How to check the reality of a car's mileage. We check indirect signs of a twisted run. We check the average annual mileage of the car.

Today I will answer a frequently asked question: how find out car mileage when purchasing it? How to find out the real mileage of a car? I'll tell you now.

Hello, dear blog readers.

I was prompted to write an article to find out the mileage of a car by the son of my friend, who called me last night and asked: “Where can I change the odometer and how much does it cost?” I asked: “What year is your car?” It turned out that the 2003 VAZ 2112 (two). “And how much is your odometer now?” - I asked. He says it’s 178,000 km, but he’s going to sell it and wants to supply 90,000 km. Then he added that when he bought this two-piece, he old master admitted (after they paid off) that his mileage was wrong, so it was time to change the timing belt. I asked him: “Does your car look like it has traveled 90,000 km?” He says, “No, but people will look at the odometer and maybe believe she hasn’t driven a lot.”

I tried to dissuade him from adjusting the mileage because it would be implausible. The buyer, seeing that he is being deceived with mileage, will continue to be suspicious of such a seller. But he still decided to “twist” the odometer readings so that the buyer would not be able to find out the real mileage of the car, especially since it costs 100 rubles. The conversation ended, and I thought that the 21st century is here, and people still believe in fairy tales.

In Russia, everyone knows that 90% of odometers are twisted, but they still hope to get into these 10% and look at the odometer readings when buying, choosing a car based on mileage. But my opinion, as a person who has been selling cars for 14 years, is that the mileage on the odometer is not important when buying. Personally, if I choose a car older than 5 years, I don’t pay attention to it. Of course, it’s good when the mileage is small, but what’s most important is technical condition car, despite the mileage figures.

Find out mileage

Most likely, the numbers on the odometer will be true for a car that belonged to one owner and is under warranty. It has marks in the service book (although even here there may be deception), let alone cars that are 5, 7, 10 or more years old, it is generally impossible to find out the mileage of the car. Moreover, you can adjust the odometer readings for any car: it’s easier and cheaper for Russian ones, a little more difficult for European ones, and the most difficult for Japanese ones (I wrote about this in the article )

But everything depends only on the price for this service. If you think that they twist only here in Russia, then you are mistaken. This is also done abroad (including in Germany) in order to receive more insurance coverage in case of an accident. Therefore, you shouldn’t really hope that a car with real mileage will be brought to you from abroad. Here, when inspecting a car, we pay the main attention to the technical condition of the car. After this, we make a conclusion: whether to buy this car or not, even if the odometer shows 15,000 km.

How to determine if the mileage is twisted?

So, it is clear that the mileage is being adjusted. But by what signs can this be determined? I may upset you a little here. If the car has undergone high-quality pre-sale training from intelligent specialists, then you are unlikely to be able to determine how long this car has actually passed with 100% certainty. Despite the assurances of “specialists” who can determine the mileage by looking at the pedals, steering wheel, etc. Because the rubber bands on the pedals, the gear knob along with the cover, the turn doublers, expansion tank, by which “specialists” determine mileage, cost pennies, and they were changed before sale.

For those who like to stick their finger in front wheel and by the wear of the brake disc he calls “accurate mileage” I can say that in any normal pre-sale, the edge on the front brake discs is ground off with a grinder (by which the wear is checked with a finger). The steering wheel was replaced with a new one (old steering wheels are exchanged for new ones at any auto parts market, so that your old steering wheel can be covered with leather and sold again). The turn signal glasses in the headlights are replaced, and the headlights and taillights themselves are polished and washed inside. So try to find out the actual mileage of the car.

Check mileage

But if you still really want to, then you can! It will help you with this Adaperio — service for checking the operating history of used cars registered in the Russian Federation.

On this site you can check the history of your car: there is information on mileage, theft, collateral (information is taken from the database of partner banks and single base collateral property). Also - customs clearance, carfax, repair history according to insurance data, checking the VIN check symbol. Learn about the factory configuration and use as a taxi.

This is a paid service. But they offer to pay if they have any information about your car. Go to the website, enter the state number or VIN code of the car. Then you are told what information is available on that vehicle. Then you pay a small amount and they will provide you with a history of your vehicle. If you are interested in the past of the car, then go to the Adaperio website and find out everything in more detail.

So let's continue.

All this preparation of the car costs less than a thousand rubles (together with adjusting the odometer for any Russian car). It will be more expensive for a foreign car, but foreign cars, unlike ours, are made of higher quality materials, especially German and Japanese ones. Look, the odometer shows 250,000 km, and the upholstery of the interior and seats is better than the new VAZ one, you don’t even need dry cleaning. And the odometers of the most difficult to twist, in order not to pay dearly, can be bought at a disassembly along with the on-board computer in exchange for your own.

