Buying a used car means making substantial savings... Provided of course to have rigorously selected his new car avoiding all the traps. However, among the possible pitfalls during such an acquisition, it is odometer fraud that worries.

A real risk

Knowing that the wear and tear of a vehicle is evaluated in particular in relation to its mileage traveled, it has become common to modify this figure to significantly increase the price or sell a car that is actually good for breakage.

The worst thing is that, contrary to what one might think, you do not have to be a genius of the scam to carry out such a maneuver! The meter modification is, alas, quite simple to achieve, and even too simple.

On older models, the analog meter had to be disassembled to replace it. But since the arrival of electronics in our cabins, fraud software has been circulating online.

If data is lacking on the subject, the International Automobile Federation estimated in 2016 that 600,000 used cars were sold each year in France with a falsified meter.

In addition, a study by the specialized company carvertical.com, estimated the average fraud rate at 15.2% at the global market level in 2022, ranking the France as the third country with the highest number of tampered meters...

Be extra vigilant

To avoid falling into the trap, it is imperative to inspect the vehicle for physical signs of wear, but also to carefully check its history.

To do this, go to the official histovec.interieur.gouv.fr portal, which provides access to a lot of useful information, from the number of successive holders of the registration document to the duration of detention, including claims that have given rise to a proper expertise.

Better yet, since 2021, this site also allows you to consult mileage readings made during technical inspections (provided they were carried out in France).

If data is missing or incomplete, do not hesitate to ask for the maintenance booklet and call directly the garages and dealerships indicated to verify the owner's statements.

Legal action

If, despite all your precautions, your new vehicle has premature failures in relation to its meter, it is probably because the latter has been tampered with.

Unless you reach an amicable agreement with the seller, you will have to go through legal action to request the reduction of the price, or even the cancellation of the sale, since this fraudulent modification constitutes a breach of the obligation to deliver a product in accordance with the contract.

OUR "AUTOMOBILE" FILE

Damages may also be obtained if you prove damage. To win your case, however, it will be up to you to prove the falsification of the meter by contacting a technical control center, a dealer or a car expert.

A criminal offence

Modifying the odometer of a car so that it displays an attractive 50,000 km rather than a much less glowing 150,000 km is not trivial! Remember that this scam is a crime of deception punishable by two years in prison and a fine of € 300,000.

If criminal proceedings are initiated, they will also allow the victim to seek compensation. But beware, the prosecutor will have to prove that the seller is at the origin of the falsification of the meter to obtain a conviction.

Conversely, in civil proceedings for breach of the obligation to deliver, the owner of the vehicle is liable as soon as the change in mileage is proven, whether or not he has knowledge of the fraud.

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