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Karolis Bareckas

The car buying process takes patience and time and often involves one unpleasant part – doing everything to avoid cars with a fake mileage. As it turns out, this is easier to do when getting an expensive car.

Our latest research proves that mileage fraud affects both cheap and expensive vehicles – but the scale of manipulation varies.

Check any VIN to learn a vehicle's history!

Afraid of buying a wreck?

7.5% of cars under €5,000 in our research were clocked.

15.9% – the highest share of clocked cars under €5,000 in the study is found in Ukraine.

Cheap cars in Eastern Europe are clocked the most.

1.8% of all vehicles above €50,000 had manipulated odometers.

4.1% – the highest share of clocked cars above €50,000 in the research is found in Spain.

The cheaper the car, the higher the risk of odometer fraud

Since our customers buy thousands of reports every day, we can explore trends in the used car market.

 When it comes to mileage fraud, the trend is evident – the cheaper the car is, the more likely its odometer will be altered.

If you’re buying a car under €5,000, you should be cautious as 7.5% of vehicles in this price range are clocked. Vehicles priced between €5,000 and €10,000 are also risky, with 6.5% being clocked. The situation gets better and stabilizes among cars costing between €25,000 (2.5% clocked) and €50,000+ (1.8% clocked).

This tendency of cheaper cars being clocked more isn’t unique to a single market – 

lower-priced vehicles tend to have the highest fraud rates across many countries

When buying inexpensive cars, drivers are less likely to go through all the steps to avoid issues. For example, they may skip ordering a vehicle history report or taking the car to a service center for inspection. Fraudsters are aware of this and often target lower-cost vehicles by rolling back the 

“Buyers always look for cars with low mileage. But if they don’t verify whether that number is accurate, they risk being misled and significantly overpaying. Issues related to wear and tear may also appear soon after the purchase,” explains Matas Buzelis, automotive expert at carVertical.

Low-cost cars are targeted more often in Eastern European countries

Clocking rates in different countries vary significantly. 

Mileage fraud is more widespread in Eastern Europe

. However, this isn’t engraved in stone – odometer tampering is a 

, and every country has its share of shady sellers.

Let’s take cars costing up to €5,000. Depending on the model, condition, technical specifications, and mileage, you can expect to buy a 10–20 year old car for this sum. While an older, well-maintained car can serve you well, 10–20 old cars often have a high mileage. As mentioned above, 

1 out of 13 budget cars may have an altered odometer

But depending on where you live, the chances of getting a clocked vehicle may be even higher.

For example, in Romania, 11.1% of all cars under €5,000 were clocked. In Lithuania – 10.3%, in Latvia – 13.5%, in Poland – 5%, in France – 3.2%, in Hungary – 7.5%. While in some countries like Portugal, Italy, or the United Kingdom, the share of clocked sub-€5,000 vehicles varies between 2% and 3.4%, this doesn’t mean that buyers should be careless.

“The financial situation across Europe is different. Typically, buyers in Eastern and Central Europe are more price-sensitive. Buying a clocked car means that you’re significantly overpaying for it, which is a paradox, considering that people choose a low-budget vehicle to save money,” says Buzelis.

Luxury cars involve bigger financial losses

According to our data, 2.4% of all vehicles from €30,000 to €35,000 were clocked.

 In the €35,000–€40,000 price bracket, the share of vehicles with tampered odometers was 2.2%, the same as in the €40,000–€45,000 range. Even if we take the most expensive cars in this research, costing from €50,000, 1.8% of them had manipulated mileage.

Although scammers target cars at all price points, mileage fraud in the premium segment can result in greater financial damage. Our previous research shows that car buyers spend 21% more on average for a vehicle with a clocked mileage. What does this actually mean?

If you buy a clocked car for €2,000, its real value may be around €1,600. In this case, you give away €400 for scammers.

 Now, let’s say you’re buying a used car for €50,000. Your financial losses may be around €10,000. And this is just a starting point, as its condition will be worse, and you will eventually spend more money on repairs than you may have expected.

While cheaper cars are clocked the most in most researched markets, this isn’t the case in Portugal and Spain. In the €40,000–45,000 price range, 4.9% of all vehicles in Portugal were clocked. In Spain, the share is even higher – 5.8%.

Typical signs that may suggest mileage fraud

 are full of vehicles with tampered mileage, it’s possible to avoid them. Here are some signs that may suggest odometer manipulation:

 Shady sellers sometimes offer their cars for lower prices to make a quick sale before the buyer finds out about the mileage manipulation.

