Even if you don’t know much about cars and buying second-hand vehicles you’ll probably have heard the term “clocking”. It’s not a sophisticated scam technique for conning you out of your money. Clocking means turning the clock back on a car to make it look like it has done a lower mileage. As cars which have lower mileage are worth more money, a clocked car is a more valuable car. Knowing that the practice goes on is one thing, but spotting a car which has potentially had its mileage altered is quite another matter.

Isn’t Clocking a Car Illegal?

Yes and no. There is a bit of a legal loophole around changing the mileage on a car. Possessing the computer software or other tools needed to alter the mileage on a car is not illegal. Even changing the mileage of a car isn’t a criminal offence, although it’s hard to think of circumstances in which this would be something done for honest purposes. The offence only occurs when someone offers a car which has been clocked for sale using the misleading mileage.

Ways to Spot a Clocked Car

There are several ways in which any buyer can look into the history of a used car to make sure the mileage being declared is genuine. Firstly, go online. Every year when the car is booked in for its annual MOT test, the mileage is recorded by the MOT inspector. All of those mileages are listed online. If a car appears only to be doing a tiny mileage every year, then this could be indication that the clock is being wound back each year just before the test. Crooked car sales people generally aren’t stupid enough to turn back the clock to a mileage lower than the previously declared level. Mileage might also be recorded in the service book, but this isn’t a legal requirement.

Trust Your Judgement

Another classic way of spotting a clocked car is a mismatch between the stated mileage and the general wear and tear on the car. A car which has done 100,000 miles generally won’t be in pristine condition inside and out. If a car has a lower than average stated mileage but a very tired, scuffed and worn interior, this could be a sign that it has been clocked. Similarly, on modern cars clocking usually involves fiddling about with the car’s electrics and computer to adjust the mileage. This is done using equipment the manufacturer wouldn’t recommend, so an unwanted side-effect is often glitches elsewhere in the electrics of the car.

Other Tips

Always check the mileage on a car you’re thinking about buying each time you see it. An underhand trick is to turn the clock back for a first test drive to make it look more attractive, then returning it to the original mileage afterwards. If you do suspect that a garage or private seller is offering you a clocked car, walk away and don’t be tempted to buy. Report the seller to Trading Standards, who will be able to take further action against them.