How do I know my car is Clocked?

mayotom

When a car is clocked. is there any way of knowing that it has been tampered with. I'am looking at a 99 Skoda Octavia. I just want to be sure about it.
Is this much of a problem in Galway?

L5

mayotom wrote:

When a car is clocked. is there any way of knowing that it has been tampered with. I'am looking at a 99 Skoda Octavia. I just want to be sure about it.
Is this much of a problem in Galway?

check the service log book, should state the milage at the service intervals. Have a look at the milometer, if the numbers dont all line up perfectly, thats another indicator.

maidhc

mayotom wrote:

When a car is clocked. is there any way of knowing that it has been tampered with. I'am looking at a 99 Skoda Octavia. I just want to be sure about it.
Is this much of a problem in Galway?

I'm not a mechanic or dealer, but I notice that normally by the time a car has reached 80k the grain on the (plastic) steering wheel is smooth and there is a fair bit of wear on the pedals.

Best way to be though it to drive it and see if it is sound, buy from a reputable dealer and dont bother with it unless it has a very good service history.

mayotom

It has a Digital Mileometer?
Doesn't have all of its service history, Thats why I'm a bit wary of it?

Ratchet

ring NCT center and check last recorded milage as car had to have test in some stage

mayotom

Ratchet wrote:

ring NCT center and check last recorded milage as car had to have test in some stage

Called them. they wouldn't say.
They told me that it passed the NCT in November with flying colours?
I'm going to get a friend of mine(mechanic) to test drive it for me.
The Prime Time program a few months ago has made me much more aware of what goes on in the trade

SouperComputer

mileage isn't what it used to be though. Cars are generally tougher these days. Im not saying mileage is irrelavent, but that it should be used in conjunction with all the other checks to verify a cars condition.

I have a ibiza with 108K on the clock and it looks and drives better than some cars with 46k on the clock. There is barely any wear on the pedal rubbers for example.

Henry Ford III

Ring a previous owner to confirm.

Check service history, service invoices against dates etc.

If it has a digital odometer there is no way to check if it has been clocked.

Clocking them typically only requires hooking the car up to a laptop, rather than removing the dash board panels etc.

mayotom

ronoc wrote:

If it has a digital odometer there is no way to check if it has been clocked.

Clocking them typically only requires hooking the car up to a laptop, rather than removing the dash board panels etc.

Sounds like good business opertunity.
as far as I remember from Prime Time it cost €100 a pop. sound's simple if you have the knowhow.

my mechanic is taking a look this evening.

Bluehair

mayotom wrote:

[NCT and recording mileage] Called them. they wouldn't say.

Really bugs me this one to be honest. As far as i can tell clocking is becoming cronic in this country and if last years tv program (primetime?) was anything to go by some of the less scrupulous dealers are leading the charge.

We desperately need some kind of more comprehensive HPI style check in Ireland where NCT recorded mileage is included and declared along with finance outstanding, damage etc. etc.

It'd really help to nail a lot of these problems.

mayotom

mayotom wrote:

Sounds like good business opertunity.
as far as I remember from Prime Time it cost €100 a pop. sound's simple if you have the knowhow.

my mechanic is taking a look this evening.

It already exisits. In the back of alt of car magazines it is advertised as "millage correction"

el tel

Octavias have quality interior materials and probably won't show
a ton of wear age unless the car has been to the moon and back and/or
neglected so it might be hard to judge.

In the North TDI Octavias are very popular as taxis. I don't know if the case is the same down here but you could always ask the seller it has ever been used for this purpose.

A full service history at all the correct intervals is also very reassuring. If in doubt about the log book entries check with the dealers.

colm_mcm

the NCT cert will have the mileage on it.