 The condition of a car’s interior can also reveal its actual mileage. A worn-out steering wheel, gear knob, pedals, or upholstery may suggest the car has done far more kilometers than advertised. If the mileage is low, but the interior looks heavily used, that’s a red flag.

 Fraudsters may pressure potential buyers to make a quick decision, claiming that others are also interested. Those who rush into the deal without checking the car’s background often end up disappointed.

 Missing maintenance records or inconsistent mileage logs in service books or inspection reports may indicate that the seller is hiding something.

While these signs may not necessarily mean that the car has a manipulated mileage, it’s worth being extra careful. You can’t know whether the previous owner was just careless and didn’t keep the service records or is trying to scam you.

Either way, you should always check the history of a car you’re buying if you don’t want to end up among thousands of scammed drivers. And don’t forget that some models are clocked more than others, which is also worth taking into account when browsing classified ads.

How to learn the car’s actual mileage from a history report

a special section called Odometer, where you can quickly learn whether the car’s mileage is genuine

The odometer readings of every car are represented in a graph, allowing you to see how they changed throughout the vehicle’s lifespan. In the real case below, you can see that carVertical detected 12 mileage records for this car since 2014. However, in 2018, its mileage was altered by more than 50,000 kilometers.

Buyers generally avoid vehicles with mileage above 200,000 km, meaning such cars will be worth less.

Not everything is black and white. Some cars change multiple owners throughout their lifespan, and the current seller may not even know that their vehicle has altered mileage. However, even if you decide to buy a clocked car, you can use the history report to negotiate a better price.

Avoid costly problems by checking a vehicle's history. Get a report instantly!

Check your VIN

carVertical’s study analyzed actual vehicle history reports purchased by the company’s customers between March 1, 2024, and March 1, 2025. Vehicles with tampered mileage were grouped by price range, their share was calculated in percentages, and results were ranked accordingly.

Odometer fraud across different price brackets: low-cost vehicles are found to be the riskiest

You just can’t grab the first car you found on a marketplace and expect to drive for years without trouble. Technically, it’s possible, but you have to be among the lucky ones.

Just how lucky? That’s what we’re here to find out.

According to our data geeks, finding a car with a clean history can be quite a challenge.

 We analyzed a lot of VIN check data from a bunch of European countries to learn the statistics: how common are clean cars? Which makers are safer? And more.

A clean car is one that doesn't have any recorded incidents in its 

. Such a vehicle will hold its price better and serve longer. Let’s dive into the details of what a clean car is.

A car in our study can be called clean if:

The period between mileage records is no longer than 3 years

A vehicle with a clean history report must not:

Have been used as a taxi, ride-sharing, or car-sharing vehicle

Have junk, salvage, flood, fire, or lemon title

While every driver wants to buy a car that hasn’t been involved in any accident or been clocked, in reality, the used vehicle market is full of cars whose histories are far from clean.

Want a car with a clean history? French and Italian brands may be your answer

Italian and French automakers can sigh in relief as they dominate the list of clean cars in Europe. 

Alfa Romeo takes the crown with 65.1% of vehicles checked on carVertical having clean histories.

 Peugeot (62.9%), Renault (61.3%), Citroen (61.2%), and Fiat (59.4%) are close behind.

Peugeot, Renault, Citroen, and Fiat produce economy-class vehicles that may be less susceptible to fraud. If you’re some shady dealer, you don’t want to risk clocking the mileage or hiding damages of some cheap hatchback, as your profit will be low. That’s why scammers target more expensive car brands to earn more money.

So, why on earth does Alfa Romeo have the highest share of cars with clean histories? Shouldn't it be at the other end of the spectrum?

While Alfas are considered sporty cars, they don’t attract the same crowd as BMW, Porsche, and Subaru

, whose owners may often indulge in more aggressive driving. Estimates say that, in 2023, Alfa Romeo delivered around 70,000 cars. That’s not a lot, as most manufacturers count their vehicles by hundreds of thousands or even millions of units. This explains why Alfa Romeo attracts scammers less. They just don’t want to clock the mileage of a car that may have a high price but fewer interested buyers.

If you’re some shady dealer, you don’t want to risk clocking the mileage or hiding damages of a cheap hatchback, as your profit will be low. Scammers tend to target more expensive car brands to earn more money.

