How to Spot a Clocked Car: Detecting Mileage Fraud

Learn how to identify clocked cars in the UK. Discover the signs of mileage fraud, what to check, and how to protect yourself from odometer tampering.

By Car Buying Guide UK22 October 20257 min read

Mileage fraud (clocking) affects 1 in 14 used cars in the UK, costing buyers thousands. Here's how to spot a clocked car and protect yourself.

What is Clocking?

Clocking is illegally reducing a vehicle's recorded mileage to increase its value.

The Scale of the Problem

1 in 14 used cars clocked in UK
£580 million annual cost to buyers
Average fraud: £2,000-£5,000 per car
Detection rate: Very low (most never caught)

Why Sellers Clock

Financial Motive:

High mileage = lower value
100,000 mile car worth £3,000-£5,000 less than 50,000 mile equivalent
Easy profit for criminals
Low risk of prosecution

Example:

Real mileage: 120,000
After clocking: 45,000
Value increase: £4,000
Time to clock: 30 minutes
Equipment cost: £200-£500 (available online)

How Clocking is Done

Traditional Method

Older Cars (Pre-2000s):

Mechanical odometer
Physical tampering with dials
Relatively easy to spot (misaligned numbers)

Digital Clocking (Modern Cars)

Post-2000 Vehicles:

Electronic odometer
Reprogramming devices available online
Sophisticated tools:
- Plug into OBD port
- Reprogram ECU
- Change stored mileage
- Some tools even update service computer

Difficulty: Increasingly hard to detect

Multiple Storage Points:

Main ECU
Dashboard computer
Service computer
Keyfob (some models)
Other modules

Problem: Basic tools only change dashboard, leaving evidence in other modules. Professional criminals use expensive tools that change everything.

How to Check MOT History (Free & Essential)

Step-by-Step

1. Visit: gov.uk/check-mot-history

2. Enter: Vehicle registration

3. Review: Complete MOT mileage history

What to Look For

Consistent Progression:

✅ 2019: 45,000
✅ 2020: 52,000 (+7,000)
✅ 2021: 58,500 (+6,500)
✅ 2022: 64,000 (+5,500)
✅ 2023: 70,000 (+6,000)

Obvious Clocking:

❌ 2019: 78,000
❌ 2020: 94,000 (+16,000)
❌ 2021: 103,000 (+9,000)
❌ 2022: 48,000 (-55,000) CLOCKED HERE
❌ 2023: 52,000 (+4,000)

Subtle Clocking:

2019: 78,000
2020: 85,000 (+7,000)
2021: Missing MOT (expired, done late, or avoided)
2022: 72,000 (clocked during gap)
2023: 78,000 (+6,000)

Red Flags:

Mileage decreases
Huge jump followed by low mileage
Missing MOT years (clocked during gap)
Inconsistent annual mileage (e.g., 5k, 5k, 25k, 5k)

Physical Signs of High Mileage

Interior Wear

Steering Wheel:

Heavily worn leather (shiny, smooth, cracks)
Worn coating on plastic wheels
Diameter reduced from wear
Low mileage should: Look nearly new

Pedal Rubbers:

Worn smooth
Pattern completely gone
Metal showing through
Accelerator most telling (constant use)
Low mileage should: Clear pattern visible

Gear Knob:

Worn leather
Shiny plastic
Numbers/pattern worn off
Low mileage should: Clear markings

Driver's Seat:

Bolster heavily worn (getting in/out)
Seat base compressed
Leather cracked or worn through
Fabric pilling or threadbare
Low mileage should: Minimal wear

Door Handle/Armrest:

Interior door pull worn
Armrest compressed/shiny
Window switches faded
Low mileage should: Crisp and clean

Carpet:

Heavily worn driver's footwell
Heel pad worn through
Matted, compressed
Low mileage should: Still fluffy

Warning Signs Matrix

Claimed Mileage	30,000	60,000	100,000
Steering Wheel	Perfect	Light wear	Visible wear
Pedals	Full pattern	Pattern visible	Smooth/worn
Gear Knob	Unmarked	Light wear	Heavily worn
Seat	Perfect	Minor wear	Compressed
Door Pull	Perfect	Light marks	Shiny/worn

Red Flag: Claimed 30,000 miles but wear matches 100,000 miles = CLOCKED

External Wear

Paintwork:

Chips and scratches
Age appropriate = normal
Excessive for low miles = suspicious

Brake Discs:

Rusty lip indicates lots of miles
Check depth of groove (wear)
Shiny surface = recently replaced (hiding high miles?)

Tyres:

Brand new on "low mileage" car = suspicious (why replaced?)
Very worn on low miles = high use or sitting

Exhaust:

Corrosion level vs age/mileage
New exhaust on old car with low miles = suspicious

Service History Clues

Service Book

Check:

Stamps vs mileage intervals
Dates vs mileage progression
Handwriting consistent?
Garage names real (Google them)

Red Flags:

Missing pages (removed to hide mileage?)
Stamps out of sequence
Mileage doesn't match MOT records
Services suddenly stopping then restarting
Handwritten stamps (fake?)