If the glass is worn out, then they are also polished. But if it is not possible to polish, then you can buy an analogue of the original one on the market, and there they will grind off the old production date with a small milling cutter (by which they determine the year of production), draw the correct one and your glass will be the same year. You can do all this yourself before selling your car in a couple or three hours. And then it will be very difficult to find out the real mileage of the car or not.

What else, seats? If they are worn out and dirty, then dry clean them; if they are torn or burnt, then wear covers for 700 rubles or “T-shirts”.

As you can see, what is advised to look at when buying to find out the mileage of a car can be easily and cheaply eliminated by any seller, and even more so by specialists preparing the car for sale.

Machine inspection

Let's start with the body, as the most important component of the cost of a car. As you know, people are greeted by their clothes. Pay attention to the paint chips, the more there are, the more this car has been through. Look at the ribs and bottoms of the doors, which are exposed to sand and stones flying from under the wheels, the front part of the hood (beak) and the A-pillars.

A car that has traveled more than 100,000 km will always have chips. Precisely for chips, and not for whether the body shines or not (you can polish it from 3,000 rubles and it will shine like new). But this advice is only suitable for an unpainted car, because chips on a repainted part will naturally be painted over.

Watch how the doors open and close, checking for play and sagging in the hinges. Having opened the door, look at the driver’s seat, at the seat, and specifically at its left edge.

These are the seats for a car that has traveled up to 50,000 km.

These are up to 100,000 km

A car with a mileage of 150,000 km will have these seats.

Well, here you can see that the leather is cracked, which means the car has covered 200,000 km.

Foreign cars with fabric seats most often experience wrinkles with characteristic large wrinkles in this place after a mileage of 200,000 km. If the seats are leather, then the same wrinkle appears at 150,000 km.

It appears as a result of the fact that when a person gets in and out of the car, he wrinkles this part of the seat. Look how worn the glass is. Similar specimens have deep scratches that are not polished, and not everyone replaces the glass when selling.

Under the hood

Open the hood and look at the front of the radiator. After 100,000 km there will be obvious marks on it from sand, insect impacts, and pebbles.

Now proceed to inspect the engine compartment. Look at the exhaust pipe (muffler) where it exits the engine, up to 30,000 km there will be no red coating on it (ignore the arrows, look at the pipes),

and after 50,000 a red coating appears.

And a car that has run more than 100,000 km will have such an exhaust pipe.

But best way checking the condition of the engine means, of course, checking the compression. Look at the exhaust of the engine, ask someone to light the lawn, and stand behind and slightly to the side. Blue smoke means increased oil consumption, black smoke means problems with the fuel supply.

After that, close the hood, bend down and look at the condition of the floors, sills and suspension. Rusty, torn marks with dents will tell you that this car has traveled a lot or has not been spared (even if it has traveled a little), but, in any case, it is already tired of our roads and is not advisable to take it.

Vehicle condition

As you understand, you are unlikely to be able to find out exactly the mileage of a car. But, in my opinion, what is more important is not the mileage on the odometer, but the technical condition of the entire car. Because there are people who take care of their car, polish it, pour it good oil, consumables are changed on time. These cars have 300,000 km, but their condition is higher than normal. And there are riders who ride until something flies off.

A friend of mine bought a car, drove it for more than 50,000 km and never changed the oil or filters, never went to a service station under warranty, and changed the brake pads when the sound of hardware on hardware became unbearable. I rode it and sold it. And what good is it that when it was sold, it covered 80,000 km and has one owner? And the condition is already a “bucket”, which will have to be repaired by the new owner. So when buying, look at the condition.

That's all for today, I hope that my advice will help you choose a car. Next time we'll talk about motor oil .

Now you know how to find out the mileage of a car!

4 - Ratings: 88

You will need

- keen eyes;
- knowledge of the technical features of a particular vehicle;
- diagnostic center services.

Instructions

Multiply the average mileage of the car, for example, 25,000 - 30,000 km per year, by the age of the car, and get the approximate total mileage. If you suspect that the owner of this car worked in a taxi service, then multiply by 40 - 50 thousand.

Inspect the tires. If the wear is small with a large speedometer reading, then feel free to conclude that they have been replaced. Estimate the approximate mileage on one set (taking into account the car model and driving style) and compare it with the declared number of kilometers.

