Winding back the odometer costs little and adds thousands to the price. So it happens often — especially on imports whose history stays abroad.
- Compare wear with the number: a smooth wheel, worn pedals and a sagging seat do not go with 90,000 km.
- Ask for the service book and invoices. Dates and readings must rise without jumps backwards.
- Look for the oil-change sticker on the windscreen or door pillar — it is often forgotten.
- In many cars the mileage is also stored in other control units; a workshop with a diagnostic tool reads it for a few euros.
- Search for old listing photos: the same car was often for sale years earlier with a higher reading.
A car with a complete service history is worth more than one with a low number. The number can be changed; the history not so easily.