Every third report from the Autocode service shows that the car’s mileage is incorrect. On average, each car travels about 20 thousand km per year. However, on sale you can find many 5-7 year old vehicles with mileage of 50-60 thousand km, or even less. Owners of such cars may claim that they only used the car “on major holidays.” But, most likely, the actual mileage is much higher than that indicated on the dashboard. Let's figure out what methods fraudsters use and how to determine the twisted mileage.
What are we seeing these days?
Upon arrival at the nearest car dealership that sells used cars, you can see a unique beauty: all the cars, as if selected, are clean, mirror-like and ready to meet their new owner. And where, and most importantly, who to look in the mouth? Unfortunately, not everything is so simple in our life. Otherwise, I could, with a great degree of confidence, rely on the speedometer readings, which actually show how far our horse has traveled, and not think about how to check whether the mileage is twisted. But, in our time, they have learned to fake horse teeth, let alone iron horses.
Want to check it out? Hurry up to place an advertisement for the sale of your car, and you will immediately be bombarded with calls with offers to reduce the mileage of your car for a certain price. How do you like this? So, it's time to move on to the main topic of our conversation. The so-called corrective actions regarding the mileage of a car are taken through special intervention using a specialized tool or existing equipment in the vehicle components. This is done in order to change the readings of the on-board computer or instrument board in the direction you need.
Not so long ago, when speedometers were mechanical and, accordingly, correction methods were applied to them. During the whole process, the speedometer assembly itself was disassembled and the required numbers were manually set or operated using an electric drill. The chuck of an electric drill was carefully placed on the cable of the device, after which the required mileage was screwed on. Today, most automobile components have become electronic, i.e., mileage is adjusted electronically. It happens like this: specialized equipment is connected to the car’s diagnostic connector and new numbers are flashed. Just five minutes of work and your car can, with extraordinary ease for its owner, transform from a pensioner with considerable experience into a middle-aged man who travels only on weekends. What should you do and what should you do to avoid being deceived?
Rolling up the electronic odometer
The operation of devices of this type is based on reading the readings of special sensors (they can be optical or magnetic), which are installed on the gearbox shaft or directly on the vehicle wheel. The readings go into the on-board computer, which records them and transmits them to the electronic display.
On expensive car models (Toyota, Audi, etc.), mileage data can be stored in several memory blocks at once. According to experts, it is most difficult to change the mileage traveled on a BMW (the car can have up to 10 backup storage points). However, experts unanimously claim that if you have the appropriate equipment, you can check the mileage of absolutely any vehicle.
Several tricks are used to manipulate electronic odometers.
Method number 1. Designed for fraud with budget cars. To implement it, it is enough to remove the dashboard and connect the car’s on-board computer to a laptop on which the appropriate software is installed, or to a special device - a programmer. After this, the actual readings change.
Method number 2. Used for fraud with expensive cars that have several backup data storage units. In its principle it is almost identical to the first. However, it is very important for the fraudster to detect all information storages, otherwise during further operation the car computer can restore data from the backup storage, then the real mileage will again be displayed on the display.
The cost of the service depends on the complexity of the work and can vary from 2.5 to 10-12 thousand rubles.
How to find out if a car's mileage is incorrect?
It’s clear that buying a car with a huge mileage is tantamount to buying an elderly horse that is unlikely to pull a heavy load, and if it does, it won’t be for long. Nobody wants to buy a beat-up car that's been driven through hills and dales for countless hours. This does not make any mechanism stronger or better; any iron, even the strongest and most powerful motor, will sooner or later become unusable.
When buying a used car, the question is always asked: “what actually made its owner offer it for sale?” And here the task is to find out: were the readings on the odometer changed? As many people know, within 12 months a car travels on average about twenty-five thousand kilometers. This, of course, does not update the mechanism and leads to various types of breakdown and wear of certain parts that carry the heaviest load. Buying a car with enormous mileage is like throwing money away, because repairing it can cost a large sum. And this is not at all profitable.
Power unit
As in the entire global automotive industry, the Granta design has a rule: the simpler the unit, the more reliable it is. Although, unfortunately, the eight-valve Grant engines have already sipped the fruits of modernization. This includes a reduction in the width of the drive belt to 17 mm instead of the previous 19 mm, and a lightweight piston group with narrow connecting rods that dangle freely along the axis of the crankshaft, and pistons that meet the valves when the belt breaks.
These are all the trends of the new time, as well as a departure from the really good old and reliable VAZ-21083 engine. But sixteen-valve engines, being only slightly more powerful, have a complex design with the only advantage being the presence of hydraulic valve lifters. This eliminated the need to adjust them. However, the loads on the lightweight piston group have increased.
When inspecting specific cars, it is better to give preference to the engine that idles smoothly, picks up speed well when you press the gas pedal, accepts the load smoothly and without failure, and provides acceptable dynamics. The engine should not leak oil, and it is undesirable to see noticeable smoke from the exhaust pipe.
