Car clocking, or adjusting the mileage on a vehicle, is a concept based on the simple principle that mileage is an important factor contributing to a car's value and saleability.
It therefore stands to reason that buying a high mileage car and selling it as a low mileage one, would likely increase its saleability and the profit margin: bingo!
‘Clocking’ a car, ‘giving it a haircut’ or ‘bingo-ing’ a car are all slang terms for mileage fraud.
It’s not a new phenomenon, but it has become more widespread for a very simple reason. Most cars are bought on finance, and PCP monthly payments are linked to the vehicle’s future value, which is linked to the annual contract mileage.
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Most cars are bought on finance, and PCP monthly payments are linked to the vehicle's future value, which is directly influenced by annual contract mileage. This makes mileage clocking a concern for both dealers and buyers. The lower the annual mileage, the lower the monthly premium. If you exceed the annual mileage an excess mileage charge will become payable.
We are considered to be a force to be reckoned with in civil fraud, specifically in the area of automotive fraud, motor trade, classic and supercars. We are straight talking, approachable and able to explain the most complicated things into simple concepts, true experts, with a lifetime of experience.
If you’ve bought a car or van which has had the mileage altered, call the Car Lawyer for first free advice.
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How to Spot a Clocked Car: Analogue vs. Digital Mileage Adjustment
Classic cars and modern classics have analogue mileometers, which surprisingly are more difficult to clock than modern digital odometers. The mileage is recorded using a mechanical process on what looks like a barrel combination lock. A series of wheels numbered 0-9 are held together in a barrel format by a spring, interconnected by a tiny spigot at the number nine position. The farthest right-hand wheel turns as the car is driven, and when it reaches nine and as it trips over to 0, the wheel to the left of it clicks over to 1 and so on.
To clock a car, the screws securing the speedo binnacle have to be removed, potentially leaving tell-tale signs in the process. The barrel has to be removed and the wheels prized apart to disengage the interconnecting spigot, without breaking the spring and without damaging the wheels and the numbers.
Once separated, the selected wheel can be manually turned to display the required number. When done and all the numbers are lined up, the odometer- mileometer- is reinstated. While analogue mileometers are often associated with classic cars, they can be more difficult to alter compared to modern digital odometers.
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There are very few occasions in life when you genuinely feel that someone has stood beside you through a difficult situation and helped you achieve the right outcome. My experience with Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law was one of those occasions.
I approached Stormcatcher after what had already become an exhausting and highly stressful dispute involving a faulty £82,850 motorhome with a Dealer based in Cannock. By that point, I had spent months dealing with repeated faults, unsuccessful repair attempts, cancelled trips, endless correspondence and increasing frustration. What should have been an exciting purchase had turned into one of the most draining experiences I have ever faced as a consumer.
From ourfirst conversation, Philip gave me something I had been missing for a very long time: confidence that somebody was actually listening, understood the situation and had a clear plan for how to deal with it.
Throughout the dispute, Philip and Antonia were professional, patient, supportive and wonderfully persistent. No matter how many setbacks occurred, they remained calm and focused. When I felt frustrated, they remained measured. When deadlines were missed and arrangements failed, they kept moving the matter forward. When the process became emotionally draining, they gave me confidence that I was not fighting the battle alone.
What impressed me most was the balance they struck between legal expertise and genuine human support. I was never made to feel like just another file. The advice was always clear, practical and honest. Expectations were managed properly and communication was excellent throughout.
By the time Stormcatcher became involved, the dispute had generated a huge amount of evidence, correspondence and history. Philip took the time to understand every aspect of it and never lost sight of the key objective: achieving the right outcome.
After months of resistance, delays, missed commitments and legal arguments, Stormcatcher ultimately secured repayment of the full £82,850 purchase price and brought a dispute that had lasted almost a year to a successful conclusion.
The financial result was obviously important, but what meant even more to me was the sense of relief that came from finally bringing the matter to an end. After living with the stress of the dispute for so long, I cannot adequately describe how grateful I was to have someone in my corner who was prepared to keep going until it was resolved.
I would like to personally thank Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law for their hard work, professionalism, patience and determination.
If you are facing a difficult consumer dispute and need solicitors who genuinely care about achieving the right outcome for their client, I would recommend Stormcatcher Law without hesitation.
I am incredibly grateful for everything they did for me. They helped me bring a very difficult chapter to a close, and that is something I will never forget.
Thank you, Philip and Antonia.
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Digital Mileage Clocking and ECU Manipulation
Digital odometers have eliminated the need for the removal of any components and the risk of any tell-tale damage. The process is completed by manipulating the vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) by plugging in a laptop with the appropriate software. However, cars have evolved to record mileage in the key and in other in car electronic devices. This not only leads to the discovery of a clocked car, but the date when it was done.
Are Mileage Blockers Illegal? CAN Blockers Explained
A further evolution led to the production and ready availability of CAN blockers or mileage blockers, which are electronic installations which can stop the odometer recording the miles or changes the way the mileage is recorded, both on the dashboard and in the ECU(s).
These CAN filters are often plugged in behind the speedo binnacle but can be virtually wireless. However, this also raises the question, "Is clocking a car with a digital odometer illegal?"
Clocked Mileage: Risks and Detection Methods
In some instances, mileage blockers are undetectable, but not always. In many high-performance cars and prestige vehicles, the gear box ECU is not affected by the CAN blocker and continues to record the real mileage. It all too often goes unnoticed, as this data is not regularly checked.
What does happen is that vehicles do not get properly serviced due to the mileage not recording properly, and the vehicle not being submitted to main dealer through fear of the truth being discovered.
This leads to component and in some cases, engine and transmission failure, triggering the interrogation of the gearbox ECU and other in-car electronic devices which continue to accurately record mileage. Inaccurate mileage due to clocking can also lead to the car not being properly serviced, eventually causing component and even engine and transmission failures.
Is Clocking Cars Illegal?
Despite a number of proposals here in the UK and Europe, clocking cars and the firms that do it have not yet been outlawed.
It is however illegal to clock and sell a clocked car which could well amount to fraudulent misrepresentation and or breach of statutory duty under consumer protection law. In reality, few car dealers engage in clocking and reselling, and the majority disclaim the accuracy of the odometer reading in the small print.
However, this isn’t the whole story and as much as dealers want to cover their backs against mileage fraud, they can’t have their cake and eat it by pricing cars as if the mileage and service history is genuine, and get out of jail when it’s found not to be. If you've bought a clocked car from a dealer, this could amount to fraudulent misrepresentation and could fall under the breach of statutory duty under consumer protection law in the UK. This could mean you can reject a clocked car and recover your money.
If you’ve bought a clocked car, phone for first free expert advice.
Contact Stormcatcher Civil Fraud Lawyers for First Free Legal Advice
About Philip Harmer
Having acted in a number of claims involving dishonest conduct, false representation, and unlawful means conspiracy, Philip is experienced in identifying and deconstructing fraudulent behaviour, particularly in the context of the motor trade. He applies a forensic, evidence-led approach to tackling deceitful practices and holds a strong record in exposing misrepresentation in both consumer and commercial disputes.
He regularly advises on civil fraud, including clocked mileage claims, false service history, and cloned vehicle disputes.
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