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What does "warranted mileage" mean at auction (or elsewhere)? Warranted by who? Is there some kind of comeback if it turns out to have been clocked? How would you ever prove a car had been clocked?
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normally it means there is a full service history with the vehicle, this shows the mileage at each service therefore the mileage can be warranted, also the owner has often signed saying that to the best of their knowledge the mileage is true.
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I see, so if you were a clocker, you'd have to be pretty dillegent to wind it back befoer each service.
How do cars get clocked anyway?
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Although it is relatively easy to disconnect the Instrument Pack connector or even blank the pin related to distance (if you have the info) between services, thus keeping the mileage artificially low.
There are no real world warranted mileages (be warned)
You should always have the vehicle inspected and look for signs of wear in the vehicle on (steering wheel etc...), although again this is only a guide and NO guarantee.
Carse
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If the car has a digital odometer, clocking is done by plugging in a laptop and then typing in the new mileage.
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When inspecting a car, I tend to approach it from the opposite direction to a lot of the car buying public. I inspect the car's condition thoroughly first, to build up a picture of the car and how much care has been lavished on it. I then estimate how many miles I think the car has done.
Only when I have done this will I look at the clocks. If the number there ~ tallys with my 'guess', then I carry on, and look at the documentary 'evidence'.
While it is true that pedal rubbers can be easily changed by unscrupulous types, I don't think many will bother with alternator pulleys, etc.
I think that mileage is, perhaps, overemphasized. In my opinion, condition is everything - especially on nearly new 'bargains'.
number_cruncher
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I think that mileage is, perhaps, overemphasized. In my opinion, condition is everything - especially on nearly new 'bargains'.
Agreed. People look at the mileage as a proxy for condition. But if you can see the milometer then the evidence of condition is in front of you and available for inspection.
The problem is no doubt for those who are not mechanically minded and who do not know what to look for.
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Could someone offer some advice on my car?
Its a Mk2 Golf registered 1991, which when I bought it just over a year and a half had a milage of 65000 (now 76000). However being pretty new to buying a used car I failed to spot any obvious signs of use until after purchase!
The steering wheel is pretty smooth around the top, there are a lot of stone chips and scratches to certain areas of the car, also the pedals are pretty worn, even the accelerator has a smoothed metal look about it. I'm also getting tappet noise which from research I should expect at around 90K?
The problem is the other signs which don't show age sych as the good condition of the engine (verified by various mechanics) and the condition of the interior which pretty much looks new at least after I cleaned all the mud off it, no rips or wear anyway. MOT certificates only go back to the owner before last and there were literally no receipts or history.
My problem is I'm looking to sell it soon and am not sure what to say about the milage!
Cheers for reading this long post!
Rich.
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> My problem is I'm looking to sell it soon and am not sure what to say about the milage!
In your ad mention the 76k miles, but don't comment on it being 'low mileage' or similar. Don't mention Service History either as it doesn't sound like you have anything of note. It will then be upto the buyer if they are happy with the condition of the vehicle relative to the price you are asking. You'll not be misrepresenting the vehicle or its condition so you will be morally in the clear (IMHO). For vehicles of this age the strongest selling point will no doubt be it if has a fresh MoT and a decent amount of Tax left on it.
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Say nothing. You dont know the mileage is NOT accurate. You would expect some of the signs of use you describe at that mileage.. . The car is 13 years old, condition and serviceability counts at that age, not mileage.
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I remember being at British Car Auctions in the seventies when a knackered ex-police Triumph 2.5 pi, complete with splayed rear suspension, appeared on the podium and the auctioneer stated that that the mileage was guaranteed.
What do you mean, it's done 150,000 miles! (A lot in those days)
shouted someone.
General laughs all round when the auctioneer said yes, and we guarantee that.
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What do you mean, it's done 150,000 miles! (A lot in those days)
So what's a high mileage these days? Does it depend on the size of hte engine? Do diesels go further?
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My mate recently had a call from the new owner of a van which he used to run. The caller was enquiring whether the indicated 60,000 miles was genuine. Sadly it had 325,000 miles more than that when my mate last saw it...
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A friend (I use the word in its most generous sense) recently bought a brand new Fiesta diesel. He does quite high mileage (say 30k a year) and was getting opinions on what he should do when the car reached the dreaded 100k miles:
a) Trade it in and get another one (but really more-or-less scrap it with that astronomical mileage), or
b) Replace the engine and keep the car.
He simply wouldn't believe the car could do more than 100k on "one engine". In fact he got rid of his previous car at about 100,001 miles because he got so nervous and expected it to break down in a cloud of smoke every time he drove it.
I think he should go for option 'c': sell it to me for £10 (well it's clearly not worth any more than scrap, 100k miles, goodness me no).
-Mark (with a pathetic 116k on his 15 year-old heap ;-) )
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