New Lada: Choosing good oil for the 8-valve Lada Granta engine
Gearboxes were installed on the car in two modifications - with a traction drive and a cable drive. Traction drive is a thing of the past. Fuzzy switching on, a lever that dangles when the power unit oscillates, difficult adjustments that give little effect. The cable-controlled gearbox is almost like a foreign car.
Communication between the driver and the gearbox (at least with a working one) became like in a normal car. During a test drive, evaluate how fully the clutch is depressed (reverse gear should engage without a rattle) and the operation of the forward gear synchronizers. Particular attention is paid to the second gear synchronizer: this is the eternal weak point of VAZ front-wheel drive gearboxes.
How to check whether the mileage is correct on a VAZ 2114, Renault Logan, Ford Focus? On Kalina? On Prior?
You can check for incorrect mileage on a VAZ in the following ways:
You can check Renault Logan for fraud if you pay attention to the following points:
- The steering wheel should not be jammed; you can check the condition by removing the braid;
- the gear shift lever should be in ideal condition;
- The brake disc flange must be normal;
- determine how worn the steering wheel cushion is;
- It is also important what condition the knitting needles have.
We check the Ford Focus for mileage compliance. It is possible (to be convincing) with the help of an experienced diagnostician. We independently assess the condition:
- steering wheel;
- pens;
- gearboxes;
- wear on brake discs;
- windshield.
In order not to make a mistake when buying a Klina, you should carefully inspect the car and exclude excessive wear on the windshields. With low mileage, they will be “original” (check the year of manufacture). There should be no cracks or gaps between the panels. Excessively crooked gaps indicate that the car is very worn. It is necessary to pay attention to the seams under the hood. If the seams are uneven, there is putty or putty, most likely the car is very old or has high mileage.
On a Priori, you can check the mileage compliance by assessing the condition of the interior. The more flaws and abrasions, the higher the mileage. You also need to inspect the brake discs, pedals and steering wheel. If such parts are in poor condition, you should refrain from purchasing. Only the right choice and attentiveness will allow you to avoid deception and become the owner of an excellent car.
Body
Like any other car, a used Grant should be assessed first and foremost by the condition of the body. At the time of writing, Grants were offered only in sedan and liftback bodies (from now on, hatchbacks and station wagons will be added to them, in the past - Kalina). In my opinion, the liftback is more practical, looks more modern, and with it you will almost certainly not run into a former cab driver from a taxi company.
If you want your car to serve you faithfully for a long time, try to choose a copy with an undamaged body. The check includes inspection of the gaps between body elements, the presence of non-factory welds, and the absence of different colors in the paint. Earlier, my colleague Stanislav Panin told in detail how to avoid running into a repainted body.
The task is made easier by the fact that few people strive to restore inexpensive domestically produced cars to zero, so that traces of repair are absolutely not visible. So there are only two options. Either the car is truly “unbeaten and unpainted”, or the traces of body repairs will be relatively clearly visible.
New Lada: Replacing the front wheel hub bearing
What should you be afraid of?
Odometer readings are adjusted on absolutely all cars.
Even 2-3 year old cars are subject to adjustments to their readings. This is usually done by greedy sellers who want to hide all the shortcomings of the car, trying to “sell” it at an inflated price. Inexperienced drivers often fall for this.
How to check if a car's mileage is wrong? Anyone can do this, you just need to carefully inspect the car. What should you be afraid of when buying a car with low mileage? When buying a car with low mileage, you run the risk of buying real junk cars, which will require a lot of money from you for maintenance. Thus, the odometer is often adjusted at mileage from 90 to 110 thousand. And this is due to the fact that during this period of time the car is undergoing the largest scheduled maintenance. In order not to spend money on repairs, unscrupulous sellers inflate the odometer numbers and put the vehicle up for sale, convincing the buyer that the car has already passed all the necessary maintenance.
Check with specialists
Most often, the mileage of a high-mileage car is reduced by a quarter for various reasons. Including to avoid undergoing the most expensive maintenance with a mileage of 90 to 100 thousand kilometers. However, twisting can not only help ill-wishers profit from an inexperienced driver, but will also affect the vehicle in the future. So, without knowing the actual mileage, you are unlikely to be able to change the oil or update other car parts on time. Follow the advice and be careful so that your purchase is a joy.
Source
Computer diagnostics
This is perhaps the most accurate and fastest way to verify the authenticity of odometer readings. This requires a laptop and an OBD-2 cord. By connecting to the electronic control unit, you can see the actual mileage of the car. Be careful! Some sellers make adjustments by resetting the data in the electronic unit.
How to check the mileage of a car (wound or not)? To verify the authenticity of the kilometers traveled by the car, we look at individual components. The mileage is recorded not only in the engine and gearbox, but also in small systems (for example, the light control unit). And they are most often protected from overwriting. Here we can catch the seller “on the hook” by pointing him to the correct mileage. But there are other ways to find out the real mileage of a car. Let's look at them further.
