One of the factors to determine a used car pricing is the odometer reading, which represents the mileage travelled by the vehicle. The lesser the mileage, the higher the price can be set for the secondary market. Unfortunately, some reckless used car dealers falsify the mileage to increase their profit. How to avoid it? We will show you a simple method to detect odometer fraud.
Compare the Average Mileage for Similar Cars.
A Malaysian driver covers an average of 2,349 kilometres every month. According to study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, the Average Annual Kilometre Travelled (AAKT) for drivers in the peninsula is 28,184km.
You can conduct a comparison between the actual mileage of used car you want to buy and the average annual kilometres traveled (AAKT). The following is an example.
There is a possibility of fraud if the mileage difference is large. You should be aware that there are a few things to consider in this step. You cannot just draw conclusions without taking into consideration the previous owner’s behaviour, service records, and previous vehicle usage.
Check the Maintenance Records.
It is critical to ensure that the mileage indicated in the Maintenance Schedule Book matches to the odometer. Inspection stickers can frequently be found on door frames and windows. If the record is not available, you can contact the car dealer and request the last service records by providing the plate number. If the dealership only has old records, the previous owner may send the car to a different service center.
Check for an Odometer Replacement Sticker.
If you discover that the odometer has been altered on the Maintenance Record, a sticker will be put in a visible location such as the driver’s door pillar, the instrument cluster, or the glove box.
Check for abnormal wear on the brake and acceleration pedal.
If the vehicle has fewer than 80,000 km yet the brake or gas pedal is in poor physical condition and is difficult to push, there is a risk of fraud. If the previous driver was in stop-and-go traffic, this method will be ineffective.
Check that the odometer gauge is properly aligned.
This step only applied for Mechanically odometer type. It is simple to tamper with this type by using a screwdriver. The odometer should be precisely aligned if it has not been tampered with by mechanics, not misaligned, have gaps or flutter when you smack your hand on the dash.
In conclusion, you cannot only rely on these steps to detect mileage manipulation. It just a guidance for you to aware with dealers and be a smart buyer. It is a complex task to spot the mark whether the odometer has been changed previously. At the end, the best method to avoid any scam in buying used car is to choose reliable platform with good reputation and trusted by their existing customers such Flea Market Harimau.