What if we narrow down our scope and look at the situation in different countries? Apparently, the dominance of French and Italian car manufacturers is visible across the continent. Fiat has the most vehicles with clean histories in Czechia (54.1%) and Finland (91.1%). Renault – in France (74.1%). Citroen – in Hungary (54.6%), Croatia (72%), and Latvia (67.1%). Peugeot – in Lithuania (64.1%), Poland (50.3%), and Ukraine (64.1%). Alfa Romeo – in Slovakia (62.8%).

depending on the country, other car brands may also have a clean history

. In Spain, Lexus has the highest share of vehicles with clean history records – 88.6% of all VIN checks on carVertical. In the UK – Honda (72.1%), in Italy – Toyota (95.2%), in Portugal – Toyota (91.5%), in Romania – Lexus (60.5%), and in Serbia – Toyota (79.6%).

Finding a premium car without defects may be difficult

 finding a car with a clean history requires time and effort, some brands are particularly risky

. Among all vehicles checked by carVertical in the research, BMW models had the worst results – only 23.2% had a clean history. BMW has the lowest share of vehicles with clean histories in multiple countries, including Spain (8.9%), France (21%), Hungary (13.5%), Croatia (15.7%), Latvia (15.7%), Poland (6.9%), Portugal (3.9%), Slovakia (4.2%), Romania (8%), Serbia (22.3%), and Ukraine (11.2%).

Next on the list were Porsche (32.5%) and Volvo (40.8%).

In most countries included in the study, premium cars were significantly less likely to have a clean history, meaning that fans of these brands should be especially cautious when shopping for a used model.

Many people dream of owning a premium-class car, but they don’t always fully assess the risks involved in buying one. Since these vehicles are more expensive, dishonest sellers are more likely to falsify their mileage or hide defects.

To purchase a premium-class car at the lowest possible price, buyers often overlook its history

 or fail to check what kind of damage it may have sustained in the past. Later, as various defects begin to surface, you may face unpleasant surprises, and significant repairs can drive the ownership expenses to unpredictable costs.

How to find a vehicle with a clean history

So, obviously, you want a car with a clean history, the one that will be worth every penny and won’t cause you any trouble in the long run. Be it an economy-class Dacia, a premium Lexus, or a BMW. But where should you start?

 in the ad, so anyone interested in that model may check its history. However, some owners may forget to do that, so don’t hesitate to contact them and ask. 

If the seller isn’t willing to share the VIN or claims that their car is flawless and there’s no point in getting a history report, it’s a high chance that you’ve met a shady seller.

2. Check a car’s history on carVertical

 hop on carVertical and check the car’s history

. Evaluate any damage the vehicle has suffered, mileage, ownership changes, safety recall records, and its historical photos.

However, brace yourself – finding a vehicle with a clean history may not be easy. But this doesn’t mean you should completely ignore cars with minor issues. What is more, you can use this information to negotiate a lower price.

If the history report is clean or at least doesn’t contain any information that may suggest that a vehicle is a lemon, go for a test drive. 

Don’t forget to inspect the car for any rust, leaks, scratches, and dents. Check if all the electronics work properly.

 It’s best to try the car at different speeds and on various terrains. Listen to any noises from the engine bay or suspension you may not like.

If you still feel that the car you checked might be the one, do the final step and bring it to an authorized service center for inspection. If the vehicle’s history is unclean and it has past damages or other 

, use this information in a report to discuss the car’s condition with a mechanic.

They can evaluate the car’s state and give their opinion of how certain damages were repaired.

 Additionally, they will hook up diagnostic tools so you can learn more about the car.

Finding a used vehicle shouldn’t be a gamble. By employing carVertical’s history report and following the buying process meticulously, you may find a reliable ride. However, if you buy the first car you see without actually digging into its history, the excitement of getting a new vehicle may quickly fade due to persistent mechanical failures or electrical faults.

The carVertical study analyzed vehicle history reports purchased by the company’s customers from January 2024 to December 2024. Cars with clean history reports were counted by brand, converted into percentages, and ranked accordingly.

Research: A used car with a clean history – mission (im)possible?

Even brand-new cars rolling out of showrooms can have factory defects that compromise the safety of drivers and passengers. While some issues become apparent over time, manufacturers are legally obligated to recall affected vehicles for repairs.

However, many drivers neglect to address these recalls, leaving lots of vehicles on the road with potentially dangerous manufacturing issues.

Our team conducted a study to determine in which countries buyers face the highest risk of 

purchasing a used car with an open recall

A well-maintained and undamaged car is the most reliable! Check any VIN code to make sure you're not buying a wreck:

Looking for a reliable car?

Portugal has the highest share of vehicles with (resolved or unresolved) recalls in the research (18.2%).

Over half of recalls (50.2%) in Greece had been solved, which is the best result among all countries surveyed.

The UK and Belgium had the lowest share of vehicles with recalls (both at 3.1%).

Only 27.2% of recalls were solved in Slovakia – the worst result in the research.

Southern European countries have the highest percentage of cars with recalls.