Inspect brake discs, after 30,000 km, a noticeable groove appears, which increases over time. The rate of wear of brake discs varies depending on the gearbox (if the gearbox is automatic, then the discs wear out faster), the brand of the car, and the quality of the discs. If the wheels are new, but the car as a whole does not look new, conclude that the mileage is already quite high.

Examine the space under the hood, as this is where the sticker is placed indicating that the timing belt has changed. The number 100,000 on the sticker means that the milestone is 100 thousand km automobile already passed. If the speedometer shows 90 or 80 thousand, feel free to accuse the seller of deception. Look under the timing belt cover and assess its condition, estimate whether the degree of wear on the belt matches the speedometer readings.

Determine the mileage of a relatively new car from the service book.

If you want to know the actual mileage of a foreign car, find it out using the on-board computer at the service center, since information about mileage is duplicated on internal meters, and, quite possibly, the owner did not know about this or decided to save money by checking the mileage only on the speedometer.

Ask the owner how far and how often he traveled, what he repaired and when he changed what parts. Estimate approximately at what mileage certain parts should be changed and draw a conclusion about the veracity of the owner of the car.

If you buy an expensive car, do not spare money on diagnostics. Find out from the specialists what repairs are required, what condition the engine and all other systems are in, and how long they will last. This information will bring you much more benefit than knowing the number of kilometers behind the car.

There are often situations when used sellers car offer you a car with a suspiciously small mileage. You shouldn’t immediately be happy that you will get an almost “new” car. It’s better to carefully double-check whether its mileage has been lost.

Instructions

You can determine exactly how many kilometers your car has traveled, for example, by indirect evidence. To do this, carefully consider the condition of the driver's seat. If the steering wheel is very worn, the seat is worn out, and the pads on the pedals indicate that they have been used for too long, and the mileage at the same time

It is necessary to determine its technical condition. To do this, we need the mileage of the car, but not all sellers will give you real numbers. Of course, you can look at the odometer, but it can be twisted. Therefore, we decided to tell you how to find out the real mileage of a car so as not to become a victim of deception. Of course, the methods we have given will not allow us to determine exact, but only approximate numbers.

Curled odometer

Most motorists do not even realize that the device that determines the car’s mileage may show incorrect numbers. Therefore, when they first of all pay attention to the odometer readings. Unfortunately, the numbers on the device do not play a special role. People who resell used cars simply twist odometers.

This is especially true for those mechanisms that are operated by a cable. On such devices it is very easy to remove unnecessary numbers. If the odometer is equipped with an electronic drive, only a professional mechanic can change its readings. But there are some nuances here. It is almost impossible to change the numbers on electronic odometers in, but the devices installed in European models are not so difficult to screw up. The numbers can be changed when flashing, since information about the mileage is contained in the processor, and not on a separate chip.

The video talks about how to identify a car with bad mileage - direct and indirect signs:

Check the play and degree of sagging of the hinges by opening and closing the doors. Pay attention to the left edge of the driver's seat. If a car has more than 100 thousand kilometers on it, it will show signs of wear and tear. With a mileage of more than 200 thousand kilometers. If the seats are fabric, large wrinkles appear on them with high mileage.

Determine to what extent the glass is worn. Deep scratches that cannot be polished will indicate serious mileage on the car. We also recommend opening the hood and inspecting the front of the radiator. If a car travels more than 100 thousand kilometers, traces of sand and stone impacts appear on it. Pay special attention to . With a mileage of up to 50 thousand, there is no red coating on it.

But the most reliable way to check the condition of the engine is to examine the compression. Have someone step on the gas while you watch the engine exhaust. Blue smoke will indicate increased oil consumption, black smoke will indicate problems with the fuel supply. directly related to mileage.

Also determine the condition of the floors and thresholds in the car. If there are rusty marks or dents, this will indicate that the car has gone through a lot or has not been taken care of. In any case, you should not buy such a car.

Important nuances

Find out his story. It would be better if it belonged to one owner and was under warranty. Then you can definitely find out the real mileage numbers. Notes about repairs were made in the service book, which means there is also information about the mileage.

In other cases, the odometer may show incorrect numbers. Moreover, they twist the devices, but also abroad. IN European countries and in America they are twisted in order to get more insurance money in case of an accident. Therefore, do not hope that if they bring you a car from abroad, the device will show real numbers.

Sometimes, during pre-sale preparation of a car, the odometer readings, on the contrary, are “inflated”. Much with a mileage of 120 thousand than 90. They try to “blur” the buyer’s eyes, assuring them that all routine maintenance for such a mileage has been carried out and that the car will not require investment in the near future. As confirmation, sellers show new components (for example, a timing belt). And most drivers believe such stories.

