Car clocking

drdre

I just want to know, whats the best way/ or is there any way to find out if a car is clocked.
Im thinking of buying a car buy its got no service book.How can i check if its clocked or not.And also can garages find out if its clocked if i buy it and bring it to get checked out.

Whats your opinion on this.thanks in advance

Owen

What type of car is it Dre?

smash

depends... cartell don't have a mileage report yet on their stsyem. Is the car an import?

what's the make and model? Some franchises hold a databases of their cars and if it's been serviced by a franchise dealer then they'll have a history.

drdre

im thinking of getting a polo. I already have one but just thinking of changing again

Are you sure cartell doesnt have a milage report.Also would vw garages hold service history.

smash

if it's been serviced by VW dealers then you might be able to get a service history from them. Just call a few with the reg and ask. what garage is selling the car?

Mc-BigE

drdre wrote:

I just want to know, whats the best way/ or is there any way to find out if a car is clocked.
Im thinking of buying a car buy its got no service book.How can i check if its clocked or not.And also can garages find out if its clocked if i buy it and bring it to get checked out.

Whats your opinion on this.thanks in advance

If its got no service book, is sounds to me like the seller is trying to hide something. Find out from the Buyer were the car was last serviced and ring the garage for a report. If its a genuine error or the service book was "lost" its in the sellers interest to give you this information for the best price possbile for selling.

If its a UK import check with HPI.com

If its an irish car you could try cartel.ie but i cant recommend them as i've never tried them.

If the seller doesn't play ball or the service book "suddenly" appears, its best to get the info yourself or walk away.

OldmanMondeo

VW would only have the service if it was serviced in a VW dealer, even then you would have to know the dealer.

There is a way via the ECU. The last 3 services are noted on this. There is (I heard) another chip that will have the full log details of the car. A VW dealer or the AA should be able to check this.

mickjohnlong

if it was services by a vw garage they should have it on there system i dunno if all the vw garages link there systems i.e. if belgard motors can tell if a certain car was serviced in foster motors or in a dealer in cork i know some bmw dealers and merc dealers can do it in the uk anyway when i was finding out about a merc i was looking at rang up one uk dealer they where able to tell me where and when it was in a main dealer and then rang them to find out what was done is the car from a dealer or private person

drdre

Stevo its private sale.I think i might just buy it.I will then bring it to a garage and find out if it is or not.So theres no real easy way to get it checked.

smash

Mc-BigE wrote:

If its got no service book, is sounds to me like the seller is trying to hide something. Find out from the Buyer were the car was last serviced and ring the garage for a report. If its a genuine error or the service book was "lost" its in the sellers interest to give you this information for the best price possbile for selling.

If its a UK import check with HPI.com

If its an irish car you could try cartel.ie but i cant recommend them as i've never tried them.

If the seller doesn't play ball or the service book "suddenly" appears, its best to get the info yourself or walk away.

I wouldn't agree entirely. a lot of people get their cars serviced by independant mechanics and so they don't have services logged...

mickjohnlong

ring the seller and ask where its been service and ring them if you do buy it make sure you get all the details of the seller make sure you get his address and meet him at the house i know some who got caught out with a stolen car from a private sale so make sure you do all your checks and are happy with it before you buy what year polo is it

maidhc

steve06 wrote:

I wouldn't agree entirely. a lot of people get their cars serviced by independant mechanics and so they don't have services logged...

Most independent mechanics worth their salt make a record of the jobs they do.

quarryman

drdre wrote:

Stevo its private sale.I think i might just buy it.I will then bring it to a garage and find out if it is or not.So theres no real easy way to get it checked.

where's the logic there? buying it first, then checking it?

drdre

quarryman wrote:

where's the logic there? buying it first, then checking it?

I know but i donot know how to get it checked, it seems bringing it to the garage is the only way.

Mc-BigE

maidhc wrote:

Most independent mechanics worth their salt make a record of the jobs they do.

agreed, plus there should be at least the receipts for the service parts bought by the previous owners or the independent garage.

O.P. buying it and checking the history afterwards is crazy.

i suppose it depends on how old the car is and how much it cost.

