrectly.

OP, if not serviced anything else done? Tyres replaced? Mileage declaration to insurers?

Nope, it’s never been in the garage other than services and MOTs! As you can see by the correct mileage, I rarely go further than 5000 miles a year.

Dealer hasn’t made me a revised offer yet, but it’s feeling very out my control - will be relying on any info Audi can get from MOT garage, or they’re willing to oversee the fact it’s an obvious mistake. Will be here biting my nails in the meantime! Meant to pick up Saturday morning, insurance already sorted, so hopefully will know tomorrow either way

[Panamax]

This is crazy. If you've owned the car throughout it's obvious it's an error.

If you haven't owned the car throughout it's reasonable for the dealer to suspect clocking and you'll struggle to prove differently unless you can track the service records.

How many owners has the car had?

[badlands95]

I’m second owner, got the car in 2016

[Cliftonite]

Statistically, it is quite remarkable that in all the mileages shown the last digit is different.

Not that I am saying they are fabricated!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

A bit O/T, but just in case nobody believes that the mileage can be changed by DVSA many many years later:

Old MOT:

|https://thumbsnap.com/Ri7j8sp2[/url]

See the mileage in 2014

Now see the mileage!

[badlands95]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

A bit O/T, but just in case nobody believes that the mileage can be changed by DVSA many many years later:

Old MOT:

|https://thumbsnap.com/Ri7j8sp2[/url]

See the mileage in 2014

Now see the mileage!

Haha jeez, assuming that was east sorted though as such an obvious error?

[Panamax]

badlands95 said:

I’m second owner, got the car in 2016

Then I'd tell the dealer to "do one" if they try anything sharp. Their price for your car was as it stood in front of them and nothing's changed. You can tell them that if any buyer questions the MOT record you're more than happy to be contacted and provide any reassurance. I guess if they're sending it into the trade or off to auction they may be more concerned but even then you could offer to provide a written statement to go with the car. Date bought; annual usage; date sold. That, with a photocopy of your V5, should cover the ground.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

badlands95 said:

Haha jeez, assuming that was east sorted though as such an obvious error?

I didn't bother, it's been done by an owner two down the line!

I did notice it at the time, but if you've ever owned a TVR you'll know the feeling of the miracle of yet another MOT & are just grateful for that!

[200Plus Club]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

100% wrong. My TVR had an MOT corrected after nearly a decade! (Just recently)

Mine was refused after 13 months. Mot man inputted chassis number in wrong box, mileage lept to 422thousand odd from 36k. Following year back to 36.5k. Car still sold for double what I bought it for however:-)
Very obvious error as number matched logbook. Dvla refused.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

said:

That’s unlucky mate

[Alex Z]

If it’s a blatantly obvious error where it had jumped hundreds of thousands of miles in a year it’s much easier to ignore or get DVLA to correct.

In the OP’s situation, that looks a lot like someone started using the car a bit more heavily so had it clocked.