Car mileage check

A mileage check shows you every mileage reading recorded for a car, in order, so you can see whether the number on the dashboard is believable. Our free check lists every MOT reading since 2005 and flags any that went down. The Standard and Full checks add an advanced mileage check with a chart.

Why mileage matters so much

Mileage is one of the biggest factors in a used car's price. Knock 40,000 miles off the clock and a car can look worth thousands more than it is. That's why clocking, winding back the odometer, still happens, even with digital dashboards. The tools to change a digital reading are cheap and easy to find.

It isn't just about overpaying. A car's maintenance schedule follows its real mileage. If the clock says 55,000 but the car has done 100,000, it may be overdue a timing belt or gearbox service that nobody is planning for.

How our mileage check works

Every MOT test records the mileage. We put those readings in date order and look for any that are lower than the one before. When we find one, we highlight it in red so you can't miss it.

In the Standard check (£4.99) and the Full check (£8.99), the advanced mileage check brings in other recorded readings as well, plots them on a chart and checks the pattern for anything that doesn't add up.

What if a reading goes down?

Don't panic straight away. Testers are human and sometimes mistype a mileage. The way to tell the difference is to look at what happens next:

• The next reading jumps back up to where you'd expect. That was probably a typing mistake at one test.
• The readings carry on from the lower number. That's the pattern you'd expect if the odometer was wound back. Ask the seller to explain, and don't buy the car unless they can prove it.

Some clocks are changed legitimately, for example when an instrument cluster is replaced. That should come with paperwork showing the mileage at the time.

Signs of clocking on the car itself

Records can't catch everything, especially on newer cars with only a couple of MOTs. So look at the car too:

• A shiny, worn steering wheel or gear knob on a low-mileage car.
• A saggy or worn driver's seat bolster, or a brand-new seat cover.
• Pedal rubbers worn smooth, or suspiciously new ones on an older car.
• Lots of stone chips on the bonnet and front bumper, a sign of motorway miles.
• Service stamps or invoices whose mileages don't fit between the MOT readings.

Our guide to the signs a car has been clocked covers these in more detail.

Is the mileage high or low?

A typical UK car covers roughly 7,000 to 8,000 miles a year. Our check shows the car's average, so you can see at a glance whether it's been a motorway workhorse or a weekend car. Neither is wrong, but the wear on the car and its service history should match the story the numbers tell.

Check the mileage before you buy

It takes seconds, it's free, and it's the easiest way to catch a clocked car before it costs you. Enter the registration above, or run the full MOT check to see the mileage alongside every test result.