The mileage of one in five imported cars has decreased

Buying a used car is never without risks. You need to know in advance how you will spend your money. If you are planning to buy an imported car, you need to be completely vigilant. One in five imported cars has reverse mileage, trade association Bovag and the Association for Combating Teller Fraud told Autovisie.

In the past, meter fraud occurred by physically turning back the meter in the speedometer box. It is now completely digital.

Many imported cars have reset mileage

21.6 percent of imported cars in the Netherlands have reverse mileage. That’s big. Nevertheless, we are doing well in the Netherlands, says Bovag. “For vehicles originally delivered in the Netherlands, the proportion of incorrect speedometer readings is only around 2 percent.”

For Dutch cars, you can easily check whether a car’s mileage is correct via the RDW. Internationally, it cannot be checked online. Nevertheless, we give some tips.

According to Bovag, you don’t have to be afraid of imported cars, the majority are honest and good. However, you have to be particularly careful.

How to avoid buying a car with low mileage

Always carefully check the maintenance booklets, although they may be counterfeit, and if necessary contact the workshop where the vehicle was serviced. Always buy from reputable companies and watch out for (too) low prices. If it seems too good to be true, it often is. X

Martin Huisman, chairman of the Association for Combating Odometer Fraud, said: “More than 20 percent of imported cars have incorrect odometer readings. However, we once conducted a survey of non-brand dealers and found that 380 of the 400 imported cars had been reversed.”

Pay close attention to the condition of the car. For example, worn seats or a worn steering wheel with low mileage are cause to doubt the mileage on the speedometer.

You can also pay attention to stickers under the hood. If they show higher mileage, the reading has likely been tampered with. In addition, rolled-back cars often have few records. “Scammers want to leave as little trace as possible,” Martin said.

Read the mileage from the key

Are you buying a used car? Then the mileage is often not only registered in your odometer system. For example, in BMWs the key also stores the mileage. Malicious sellers often forget to adjust these.

The transmission and engine block also often keep records of mileage, but this is not always accurate. “We sent a car back once,” says Martin. Even traders couldn’t detect the manipulation. If it’s done really well, you can’t figure it out. As a private person, not at all.”

If you were scammed despite these tips, you may have overpaid thousands of dollars for your car. On average, a consumer is cheated for 1,500 euros when buying a car with a reset odometer reading.

In addition, resetting the mileage can lead to dangerous situations. For example, if you think the timing belt doesn’t need to be replaced but it does, it could break.

If you have been scammed, you can contact the seller and insist on canceling the purchase, even if you bought from a private person. You can seek legal advice and report your case to the reporting office of the Association to Combat Cashier Fraud.

If you ultimately sell your returned car yourself, you will have to report the incorrect mileage. If you know about a drop in mileage and sell the car without mentioning it, you are committing a crime yourself.

Of course, prevention is easier than cure. So be careful when buying an (import) car. If you notice incorrect mileage, report it to the police and the Association to Combat Meter Fraud.

European action

Imported cars in particular have declining mileage. According to the Association to Combat Fraud, this will change in the future. “Belgium shares the mileage with the Netherlands and work is also underway in Germany. (…) In any case, the mileage must be recorded by the TÜV everywhere in Europe,” explains Martin.