How to Check a Car's Mileage History
"Clocking"—illegally winding back a car's odometer to increase its value—is a growing problem with modern digital dashboards. Here is how to spot it.
Why do people clock cars?
A car with 40,000 miles is worth significantly more than the exact same car with 100,000 miles. By plugging in a laptop, a dishonest seller can erase 60,000 miles in seconds, instantly inflating the car's valuation by thousands of pounds.
How to check the mileage history
The most reliable way to check mileage is to look at the MOT history. Every time a car takes an MOT (annually after it is three years old), the tester records the exact mileage.
When you run an AI Vehicle Check, look closely at the mileage timeline. You are looking for:
- Steady increases: The mileage should go up reasonably consistently every year (e.g., 8,000 to 12,000 miles a year).
- Sudden drops: If the car had 85,000 miles in 2021, and 42,000 miles in 2022, the car has been clocked. Walk away immediately.
- Extremely low annual mileage: If a 10-year-old diesel estate only does 1,000 miles a year between MOTs, be suspicious. It might be genuine, but it warrants deeper investigation.
Check the interior condition
If the dashboard says 30,000 miles, but the steering wheel is shiny and smooth, the pedal rubbers are worn down to the metal, and the driver's seat bolster is collapsed, the car likely has much higher mileage than stated. Trust your eyes.