Start with the MOT mileage record
Every MOT test records the odometer reading. Lay the readings out in date order and they should rise every year. On the free gov.uk MOT history and in RegTail you can see each reading next to its test date.
Look for three patterns:
- A reading lower than the one before. This is the clearest sign. There are innocent causes (a typing slip by the tester, a replaced instrument cluster, a reading taken in kilometres) but each one needs evidence, such as a garage invoice for the replacement cluster.
- A long run of tiny yearly increases. A car that covered 9,000 miles a year and then suddenly does 1,500 a year for three years may have had readings taken after the clock was changed. Ask how the car was used.
- A big jump after a quiet spell. The reverse pattern: if the advert mileage is far below what the last MOT reading suggests the car has done since, someone has an explanation to give.
Then compare the advert. If an advert says 48,000 miles and the last MOT, two years ago, recorded 61,000, the advert is wrong. Mileage in an advert must be checked against the latest MOT reading and the time since that test.
Know what typical looks like
In our analysis of 33.8 million MOT tests in 2023, the median car at its ten year MOT had covered about 82,000 miles, or roughly 8,200 miles a year. The median five year old car showed about 46,000 miles, and the median fifteen year old car about 107,000.
A car well below these figures is not automatically suspect. Second cars, city cars and cars owned by retired drivers often do much less. But low mileage is what clockers sell, so it is where your checks should be most careful. Each model page in our MOT statistics shows the middle half of mileages at each age, for example the Ford Fiesta or the Nissan Qashqai.
Physical signs at the viewing
The MOT record covers the car once a year. Between tests, and on cars under three years old, you rely on the car itself.
- Wear that does not match the miles. A shiny steering wheel rim, a worn gear knob, sagging driver's seat bolster, worn pedal rubbers and a polished key fob point to high use. A 30,000 mile car should look close to new inside.
- Service history. Every stamp and invoice records a mileage. Check they rise in step with the dates and with the MOT readings. Call a garage on an invoice if something looks off; many will confirm a visit.
- Stickers and labels. Oil change stickers under the bonnet and the cambelt label can carry a mileage.
- Missing paperwork. A "lost" service book on a car with low mileage is a reason to slow down.
- Odometer warnings. Some cars show a message or a flashing reading if the cluster has been tampered with or replaced. Note anything odd on the dashboard at start-up.
Cars under three years old
A car has its first MOT at three years old, so a newer car has no MOT readings yet. Rely on the service record, the main dealer's records (a dealer of the brand can often look up the car's service visits) and the wear on the car. A paid history check may include mileage readings from other sources.
What to do if the numbers do not add up
Ask the seller first, and ask for the evidence: a replaced cluster should come with an invoice, and an MOT typing error usually shows as one odd reading with a normal pattern either side. If the explanation does not hold, walk away. Selling a car with a mileage you know is false, without saying so, is against the law, and a dealer who does it is committing an offence under consumer protection law. If you have already bought a clocked car, contact Citizens Advice for help with your options.
How RegTail helps
RegTail's free check shows the mileage at the latest MOT. The full report (1 credit) charts every MOT reading, flags any reading that goes backwards, compares the advert's figure with the record, and shows how the mileage compares with the same model at the same age.