If its a 10 year old polo with 100K on it, then it might be genuine, but if its a 05 or 06 polo with 10K on it, it would be worth checking before buying.

quarryman

drdre wrote:

I know but i donot know how to get it checked, it seems bringing it to the garage is the only way.

if the seller is genuine he will let you bring it to the garage before you buy or at the very least; let a mechanic come look at it. He should be able to tell straight away if its missing 40k miles.

drdre

steve06 wrote:

I wouldn't agree entirely. a lot of people get their cars serviced by independant mechanics and so they don't have services logged...

Yes he said he has serviced it himself.he sounds ok.

Owen

Dre, get a HPI check done at the very least, and I would also have the AA come to appraise the car, they do this for about 60 Euro IIRC.

drdre

ned78 wrote:

Dre, get a HPI check done at the very least, and I would also have the AA come to appraise the car, they do this for about 60 Euro IIRC.

thanks i will check AA out.

Henry Ford III

ned78 wrote:

Dre, get a HPI check done at the very least, and I would also have the AA come to appraise the car, they do this for about 60 Euro IIRC.

Think €300.

drdre

ned78 wrote:

Dre, get a HPI check done at the very least, and I would also have the AA come to appraise the car, they do this for about 60 Euro IIRC.

HPI cant be done as its an irish car.

Owen

Henry Ford III wrote:

Think €300.

Yup, my bad. The AA kick life off at 225 for what they call a quick check. Might be no harm to see if you know a Mechanic!

johnsheehy

Have a look at the general condition of the car, seat wear, steering wheel and gear stick wear. I just bought a 99 323 with 36k and f/s/h so its possible to have very little milage on a car. I find garages very accomodating on service records too, give them a call and they will inform you of everything.

drdre

ned78 wrote:

Yup, my bad. The AA kick life off at 225 for what they call a quick check. Might be no harm to see if you know a Mechanic!

225 is abit much as i dont have that much.I think i will just take the risk.

Owen

drdre wrote:

HPI cant be done as its an irish car.

We do HPIs here all the time on Irish Cars. It's about 40 Euro to see if a car has outstanding finance.

drdre

ned78 wrote:

We do HPIs here all the time on Irish Cars. It's about 40 Euro to see if a car has outstanding finance.

Alright thanks, what garage do you work in.

Fey!

Diagnostic specialists should be able to determine whether or not it's been clocked if they have the right software for the manufacturer.

drdre

Fey! wrote:

Diagnostic specialists should be able to determine whether or not it's been clocked if they have the right software for the manufacturer.

Are they the people in the buy and sell who are the milage correction people?

Seth Brundle

I believe that Mr.Diagnostic on here may be able to help!

Henry Ford III

drdre wrote:

225 is abit much as i dont have that much.I think i will just take the risk.

www.carcheck.ie

The day you buy is the day you sell.

Mc-BigE

You haven't disclosed the age of the car, so i'll make a guess that its a 5 or 6 year old polo with 45K miles, the first thing i would do is bring a mechanic or person that knows a lot about cars with you when viewing, look out for worn drivers seat, worn gearstick, steering wheel,worn peddle rubber covers, check for loose gearchange/movement in the stick, open bonnet look at engine, look for leaks around the sump and head, take off the oil cap look for whitish gunge under the cap, should be just oil. check for suspension knocks and bangs on slow bumpy roads, and try a fully lock on steering both ways to listen for C.V joint noises.

drdre

Its a 2000 polo, with around 45k on it.3 owners.I know it might be right but im just confirming that its not clocked.I have no problems with the car it looks clean, and not abused.

Altreab

drdre wrote:

Its a 2000 polo, with around 45k on it.3 owners.I know it might be right but im just confirming that its not clocked.I have no problems with the car it looks clean, and not abused.

Why not try and contact the previous owners for details on milage crash history ect?

drdre

Altreab wrote:

Why not try and contact the previous owners for details on milage crash history ect?

How can you get contact details of previous owner.

Darragh29

maidhc wrote:

Most independent mechanics worth their salt make a record of the jobs they do.

Rerra. Why do people think you have to go to a main dealer to get a job done right FFS???

SouperComputer

kbannon wrote:

I believe that Mr.Diagnostic on here may be able to help!

QFT, im sure he or somebdy he know could check the mileage recorded in the ECU for a nominal fee.

gyppo

Dont the NCT log the cars odometer when doing a test? Therefore, assuming the car is around 6 years old, it should have done 2 NCT's. Are there any NCT reports included with the car, OP? It might give you some indication of mileage history.

Whether or not the NCT crowd would issue this information to a third party is questionable though - probably not.