If you received a car from America or Canada, then you can find out its actual mileage using special databases (Carfax, Autocheck). The mileage of a used vehicle can be determined from the auction sheet. However, be careful - there should be no signs of forgery in the document.

The video shows what tricks sellers of used cars use:

You can also turn to qualified service station specialists for help. They will determine the actual mileage because electronic odometer readings are recorded in . If the device has been twisted, traces of tampering will be recorded in the computer. It is almost impossible to remove them from memory.

Do you need mileage

Now you know how to check real mileage. However, the most important thing for a used car is its technical condition. It does not always depend on the number of kilometers the car has traveled. There are drivers who carefully look after their favorites, constantly changing parts,... Such cars remain in good condition even after 300 thousand kilometers. Conversely, there are people who change components only when they are already flying off. Therefore, when buying a used car, be guided not by mileage, but by common sense.

According to statistics, on average, each passenger model runs about 18-20 thousand kilometers per year in the first decade of its operation. At the same time, any buyer of a car on the secondary market is sure that he will certainly come across a copy with low mileage.

There are a lot of five-year-old vehicles on the market with a travel distance of 50,000 km - do the statistics really lie? The real state of affairs is that a good half of the odometer readings are simply not true.

Odometer or how to find out if the mileage on a used car is incorrect: the essence of the adjustment process

It is still unknown why many motorists believe that a device called a speedometer is responsible for recording the kilometers traveled. In fact, he is responsible for speed readings. The kilometers traveled are indicated by the odometer, and only the dashboard unites them. Of course, these devices do not affect the features or import of used foreign cars to Russia. Meanwhile, scammers are mainly interested in the odometer.

How does the device work?

For some reason, everyone who is interested in how to check whether the mileage of a car is twisted does not even try to find out the structure of this device. Until the early 90s of the last century, the global automobile industry used a basic mechanical odometer. Subsequently, the industry switched to electronic analogues of this device. Thus, there are two types of odometers on cars:

Mechanical– is a drum-type meter and a gearbox with a large gear ratio. The drive shaft of such a device must be turned about 2,000 times, and only after that one of the shafts will go through one revolution. The mechanical structure is connected by a cable to the output shaft of the gearbox.
Electronic– the device does not have any gearboxes, rollers or cables. An optical or magnetic sensor is installed on the output shaft of the box (or on the wheel), which records the speed. The received information enters the ECU, and after processing it is immediately displayed on the dashboard.

The question of how to find out if the mileage on a car is incorrect is of interest to many car enthusiasts. That is why it will not hurt them to know that on modern models all data about the distance traveled is stored in several electronic units, and in some cases, in the ignition key. Usually three or four redundant information storage nodes, but modern and Land Rover duplicate such points, bringing their number to 7-8. Therefore, these brands are traditionally considered problematic among adjustment lovers.

How is the mileage calculated?

We will not talk here about how to adjust the vehicle's travel distance. But it won’t hurt to briefly consider the essence of the process, especially since this can help in identifying fraudulent activities.

– can be corrected using two methods. The first is to connect an electric drill to the meter shaft and rewind the mileage. By the way, this method is where the term “rewind” comes from. The disadvantage of the first method is the duration of the operation. The second option allows you to quickly change the meter readings, for which you need to disassemble the block and set the required numbers.
– the device is difficult to perform adjustments. Anyone who does not yet know how to check and find out whether the mileage of your car is twisted should take into account that the approach to the process may be different. On budget models it is enough to remove the shield dashboard and connect a computer to the connector, and then use special software to correct the data. The presence of backup nodes significantly complicates the procedure and requires a serious approach.

Medium complexity options will force the scammer to connect to on-board computer through the diagnostic connector and delete all information in the backup units. If necessary, the ignition key is also reflashed. Complex options involve replacing the microcircuit in the control unit.

How accurate or how can I check if the mileage of a used car is correct?

If the procedure is performed correctly, then it is almost impossible to detect traces of external intervention during diagnostics. Let's say a new coat of paint or If you have some skills or equipment, you can determine it without problems. Mileage is another matter; on a car with a mechanical odometer, intervention in the mechanism is determined in several ways:

Inspect the bottom of the car, as well as the condition of the odometer drive mounting for external influences. If there is no dirt on the drive nut, and everything around is dusty, then we can speak with a certain degree of confidence about artificial rejuvenation of the car.
The uneven position of the numbers relative to each other also indicates attempts to adjust the odometer.
The presence of mechanical damage on the device body and its screws indicates that the speedometer has been tampered with. However, it is difficult to talk about the reason for entering the device, because it could be an ordinary repair or inspection.

