How to Check the Car Mileage Before Buying
Posted by Evan Murray on March 19th, 2019
Buying a car with it is a sure way to save money. However, there is always the risk of being caught by cunning salespeople who want to earn as much as possible by cheating. When buying a car, the main thing to pay attention to is the number of former owners, the absence of restrictions and debts, the year of manufacture, the technical condition of the vehicle and, of course, mileage. It is very easy to confuse a naive buyer with the latter. Cases twisting odometer in the odometer are quite common. After all, it is possible to hide the real mileage of a car even with the help of a conventional screwdriver.
In this article, we will tell you how to independently verify whether the mileage is twisted, and not to fall into the hands of evil scammers.
Check car mileage using documents
To calculate the actual mileage of the car, it is necessary, first of all, to take the service book of cars and PTS. There you will see the year of manufacture of the vehicle. Based on the fact that, on average, a car travels about 15-16 thousand kilometers a year, we can conclude by relating this data to the year of production. For example, the odometer shows on the car in 2007 mileage of 70 thousand kilometers. Based on the above, we do the calculation. For all the time the car was supposed to drive about 160 thousand kilometers. It follows that the instrument arrow shows incorrectly.
We recommend that you read the document on the last oil change. There may also be a catch. In this brochure, as a rule, it is indicated at which run the replacement was made. Let's say you liked the car, on the odometer indicated 60 with something thousands of kilometers. See the brochure and see that the oil has been replaced by 110 thousand. The output is self-labeled.
In addition to the year of manufacture of the car, you can check the mileage in the service book. As a rule, after performing routine maintenance, the masters set the milestone mark.
In the passport of the vehicle you will find information about what kind of production car. German cars of the former use usually sell after 100-150 thousand kilometers. If the mileage is less, then the indicators were twisted.
Check by Computer
How to find out the mileage of the car? Perhaps the easiest way to check the odometer is simply not to come up. You will need a laptop and a USB OBD-2 discharge cable. The cost of such a cord will not exceed 400 rubles. We suggest using it to connect to the electronic control unit, which will show the actual mileage of the car upon purchase. Some "craftsmen" can reset the data in the electronic unit. Therefore it is worth being careful.
How else to check the mileage? The traveled mileage can be determined by looking at the individual small systems. For example, the control unit light, which often can not be overwritten.
Check by technical means
How to calculate the mileage on the technical characteristics of the car? Take a good look at and determine how smoothly the numbers on the odometer are located relative to each other. If they are dancing "who is in the forest, who is firewood," then the twisting hand has already been here. But apparently, inexperienced and untidy, who left behind traces.
Open the hood and check all the components. Replaced peripherals will tell you about the mileage of the car.
When buying a honda city car, listen to the sounds emitted by the bearings from the gearbox. Any tapping or unstable operation of the synchronizers will be familiar to you. Is it worth the purchase?
Check by indirect signs
If you are allowed to inspect the dashboard from the inside, you will immediately notice scuffs and damage on some parts - bolts, rivets, body.
Also the cheater will give out worn car interior elements. For example, the holes in the back of the seat usually occur when the mileage of the car reaches 200 thousand kilometers. If the seat covers are tight, then do not be lazy to remove them. Often they cover unforced roughness.
Does the seller claim real mileage is small? Make sure the brake discs do not change even once. Otherwise, this fact also speaks against the seller.
Wanting to calculate mileage, do not forget to look at the windshield. Deep chips and scratches will give out that the car has been in use for a very long time.
This is evidenced by the state of plastic in the cabin. Even with the utmost care, the driver and passengers touch the door handles, gear knob and parking brake. They will help determine the actual mileage of the car.
Check using the Internet
Assistance in matters of the history of the car will provide service Autocode. Determine the mileage of the car when buying is very convenient. Primary information about the car can be checked here for free by filling in the box the state number. After that, in just a few seconds, you will be provided with a brief report about the car of interest - the 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 site is 349 rubles. But it is certainly cheaper than to overpay a cunning seller. Moreover, for this money you will find out almost everything about the car: whether it participated in an accident, was registered in a taxi, was it left as a pledge, was it wanted. In addition, you will be available information about the mileage, the status of the owner, customs history and data of those. inspection.
How to use the Autocode report to find out if you are being cheated:
In the section runs see the date of fixation and value. These data are calculated on the basis of diagnostic maps during the passage of TO. It should be remembered that the technical inspection is carried out after three and five years from the date of purchase of the car. Since the fifth year of use is made annually. Also THAT can pass by paying it from an insurance agent on the Internet. In this case, the owner himself indicates the mileage, which is recorded in the diagnostic card.
The report also indicates the mileage based on the calculation of insurance repairs. This data service receives from insurance companies. When an insured event occurred, the owner applied to the insurance company. The car was inspected by a specialist, the mileage was identified, and also, based on the results of the inspection, the cost of repair and restoration work was calculated. All these data can be seen in the report Autocode.
Pay attention to the item work in a taxi. If the car was used as an income method, then it will have the appropriate mileage.
In the history of fines section it is easy to check in which region and for which the penalty was received by the owner of the car. From these data, you can also assume mileage and compare it with the words of the seller.
Learn the history of the machine can be directly on the transaction. To do this, use the application "Autocode" on the android or iPhone .
Check with experts
If you liked the car, but some doubts still torment the soul, it is better to resort to the services of professional service centers. In the dealerships of those. maintenance and look when the car was removed from the warranty, and hold a computer diagnostics. She will help to know the mileage of the car. And besides, it will let you know if third-party devices were connected to this device. So buying instills confidence in you.
How else can you calculate the mileage of a car with the help of a specialist? Alternatively, you can contact any trustworthy car service center and ask the master to inspect the engine. Proper inspection will help to check the real mileage on the indicators shown by its compression. It is also possible to test the level of CO there. In cars with high mileage, these figures will increase by two or more times.
Most often, mileage cars with high mileage reduced by a quarter for various reasons. Including to avoid the passage of the most expensive MOT with mileage from 90 to 100 thousand kilometers. However, twisting can not only help detractors to cash in on an inexperienced driver, but also affect the vehicle in the future. So, without knowing the real mileage, you can hardly change the oil in time or update other parts of the machine. Use the tips and be careful so that the purchase was a joy.