Service Stickers

Oil Change Stickers:

Often show mileage for next service
"Next service at 95,000" but car shows 45,000 = CLOCKED
Check inside windscreen, door jamb, under bonnet

Old Service Receipts:

Ask seller for any old receipts
Cross-reference mileage
Invoice paper yellowing indicates age vs mileage

Digital Service History

Manufacturer Online Checks:

VW/Audi: Can check digital service history
BMW: Connected Drive shows history
Mercedes: Me App shows service records
Honda/Toyota: Dealer can check history

Action: Ask dealer to print service history from manufacturer database

Digital Forensics

OBD Scanner Check

If You Have Access:

Plug OBD2 scanner into port
Check stored mileage in modules:
- Engine ECU
- ABS module
- Airbag module
- Gearbox ECU
- Other controllers

What to Look For:

Discrepancies between modules
Example: Dashboard shows 50k, ABS shows 120k = CLOCKED

Caution:

Professional clocking services change all modules
This method catches amateur clocking only

Professional Mileage Check

Services Available:

Car Sorted vehicle history checks (includes mileage verification with £10k-£50k guarantee)
HPI Total Mileage Check
Experian AutoCheck
Cross-reference multiple databases

Databases Checked:

MOT records
Finance agreements
Insurance records
Service records
Previous sales

Cost: Included in comprehensive vehicle checks (£10-£30)

Seller Red Flags

Suspicious Behavior

Evasive About:

Service history ("it's been lost")
Previous MOTs ("don't have old certificates")
Where car serviced ("can't remember garage")
Why so few miles ("only used weekends")

Pressuring:

"Another buyer coming tonight"
"Cash only, no time for checks"
"Take it or leave it"

Meeting Location:

Won't show at home address
Car park meetings only
Vague about where vehicle kept

Documents

Recently Issued V5C:

Old car with V5C issued recently = suspicious
Possible plate change to hide history
Possible ownership shuffling

No Service History:

"Lost in house move"
"Previous owner kept it"
Convenient excuse
Nearly always hiding something

Mismatched Details:

Seller name doesn't match V5C
"Selling for a friend" (common scam)

What If You Suspect Clocking?

During Viewing

Confront Seller:

"MOT history shows 100k in 2021, now 50k. Why?"
Watch reaction
Genuine mistake? (Rare, but possible if dashboard replaced)
Evasive? Walk away

Don't Accuse, Question:

"Can you explain this discrepancy?"
Give benefit of doubt initially
Their answer reveals truth

After Discovery

Before Purchase:

Walk away immediately
Report to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk)
Report to trading standards
Warn other buyers (forum posts)

After Purchase (Already Bought):

Report to police (fraud)
Trading Standards (unfair trading)
Action Fraud (official reporting)
Legal action (misrepresentation claim)
Finance company (if financed, they own car)

Your Rights:

Misrepresentation - seller liable
Breach of contract
Entitled to refund
Can claim additional losses

Reality:

Private sales hard to recover from
Dealer sales easier (Consumer Rights Act)
Proof essential (MOT history, inspection report)

Prevention Checklist

Before buying any used car:

Real-World Example

2018 BMW 3 Series

Advertised:

£16,000
42,000 miles
"One owner, full BMW history"

Red Flags Found:

MOT History:

2020: 78,000 miles
2021: 95,000 miles
2022: No MOT recorded
2023: 42,000 miles

Physical Inspection:

Steering wheel heavily worn (100k+ wear)
Driver's seat bolster worn through
Pedal rubbers smooth
Gear knob worn
Service sticker under bonnet: "Next service 102,000"

Service Book:

Last stamp: 94,000 miles (2021)
Nothing after

Conclusion:

Actually 115,000+ miles (not 42,000)
Clocked by 73,000 miles
True value: £11,000 (not £16,000)
Buyer would have lost £5,000

Action Taken:

Buyer walked away
Reported to Action Fraud
Seller disappeared from listings

Summary

Clocking is Common:

1 in 14 cars affected
Average loss £2,000-£5,000
Easy to do, hard to prosecute

Detection Methods:

MOT history (free, essential, 80% effective)
Physical wear (good indicator)
Service history (cross-reference)
Vehicle history check (Car Sorted or HPI - multiple databases)
Seller behavior (trust instincts)

Prevention:

Always check MOT history (no exceptions)
Inspect physical wear carefully
Question discrepancies immediately
Walk away if suspicious
Never skip vehicle history check

Most Important:

Free MOT check reveals most clocking
Takes 2 minutes
Compare physical wear to claimed mileage
Trust your gut

Remember: If wear looks excessive for the mileage, it probably is. Low mileage cars should look nearly new inside. If it doesn't, ask why.

A 30,000 mile car shouldn't have a worn-out steering wheel and threadbare carpets. If it does, walk away.