This is one of the most common scams in the used car market: tampering with the meter. Sellers buy used cars, change their mileage, and resell them for more, claiming they are newer than they actually are.

Data collection company carVertical conducted a study to determine which models and brands were most affected by this notorious scam. Republican East reports that carVertical relied on 700,000 car history reports, from November 2020 to November 2021, produced in 18 different markets.

No brand, no model is immune. “The list of the most affected cars is mainly made up of high-end models, but more economical cars are also affected by this phenomenon”, explains Matas Buzelis, carVertical automotive expert at L’Est Républicain.

Models “5 to 15 years old are more likely to have a tampered meter.” First of all because the added value of the scammer will be greater. On the other hand because recent models are equipped with more complex systems to falsify.

To prevent the odometer scam, you must always consult the maintenance log of a vehicle that you wish to acquire second-hand. In order to ascertain the age of the vehicle, attention should also be paid to the wear of the pedals, the steering wheel or the knob; not just the number of kilometers on the odometer.

If in doubt, be especially wary of the makes and models featured in our slideshow as these are the most likely to be tampered with.