Any way of telling genuine mileage on modern cars

[AVI_8]

What with all of these digital mileage “Correction” companies out there who can change the mileage on a car or install a mileage blocker as the title says is there a way to see the genuine mileage on a car or does the displayed mileage overwrite the genuine mileage on ALL of the modules.

I’ve noticed that this has become a very big problem, recently been trying to get a one owner low mileage car and I’ve seen cars which have had a service and had the mileage logged on the idrive software then later the car has been presented for its first MOT with significantly less miles displayed than when it was previously serviced.
Cars going for their first MOT after 3 years with 9000 miles on the clock is not unusual these days and I would imagine mileage blockers are playing a major part.

 

[bert]

My old galaxy has milage listed in the ecu against parts. Needed fordata to see it though.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I was reading that it's a big problem for cars less than 3 years old as there can be very little in the way of a paper trail until the first mot is done as a lot of modern cars have long service intervals too.

 

[AVI_8]

I’d never heard of mileage blockers until recently when my son told me that most of the sales reps he knows have them fitted, some can stop the odometer counting at the press of a button, others will only log 1/3rd of the miles covered.
I’ve got a Topdon tablet, will be interesting to see if looking at the data on specific modules throws up any discrepancies.

 

[qwakers]

i look in the abs module and the gearbox module. they usually still have the genuine mileage in it.

 

[AVI_8]

i look in the abs module and the gearbox module. they usually still have the genuine mileage in it.

That’s what I was hoping thanks

 

[Nomad]

My first thought was that the online MOT history check is useful, I hadn't thought about lack of history for cars under 3 years old

I'd not heard of mileage blockers & "reducers" but it's not surprise that some people have found ways around the systems, I'm sure fiddling has been happening in various ways since even before cars were invented. My guess is the phrase "Horse trading" was the early version of "dodgy car dealer".

 

[dobbslc]

Often just looking at how worn things like pedal rubbers and trim are can give you an idea if it's been massively clocked. If they've been clever and only reduced it by 10-15% then it's hard to know.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I was reading an article last year...I think they were saying that cars under 2 years old are the most clocked.

Not surprising...zero history plus lots to gain!...so clock...then service...then MOT I'm thinking!

 

[Shox Dr]

i look in the abs module and the gearbox module. they usually still have the genuine mileage in it.

How would the average Joe be able to see those readings?

 

[AVI_8]

Often just looking at how worn things like pedal rubbers and trim are can give you an idea if it's been massively clocked. If they've been clever and only reduced it by 10-15% then it's hard to know.

True but BMW’s are good at not showing their age, I’ve an X3 with over 110,000 miles, doesn’t look like it’s done half that

How would the average Joe be able to see those readings?

With a good diagnostic scan tool

 

[qwakers]

the van im engine swapping was clocked from over 180k to under 40k before its first mot.(which is when i bought it) they obviously also fitted a set of new/nearly new oe tyres brakes, steering wheel, pedal rubbers, gear knob and drivers seat at the same time, as there was no sign of it. i only found out recently.... was bought 8 or so years ago and only started giving trouble this year so it could have been worse, but im still sore about it.

nowadays i plug the autel in and check a few module for mileage, if the seller doesn't want me to, i don't buy it.

 

[armalites]

It's become a massive issue with ex Police cars, they have no legal requirement for an MOT. One of our local auction houses deals sell a lot of them and some forces get them MOTd for the auction but some know full well that they will make more money if there is no history. There have been cars appearing on small forecourts with 30-40K that went through the auction with 100K.

I've got an old Volvo that was my daily driver, when I got my most recent Snap On scanner a few years back it showed a mileage error that had never shown on any other scanner. Wasn't too concerned as I already had my moneys worth out of it.

 

[ukracer]

i look in the abs module and the gearbox module. they usually still have the genuine mileage in it.

What with?

 

[Pete.]

Buy it new

 

[AVI_8]

It's become a massive issue with ex Police cars, they have no legal requirement for an MOT. One of our local auction houses deals sell a lot of them and some forces get them MOTd for the auction but some know full well that they will make more money if there is no history. There have been cars appearing on small forecourts with 30-40K that went through the auction with 100K.

I've got an old Volvo that was my daily driver, when I got my most recent Snap On scanner a few years back it showed a mileage error that had never shown on any other scanner. Wasn't too concerned as I already had my moneys worth out of it.

Yes I saw someone on you tube highlight that, all the police force would have to do is have it mot’d prior to selling it to stop this happening

the van im engine swapping was clocked from over 180k to under 40k before its first mot.(which is when i bought it) they obviously also fitted a set of new/nearly new oe tyres brakes, steering wheel, pedal rubbers, gear knob and drivers seat at the same time, as there was no sign of it. i only found out recently.... was bought 8 or so years ago and only started giving trouble this year so it could have been worse, but im still sore about it.

nowadays i plug the autel in and check a few module for mileage, if the seller doesn't want me to, i don't buy it.

Wow 180K down to 40K, just shows the extent that some people are prepared to go to

 

[AVI_8]

Buy it new

New ones have lost 1000cc and 2 cylinders, oh and they cost a lot!

 

[Bornfree]

It's dead easy on a modern Ford.

If it's running it's done less than 100k

 

[Keithmac]

I have VCM2 Ford Factory Diagnostics and while repairing my gearbox I had a different TCU fitted.

Interestingly the TCU reported the cars poper mileage so presumably it copies it from the PCM or Instrument Cluster. Same result with FORScan.

Didn't look any further into it but would have hoped the gearbox (£5ks worth with built in TCU) would have clocked individual part mileage.

To be fair I bet most "clockers" would be able to flash all modules anyway.

Seems they've made them easier to clock than 30 years ago..

Same with Keyless Entry, made them far easier to steal.

 

[premmington]

What with all of these digital mileage “Correction” companies out there who can change the mileage on a car or install a mileage blocker as the title says is there a way to see the genuine mileage on a car or does the displayed mileage overwrite the genuine mileage on ALL of the modules.

I’ve noticed that this has become a very big problem, recently been trying to get a one owner low mileage car and I’ve seen cars which have had a service and had the mileage logged on the idrive software then later the car has been presented for its first MOT with significantly less miles displayed than when it was previously serviced.
Cars going for their first MOT after 3 years with 9000 miles on the clock is not unusual these days and I would imagine mileage blockers are playing a major part.

Buy a brand new car and watch it click the mileage up - is the only foolproof method.

Any/everythign else can be flashed up (trust me on this).