How To Check Car’s Mileage History?

Are you buying a used car and afraid you may become a victim of mileage fraud? Your worries are valid. Mileage fraud is actual, VERY REAL, but you can dodge it if you learn how to. In this article, we’ll have an in-depth look at some proven ways to know whether your car’s odometer is clocked or not. But before that, let’s start with the basics.

What is Mileage Anomaly?

Some dishonest dealers reverse the odometer to make the vehicle appear more valuable and less used, also known as mileage anomaly or clock. Nowadays, it is no longer done with a drill, but software can quickly reverse the car’s odometer. Generally, this fraud makes the car look like it has travelled fewer miles and, therefore, makes you pay more money than the car’s worth. However, you can quickly identify any clocking activity by ordering a mileage anomaly check from car history checking companies.

How to Know if the Car is Clocked?

Here are some of the proven ways for checking mileage on a used car:

1.Vehicle’s Documents:

When buying a used car, remember to request the paper forms because something like an oil change or inspection will be documented on paper, which won’t just tell you the car’s mileage at the times of review, but also about how well the vehicle is maintained.

2. Compare Average Mileage to Actual Mileage:

On average, the car travels more or less 12,000 miles a year. So, you can compare the mileage with the car’s age. It’s not the most accurate way to identify a clock, but it’s something to consider.

3. Check the Wear and Tear:

The simple approach is to check the brake pads inside the passenger cabin. It’s an excellent way to judge the vehicle’s condition. If the brake pads look pretty worn compared to the mileage, it’s a sign of the clock. Also, if the brake pads are new on a 4-year-old car, you get a reason to worry because the brake pads don’t get worn quickly.

4. Check Online:

Every time you take your car for the annual MOT check, the mechanic will note down the exact mileage as part of their duty – ignoring it will result in an invalid MOT check. So, when you get enough signs of clocking, verify the mileage by checking the MOT information online.

Is Buying Mileage Check Important?

The mileage history check is the most vital one when it comes to checking a vehicle’s condition. The vehicle’s odometer is the only place to know how well the previous owners have cared for it. Plus, it also indicates whether the car’s components have reached their life span. Since the car’s price is dependent on its condition, checking mileage history can save you thousands of pounds when buying. But odometers are usually clocked. And since the free government website does not give you an entire MOT history, we recommend getting an anomaly check from car history checking service providers to get complete MOT history.

Can I Get a Mileage Check for Free?

Yes, you can quickly check car mileage history on the government website, but it won’t provide you with accurate results. You only get an MOT report of the recent mileage record. That’s why it’s crucial to get anomaly checks from a reputable service, and they will cross-check using different sources to give you accurate results, which of course, isn’t free.

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