Not everyone can look around for a new car when they buy a vehicle, often the wallet does not play along. In such cases, used vehicles that last several months to a few years are a great alternative. Often they show little signs of wear, are well maintained and seem to have no defects externally. Especially welcome are cars with low mileage, as the buyer sets some expectations in the life of the engine. Those who consider the purchase of a used vehicle, should not rely on the indicated mileage on the clock. More and more vehicles are being manipulated in this regard. This does not cost the provider a lot of money, but brings him a few thousand euros more during sales.
realized by software in a few minutes
On the used car market, there is a kind of limit in the kilometer range. Vehicles that have crossed 100.000 kilometers are usually much cheaper than cars that are below this mileage. Every less traveled kilometer means face value for the seller. So it's not surprising that speedometer manipulation is now widespread. Experts estimate that every third vehicle in Germany is affected. The manipulation itself is conceivably simple, but to get to the bottom of the fraud is extremely difficult.
30 percent are manipulated according to ADAC
Modern cars have control units in which the mileage is stored. The status in the control units can be overwritten by means of a diagnostic device. There are now mobile service providers with whom a meeting can be arranged at the motorway service area. There, the speedometer is manipulated in no time for little money. In addition, appropriate devices for home use are already available for under 150 Euro in the network, but usually these are devices from the Asian region.
Manipulation is punishable
Do you wonder when buying a used car about the low mileage of the car that is offered to you? Questioning the mileage, a car is driven on average 10.000 to 12.000 kilometers per year, diesel vehicles even up to 20.000 kilometers. If the 2.0 liter TDI moved only 5000 kilometers per year, you should already be noisy. Have all the documents such as TÜV reports, repair invoices, entries in the service booklet or tank documents show. Despite the supposedly low price, which sounds tempting. In such cases you should best contact one of the previous owners. Look closely at the signs of wear on the body, seats, steering wheel and pedals. Could they fit the mileage? Recommended is a diagnostic device, such adapters and apps can read the various control devices and sound the alarm when a manipulation is detected.
Carly app can detect a manipulation
Maria Holler
Maria Holler - Maria has been contributing her expertise in the area of "Laws & Legal" to tuningblog.eu since 2014. As a lawyer with a passion for the automotive world, she combines her specialist knowledge with her interest in tuning and vehicle adaptations. She ensures that readers are always informed about the latest legal framework. In her free time, she is intensively involved with legal regulations in road traffic, which makes her an indispensable resource for the tuning community.
