This article will help you recognize if the odometer reading is questionable or if the car has been abused. To use any of these tips, you don't need any special knowledge or tools. Only your common sense, your observation, and a few basics will allow you to tell if the car's speedometer has been tampered with.
We share with you this trick practiced by automotive experts. It will allow you to effectively determine whether the odometer reading is consistent with reality.
You should have to aware before rent a car in Islamabad or any other city. Always try to contact a reputable car rental company.
On what type of vehicle?
This tip is valid for a car whose mileage is less than 120,000 km and whose drive wheels are at the front; otherwise, I invite you to wait for the next article on this subject, which will complete your weapons of the investigator.
You will see that the tires alone can teach you a lot about the car you want to buy. Other mechanical parts and different observations can teach you more, even if the car is much more than 120,000 km.
Depending on the level of tire wear, generally speaking, all the car components will also have worn out proportionally, prematurely, or not. Therefore, it is important to determine that the car has been driven properly, as it is to determine whether the mileage matches the tire wear.
Some basics for identifying false mileage
To make a good interpretation through tire wear, you must have:
- A so-called standard tire wear interpretation base.
- Know how to read the DOT
- Recognize abnormal wear
For traction, standard tire wear is around 40,000 km for the front wheels and around 80,000 km for the rear wheels.
For vehicles with four-wheel drive, the wear between the front and rear axle will be almost equivalent. Unlike front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive will wear down the rear tires a bit more than the front tires.
Some of you will think that you are doing more or fewer kilometers with your tires. Others will say that it depends on the use, or the model, its condition, etc.
This is correct, but these are average values and what interests us here is the basis of the wear standard. This will let you know if the car has suffered more or less. Finally, it represents a decisive clue to identify false mileage on a used vehicle.
Identify false mileage at 40,000 km
The car's odometer reads 40,000 km. If the front tires are worn and close to the end, that's a good sign. According to the data mentioned above, average normal wear should lead to a tire change around 40,000km.
Suppose they have already been replaced. They must therefore be close to new.
By observing the rear tires, they should therefore be worn by around 50%.
You must be sure that the rear tires are original. There is no reason for them to have been changed after only 40,000km unless the driver has a course puncture. Otherwise, I simply advise you not to buy this car.
How do I know if the tires are original?
To find out if they are original, all you need to do is read the DOT on the tire blank, that is to say, the date of manufacture of the tire, which must correspond, within three months, to the date of registration of the car.
For example, the entry 3617 will correspond to the 36th week of the year 2017.
So that your interpretations are not mistaken about wear, always ask the salesperson if they are riding a snow tire during the winter season.
Identify false mileage on a 80,000 km vehicle
Let us take a second example, still for traction. The car's odometer reads 80,000 km. If the rear tires are still original because the car is well driven, they will normally not be far from needing to be replaced.
So, you have understood the trick; you will check the date (the DOT), which will confirm that the tires are indeed original. Check for the presence of a spare tire.
It is no longer necessarily new but must be of the same type and the same brand as the rear tires if they are still original. If not, there is an inconsistency.
Identify false mileage on a 120,000 km car
Let us take a third example. The car's odometer, still for traction, indicates 120,000 km. The rear tires may still be original. This is possible if the car has mainly driven off the highway.
After checking their date of manufacture, if you notice that they are no longer original, they must not exceed 50% wear. It would be the proof of a roughed-up car, or the signal of a questionable mileage.
Recognize a well-treated car
Still, for traction, the first of the checks you must do is compare the consumption of the front tires to the rear tires.
You now know that standard wear will be roughly two sets of front tires for one set of rear tires. If the car is not used, after replacing the front tires, the rear tires will have exceeded 50% wear, which is a good sign. Conversely, if the front tires are replaced twice, while the rear tires are still original, this shows that the car is under heavy strain.
You can also check the wear of the shoulder of the front tires; if it is prematurely rounded, worn in relation to the tread, the driver likes the speed. As a result, all parts of the car will be worn out prematurely.
You will also have confirmation that this car is widely used by running your finger over the brake discs. Instead of being smooth, you will feel like waves.
An article will be devoted later on the wear of the brakes in line with the kilometers traveled. By applying this method, you will be able to obtain an objective opinion on the state of wear of the car and possible tampering of the meter. This is a very useful method for detecting a possible scam when buying a used vehicle!
