How to Check Whether Car Mileage is Genuine?

18th April 2023

Have you ever wondered about how to check whether your car mileage is genuine? In many cases, buying a new car can be a huge decision, and this is something you can’t afford to make a mistake with. Nevertheless, there are several simple options you could consider to help check your new car’s mileage is genuine – and we have outlined several of these as follows to help.

How to Check Whether Car Mileage is Genuine?

In order to check you’re purchasing a genuine, authentic vehicle, you’ll need to consider the vehicle’s mileage to check. Indeed, mileage significantly influences the value of a vehicle, and keeping this in mind can help ensure you don’t accidentally purchase a car that comes with significant mileage, cutting down its value overall.

Check a Car History Check Online

While the following points can help you ascertain whether a vehicle is likely to have been tampered with, they can’t say for certain whether a vehicle’s mileage is genuine. As such, getting a vehicle check is often a highly important step – and this can provide a myriad of information on your chosen vehicle.

With a history check, you’ll be able to view a lot of crucial information, such as MOT history. This simple step will hopefully reassure you that your chosen vehicle is perfectly genuine – but if you notice that the mileage doesn’t match up, you know to steer clear.

 

Consider the Average Mileage

One of the first things you should consider to check whether a car’s mileage is genuine is to consider the average mileage. Of course, this isn’t a check so much as a warning sign – but it’s nonetheless worth keeping in mind.

The average mileage for a UK vehicle is usually around 12,000 miles per year. As such, a five year old car will usually have around 60,000 miles on the clock. If it does not have this many, it’s worth considering whether you’re getting a bargain or if the car may have been tampered with. However, if the mileage is higher, there’s a good chance the car is genuine.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t prove anything in its own right. As such, be sure to keep this in mind as part of your decision, but always do additional checks.

Look for Error Signs

Did you know that car displays can often indicate whether the mileage has been tampered with? In order model cars, this usually looks like a lot of unusual wear and tear. However, an error sign will often show when the mileage has been tampered with for modern cars with digital on board computers.

Final Thoughts

If you have been looking to invest in a new car, knowing where to begin is hugely important. However, if this is something that you have been struggling with, knowing how to check a car’s mileage is genuine can really help.

But don’t forget: it’s unlikely for a car’s mileage to be perfectly spot on every time. As a result, make sure you take some time to consider carefully the different factors influencing your purchase overall. And remember, there’s likely to be a small degree of difference between the stated mileage and the real figure, but if things are substantially out, you may need to reduce your offer on the car.