Vehicle history specialists HPI’s National Mileage Register
(NMR) has passed the 150m readings milestone, with the event being
marked with a warning about the risk of buying a ‘clocked’ vehicle,
where the mileage has been tampered with.
Last year, more than 1m of the cars checked by HPI had a mileage
discrepancy, highlighting the scale of the dangers facing used car
buyers and
leading to appeals by HPI and Trading Standards to the car finance
industry to address the issue, including use of the NMR.
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HPI consumer director Kristian Welch said: “One in 20 cars we
check shows a discrepant mileage, and this figure has risen by 10%
in the past five years. Unfortunately, digital odometers make easy
work for unscrupulous sellers, who tamper with them to reduce a
vehicle’s mileage. Worryingly, this is reported to be costing
UK car buyers in excess of £580m a year. But there are some
simple steps car buyers can make to avoid a potentially clocked
vehicle.”
Welsh advises consumers to check the service history and the
mileages it displays: “Look for invoices and service stamps from a
genuine dealer and contact the previous keeper to confirm the
mileage of the vehicle when they sold it.
“A low mileage can add hundreds or even thousands of pounds to
the perceived value of a vehicle, so buyers have a lot to lose. Not
only could they pay more than the vehicle is worth, but the car may
need servicing and repairs sooner than the tampered mileage
suggests. A change in oil is fairly important, but a change of
timing belt or brake fluid could be critical. Worn seats,
pedals and steering wheel could all be evidence that the vehicle
has seen more miles than the seller’s letting on. And look out for
brand new easily replaceable parts that don’t match the vehicle’s
displayed mileage.”
Incredibly, some clockers wind back the mileage for the initial
viewing and then return it to its original value once the buyer
commits. Welsh advises consumers to check that the mileage is the
same when they pick up the vehicle and should walk away if there is
any doubt.
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By GlobalData“Many of the signs of clocking could be innocent, so buyers
should look for more than one as possible evidence of tampering,”
Welch said. “But the only way to be sure is to conduct an HPI
Check, which includes a check of our mileage database of 150m
records.”
An HPI Check will also confirm whether a vehicle is stolen, on
outstanding finance or has been written-off.