Check using the Internet
The Autocode service will provide assistance in matters of vehicle history. Determining the mileage of a car when purchasing is very convenient. You can check primary information about the car here for free by filling in the state number in the frame. After that, in just a few seconds you will be provided with a brief report about the car you are interested in - year of production, vehicle category, steering wheel location, type, power and engine size.
To find out complete information, including the mileage of your vehicle, you will have to pay a little. The cost of one full report on the website is 349 rubles. But it’s certainly cheaper than overpaying a cunning seller. Moreover, for this money you will learn almost everything about the car: whether it was involved in an accident, whether it was registered in a taxi, whether it was left as collateral, whether it was wanted. In addition, information about mileage, owner status, customs history and technical inspection data will become available to you.
How to use the Autocode report to find out if you are being deceived:
You can find out the history of the car directly at the transaction. To do this, use the Autocode application on Android or iPhone. This service is suitable for those who need one or more checks.
If you constantly check cars, use the “Autocode Pro” service. A subscription to unlimited car checks costs 2,500 rubles per month. Using the service, you can add comments to reports, create your own lists of liquid vehicles, quickly compare options and store data about cars in an orderly manner.
How do you know if the mileage is twisted? Dashboard
Pay attention to how the front dashboard and the instrument panel itself were assembled. If it had signs of disassembly (and these are scratches and places pryed with a screwdriver), then there is reason to think about it. By the way, the instrument panel itself is covered with a thin layer of varnish on the reverse side. If the mileage has been twisted, it will be immediately visible. But to do this you will have to completely remove the shield out.
If it is a classic drum-type odometer, pay attention to the gaps between the numbers. They should not stand crookedly or at different distances from each other. Otherwise, there is every reason to confirm the mileage adjustment.
Interior details
We continue to tell you how to check the mileage of a car (twisted or not). An important detail during inspection is the steering wheel. Based on its condition, you can determine how accurate the odometer readings are. How to find out the real mileage of a car? The steering wheel begins to wear out at 250 thousand kilometers or more. Moreover, early wear cannot be attributed to poor build quality.
A car with a steering wheel like the one in the photo definitely cannot have a mileage of less than 100-150 thousand kilometers. Also note that sellers reupholster the steering wheel, and often use cheap materials for this. If there is a non-factory stitch on it, then the element has been restored.
Don't neglect the seats either.
It will be quite difficult to change them. Yes, you can do this, but it won’t pay off when you sell it. Some people install disassembled seats taken from cars with less mileage. In this case, pay attention to the adjacent seats and the back row.
If there is more wear on them than on the driver's seat, it means the seat has been replaced. Some sellers attach “T-shirts” or covers to hide wear. Don't be afraid to look underneath them. Perhaps the owner was trying to hide signs of wear in this way.
Another factor is the door trim. Few sellers deal with this little detail. Often their deception ends with adjusting the odometer readings and resetting basic data from the ECU. No one “bothers” with the condition of the door trim and handles. When purchasing, pay attention to these details.
Also inspect the condition of the gear lever and the parking brake handle boot. Noticeable signs of wear appear on them no earlier than after 200 thousand kilometers.
Our verdict
In some cases, it is virtually impossible to determine whether a car has original mileage or not. Computer diagnostics will only help if the seller decided to save money or the technician turned out to be insufficiently competent. Moreover, the longer the car travels around Belarus, the less effective alternative methods will be in the form of checking the sales history through an auction or searching for information through a dealer. We can say that, once in our country, the car automatically falls into a “gray” zone, where there is neither control over the odometer readings nor responsibility for their changes.
The editors would like to express their gratitude to the Lobster Lab service station in Grodno for their assistance in preparing the material
Service station in the Automotive business ad base
Don't be fooled by the pretty wrapper
To make the car seem as attractive as possible, its body is tinted. However, do not rush to determine the integrity of the mileage by the quality of the paintwork. If the body repair was carried out with high quality, even an experienced motorist cannot determine this. The only thing that can be done is to check the thickness of the paintwork using a thickness gauge. It also determines how much putty was applied to the body (if the car was after an accident). The mechanism “breaks” the distance from the top of the paintwork to the metal.
However, it makes no sense to look at the quality of the paint by checking the rolled mileage. After all, an accident can happen at any mileage. Here everything depends on how well the repair was carried out. Well, if you are buying a car that is 20+ years old, inspect the hidden places - sills and technological plugs on the bottom. Corrosion does not depend on mileage, but rust is a significant reason to reduce the price.
Chassis
Many elements of the car's chassis can be inspected even without the help of a service center or a lift. All pendants are so simple that small flaws should not become an obstacle to purchase: they can be repaired quickly and inexpensively. You just need to make sure that, for example, a strongly and unevenly balding tire was not the result of a serious accident with deformation of the mounting points of the suspension parts.
I would advise choosing a car modification with ABS. Of course, you can do without it in modern heavy traffic, but extending the compulsory motor vehicle insurance policy is painfully expensive, and you can easily drive into the rear of the car in front and not meet the limit of a regular “motor vehicle” license.
