Mileage Check

Odometer fraud is one of the most common scams in the used-car market. Studies show that one in three used cars in Europe has an inaccurate mileage reading. Check the full mileage history by VIN number and protect your investment.

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Data from 27 countries

100M+ vehicle records

Odometer rollback detection

What is odometer fraud and how to detect it?

Odometer fraud (also called mileage rollback) is the illegal practice of altering a vehicle's odometer reading to show fewer miles or kilometres than the car has actually travelled. Sellers do this to make the vehicle appear better maintained and to achieve a higher selling price.

Modern vehicles use electronic control units (ECUs) that store mileage data. Experienced fraudsters can manipulate these records using specialised diagnostic tools. That is why the only reliable protection is checking the mileage history through independent databases that record odometer readings during vehicle inspections, service visits, and border crossings.

How to check a car's mileage?

There are several ways to spot mileage tampering. Physical signs include uneven wear on the steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals - if a car shows 80,000 km but these components look like 200,000 km of wear, something is wrong. The same applies to worn seats, scratched pedals, and the general condition of the interior.

However, a physical inspection is not always sufficient since experienced fraudsters also replace worn interior parts. The only reliable method is a VIN-based mileage history check - VinCheckMyCar searches MOT/inspection databases, service records, and customs data from 27 countries that record the exact odometer reading at different points in time.

This gives you a complete mileage "timeline" - for example, showing that a car had 145,000 km at a German inspection in 2019, went through a service at 178,000 km in 2021, and is now listed for sale with "only" 110,000 km. Discrepancies like these immediately reveal fraud.

What does an accurate mileage check by VIN reveal?

Complete mileage history with timeline
Odometer rollback detection alert
MOT/inspection records with odometer readings
Service records and mileage at each service visit
Customs data with odometer reading at import
Accident and damage history
Number of owners and full ownership history

Mileage check tool: fraud statistics in Europe

According to research by DEKRA and European vehicle inspection organisations, odometer fraud is a serious and widespread problem:

1 in 3 cars in Europe

An estimated 30%–40% of used cars sold in Europe have an inaccurately displayed mileage reading

Average manipulation

The average difference between real and displayed mileage is between 30,000 and 50,000 km

Financial loss

Buyers who skip a mileage check pay on average €3,000–€6,000 more than the vehicle is actually worth

Imports

Imported vehicles are particularly high-risk - cars are often brought in with already-rolled-back odometers from Western Europe

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Frequently asked questions about mileage checks

The most reliable way to check mileage is to search the vehicle history by VIN number. Enter the 17-character VIN in the search box at the top of this page. VinCheckMyCar searches MOT/inspection databases, service records, and customs data from 27 countries and shows you the complete mileage timeline for the vehicle. A free basic check is available instantly, with no registration required.

Odometer fraud is the illegal manipulation of a vehicle's odometer to show fewer miles than the car has actually driven. Sellers do this to make the car appear better maintained and achieve a higher sale price. Studies show that between 30% and 40% of used cars in Europe have an inaccurate mileage reading.

There are two approaches: a physical inspection (wear on interior, pedals, steering wheel) and a digital VIN history check. Physical inspection is not always reliable as parts can be replaced. A VIN-based mileage history check is the only method that provides objective evidence - it shows odometer readings from independent sources at different points in time.

Yes. The VIN number links to a specific vehicle in MOT inspection databases, service centres, and customs records across Europe. Searching by VIN gives you an accurate mileage history from multiple independent sources - the only reliable proof of actual mileage.

The basic VIN check with vehicle technical data is completely free and available without registration. A full report including mileage history, accident details, owner history and all other key data is available for a fee. Visit our pricing page for details on available plans.

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Free basic check. No registration. Results in 55 seconds.