Cars manufactured in 2014 had the most recalls (12.1%).

Recalls are common in the automotive industry, affecting all manufacturers at some point. 

Airbags, seatbelts, brakes, and electrical systems are the most frequent culprits behind recalls.

 While most factory defects are minor, some can pose critical safety risks, making it inadvisable to drive the vehicle.

As cars become increasingly modern and incorporate more electrical components and safety technologies, recalls are becoming more common. Fortunately, these issues are usually resolved during regular vehicle maintenance, causing minimal inconvenience to drivers.

Some manufacturing defects, however, can have serious consequences. In 2013, news spread worldwide about defective (and dangerous) airbags produced by the Japanese corporation Takata, which affected millions of vehicles. Automakers such as BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota recalled cars with Takata airbags for repairs. Despite this, there were injuries and even fatalities, and 

a decade later, vehicles with these faulty airbags can still be found in the used car market

Airbags, seatbelts, brakes, and electrical systems are the most frequent culprits behind recalls. While most factory defects are minor, some can pose critical safety risks, making it inadvisable to drive the vehicle.

Southern European countries (and Germany) have the highest recall rates

Among the researched countries, Portugal (18.2%) and Greece (17.6%) had the highest share of recalled vehicles, followed by Spain (14.5%), Bulgaria (13.9%), and Germany (11.5%).

The number of cars with resolved recalls varies across these countries. In Portugal, 38% of owners responded to recall notices, compared to 50.2% in Greece, 42.2% in Spain, 42.6% in Bulgaria, and 48.5% in Germany.

almost half of all drivers in these countries don’t take manufacturing defects seriously and choose to ignore them

The lowest recall rates were observed in the UK (3.1%), Belgium (3.1%), the US (3.2%), Czechia (4%), and Sweden (4.4%).

Considering the high percentage of unresolved recalls and the increasing complexity of vehicle technology, it’s crucial for consumers to take proactive steps when buying a used car.

 Otherwise, you can never know whether a manufacturing defect will put your safety at risk.

Beware of 10-year-old cars – they have too many secrets

Approximately 1 out of 8 vehicles built in 2014 have had manufacturing defects.

The chances of stumbling across a vehicle with unresolved recalls highly depend on the year of manufacture.

12.1% of all vehicles manufactured in 2014 and checked on carVertical had recall records

– the worst result in the research. This means that 

approximately 1 out of 8 vehicles built in 2014 have had manufacturing defects

. 47.9% of those recalls were solved, leaving over half of cars with open recalls. Many of these cars are likely to have changed several owners without them knowing about an unresolved recall.

2013 was another complicated year for car manufacturers, as 11.9% of vehicles 

 had recalls (36.4% solved), followed by 2011, with 11.5% of cars having recall records (37.1% solved).

Older cars typically have fewer recalls – 20 years ago vehicles had less electrical systems and various technologies that can fail. Since 

it takes time for car makers to detect manufacturing defects

, evaluate their potential impact on the vehicle’s safety, and issue a recall, newer cars also have fewer recall records compared to 9-13 year old vehicles.

How to avoid cars with unresolved recalls

When buying a used car, it’s essential to check whether the manufacturer issued a recall

for that vehicle and, if so, whether the problem was fixed. Ignoring unresolved recalls could compromise your safety and lead to mechanical issues over time.

The easiest way to spot a recall is by employing carVertical’s history report.

, you can find information on issued recalls, the date they were announced, their description, and whether they were solved or not

When buying a used car, it’s essential to check whether the manufacturer issued a recall for that vehicle and, if so, whether the problem was fixed. Ignoring unresolved recalls could compromise your safety and lead to mechanical issues over time.

If the car you want to buy has unresolved recalls, you’ll have additional trouble contacting the manufacturer and bringing your vehicle for repairs. If the recall is minor, such as faulty radio software, you can continue driving such a car. But if the recall was issued for critical parts like airbags, brakes, or the steering system, you shouldn’t risk your safety and get it fixed as soon as possible.

use this information as a bargaining chip to negotiate a better price with the seller

. However, keep in mind that they may be skeptical, as many owners simply have no idea that their car was recalled years ago.

The carVertical study analyzed vehicle history reports purchased by the company’s users in 26 countries between January 2023 and September 2024 and counted the share of reports containing information about car recalls. The 

 allows us to identify whether the recall was resolved, unresolved, or if the status of the issue is unknown.

Research

Odometer fraud across different price brackets: low-cost vehicles are found to be the riskiest

Research: A used car with a clean history – mission (im)possible?

Research: How common are cars with unresolved recalls, and should you ignore them?