Many motorists ask the question of how to find out if the mileage on the electronic odometer on a car is incorrect. secondary market. The fact is that the adjustment of these devices is delicate in nature, and it does not leave any mechanical damage. Therefore, the degree of intervention can only be determined using special programs and equipment.

Correctly assessing indirect signs of wear and tear will also help identify fraud. The following recommendations will come in handy here:

Inspect the brake discs; if they were replaced after a short mileage, then it looks at least suspicious.
New set of summer or With low mileage you should be wary.
On a turbocharged engine, you should definitely inspect the turbine and pipe.
The number of chips and scratches on the paintwork and headlights indicates impressive mileage.
If, for example, the last maintenance was performed by a dealer a year ago when a vehicle had covered 60,000 km, but during the same period not even 10,000 km had been completed, then it is better to refuse such a purchase.

Alternative: how to determine whether the mileage on a used car is based on its interior?

In almost any car service center, for just 2-3 thousand rubles they can “rejuvenate” a car literally within 30-40 minutes. But a lot of little things in the cabin can tell the whole story of the contender:

Many people, before buying a car, want to check whether the mileage is correct and this is correct. Fraudsters change their testimony that they will sell the car at a higher price. This happens when selling most used cars, but fortunately you can independently determine the actual mileage vehicle. In our country, when selling a used car, no one will provide you with a guarantee of the serviceability of the main components. At best, they will check for visual damage, as well as wheel alignment. Very often, a car goes on sale in terrible shape, and after purchase you will have to spend a lot of money on repairs. Therefore, you should thoroughly study the car before purchasing.

Special companies that assess the condition of cars

Now there are many companies that offer their services for choosing a car. Moreover, they even provide a guarantee for the purchased car. True, it is only 6 months, and this is far from an indicator.

Almost any car will be able to drive this time without any problems, and faults will appear a little later, when the warranty has already expired. In addition, such companies usually charge excessively high prices for their work. You can thus spend about 15% of your budget on buying a car. At the same time, there is always a high probability that an expert will persuade you to buy a car in terrible condition.

There are a lot of similar stories, so it is better to conduct a diagnosis before purchasing. It will allow you to identify all the faults and immediately calculate the approximate budget that will be needed for repairs. This way you will be able to understand whether it is worth buying this car or whether it is better to familiarize yourself with other options. You can inspect the car yourself or take a mechanic friend with you. This allows you to minimize the risk of buying a bad car.

One of the most important criteria for choosing a car is mileage. For this reason, many people change the odometer reading to increase the chance of a sale. You can change your mileage at any car service center; the cost of the service is about 2,000 rubles. True, a car with high mileage gives away many things.

How to recognize reduced odometer readings?

If you want to know the actual mileage of a car, you should pay attention to the following factors:

1. Pedals
For example, if you notice worn out rubber pads on the pedals, and the seller at this time claims that the car has not even driven 50,000 km yet, then this indicates that the mileage is much higher. Most likely, the car has already covered over 100,000 km, and only on condition that these settings were not changed during the use of the vehicle. Brand new rubber bands also indicate something is wrong; most likely the original mileage has been changed, and the adjustments have been replaced to dispel your doubts.

2. Interior trim
When purchasing, you should carefully inspect the plastic in the driver's tunnel. If the car has covered no more than 100,000 km, then the interior will be in fairly good condition. But after crossing the 200,000 mark, panels may fall out, and in general the condition will be deplorable. Consequently, if the odometer gives completely different values, then the car owner has adjusted the mileage.

What else should you pay attention to?

Finding out the mileage is not at all difficult. If the car has been driven a lot, then the condition of the optics and the hood will not be the best (yellowed headlights and damaged paintwork). True, these components do not always provide accurate information, since the hood can be easily repainted and the headlights can be replaced. A protective film can also be installed.

You should also pay attention to the wheel arch, as well as plastic mudguards; they can be heavily sandblasted due to poor quality expensive It is necessary to evaluate the condition of the wheel hub; over time, a large layer of rust and dirt forms on it. Many motorists do not wash the suspension at all, which is why it deteriorates extremely quickly.

What does the VIN number say?

With the help of various Internet services, you will be able to determine with your own hands VIN number car. This will allow you to find out the exact year of manufacture of the vehicle and its manufacturer.

It is necessary to check the VIN code before purchasing a car, because the owner may give the wrong year of manufacture. Now you know how to determine the mileage of a car and avoid making mistakes when choosing a used model. It is imperative to assess the condition of the interior, assess the wear of parts and conduct general diagnostics. This will significantly reduce the risks of your purchase, but the best option is to take a mechanic with you that you can trust.