Seth Brundle

gyppo wrote:

Whether or not the NCT crowd would issue this information to a third party is questionable though - probably not.

The NCTS cannot give out this info under data protection laws apparently - even if they spot an clocking case during a test!

Owen

drdre wrote:

Alright thanks, what garage do you work in.

Jaysus. Couldn't be telling you that!

blastman

kbannon wrote:

The NCTS cannot give out this info under data protection laws apparently - even if they spot an clocking case during a test!

Can't you ask to see previous NCT certs? The mileage is recorded on them.

gyppo

kbannon wrote:

The NCTS cannot give out this info under data protection laws apparently - even if they spot an clocking case during a test!

Yeah, I had a feeling that data protection legislation would put a stop to that.

Afaik, under the uk mot system, the cars odometer reading at mot time is entered into the national mileage register, to which hpi.com have access to. Its by no means foolproof, but its a pity such a system doesnt exist here.

Alun

In the Netherlands not only do the mileages at which their NCT equivalent, the APK, is done get entered into a central database, but also all garages that are members of BOVAG, their equivalent of the SIMI, record mileage whenever any work is done on a car and this too is centrally recorded.

If the Dutch can do this and not feel they're impinging on anybody's "rights", then so can we. Data protection my @rse.

Sandwich

You never can tell for certain but I always make the assumption :

"No log book" = "car is clocked"

You might be unlucky and be passing a bargain (if the price is low do you think its just because they like you?) but its far more likely you're leaving a con behind. Not that the log book is a cast iron guarantee either, but there are plenty out there with proper service histories, so why bother taking the risk?

maidhc

kbannon wrote:

The NCTS cannot give out this info under data protection laws apparently - even if they spot an clocking case during a test!

My understanding is that if you provide them with the VIN, they will give you the mileage details.

I really don't think the DP Acts stretch as far as including the mileage at which your car was NCTed within the definition of the "personal information" which it seeks to protect.

oleras

Sandwich wrote:

"No log book" = "car is clocked"

Huh ? ? Service history maybe ? ?

Our man in Havana

No log book = Car is nicked

drdre

Bond-007 wrote:

No log book = Car is nicked

heheh thats a good one.
Guys i was talking to the owner of the car and he said he serviced the car himself.Is service history a big issue when im selling it.i can just buy a service book online and then get it serviced from a proper vw dealer and get it stamped.i think its still as good as service history as its got nct and then it will have a proper vw service with a stamp.what do you guys think

JHMEG

If the car is clean and tidy, with no signs of wear for its mileage then go for it.

VW do use fairly high quality materials for the interior so wear on the driver's seat, gear knob, steering wheel etc won't necessarily show. A mate recently sold a Polo with 107k miles on the clock, and the interior was in excellent condition... almost like new.

There are a couple of things you can check if the mileage is apparently very low:
1. Are any of the factory fit tyres still on it? Do your research. Many factory fit tyres will last 60k on the back wheels.
2. Check the "lip" on the brake discs. If there is a pronounced lip the mileage may be high. Tho this is a bit of an art form in itself.
3. Check for things that typically wear out after a given mileage. Some VWs need front suspension bushes/wishbones quite early on. Clunking or knocking in the front suspension are typical symptoms. Again, research.

And finally ask the seller did he/she keep records of services, when they were done, what was done, and at what mileage. I always do... it's not that hard. And if the seller seems genuine, he/she probably is. If there is some tall and complicated story, then think twice.

ctc_celtic

if it doesn't have a history, i wouldn't worry about it, get a mechanic to look and if he's happy then buy it.
assuming you keep the car for 2 years, it will be 9 years old when you sell it, and then condition will be more important than service history.
just keep every receipt you get while you have the car, and that will be a bonus when you sell it.

Henry Ford III

drdre wrote:

heheh thats a good one.
Guys i was talking to the owner of the car and he said he serviced the car himself.Is service history a big issue when im selling it.i can just buy a service book online and then get it serviced from a proper vw dealer and get it stamped.i think its still as good as service history as its got nct and then it will have a proper vw service with a stamp.what do you guys think

He should still have receipts for stuff he bought. Service history, or other evidence of regular servicing is important.

Seth Brundle

I would agree - if they didn't bother keeping details of the car then they are either careless and I would presume they treat the car in the same way or else they are trying to hide something.