It is always wise to be wary of bargains and seemingly perfect cars because they may have been tricked. In this case, the most advisable thing is that we know how to consult the real kilometers made. Likewise, and before anything else and what we are going to explain below, it is important that you also know that you should request the report of said vehicle to the DGT (General Directorate of Traffic). And not only to find out if the mileage has been altered or manipulated, but to find out if it has charges and if the ITV is up to date. But let’s go in parts.
Importance of knowing the kilometers
Why is it important to know the kilometers? It is simply an indicator that will allow us to know the use that has been given to the car that we are going to buy or that we are looking at and also to know if the equipment is or is not in perfect condition as well as other aspects such as the vehicle’s engine, for example. It really is not a single parameter with which we can decide whether or not to buy a car because it will depend on many factors. Not only the mileage, for example, but the mileage taking into account the “time” of the car or the mileage in relation to the year of the car because we can have an idea of the use that has been made or what type of use.
It is not a fundamental factor nor the only one that you should look at, of course. There are other important aspects such as the state of the engine, the bodywork, the brakes… Although generally almost “everything” can be fixed, it is important
how to find out
There are several steps that we can follow to find out how many kilometers a car has. Through its information, the ITV card, the documentation… As we have explained in previous paragraphs, there are options to Check the kilometers and find out exactly how many you have.
ITV history and card
One of the best ways is to have the information from the ITV of the year in which it has been passed because here they will be recorded by hand, although there is also the option of deception through a duplicate or a falsification of it. If it is someone reliable or we trust the person who is going to give us a car (or if it is your own vehicle) we can access the ITV card where we will see the stamp of the corresponding station and the kilometers written down by hand. It is one of the ways more useful and comfortable consult it if the car’s odometer has been modified.
Of course, depending on when the last MOT was passed, this can be unreliable. It will not be the same if the ITV was passed a month ago as it was two years ago because the number of kilometers traveled can change a lot in one case or another.
The history of the ITV is also important if you want to make sure that the card is not falsified. As we mentioned, the most logical thing would be to check it from the ITV history where we will really check If this car has the kilometers it claims to have. This report indicates if the vehicle has loads, if it has the ITV up to date or the mileage of the last ITV.
Just check the kilometers and make sure the numbers add up. You can request the DGT vehicle report online (with certificate) or in Traffic.
In the workshop with special machines
One of the most effective ways to know the real mileage of a car is with the help of a diagnostic machine in an authorized workshop. To do this, it will only suffice to connect to the puerto OBD2 the diagnostic equipment and the actual mileage of the vehicle will be displayed instantly. This is because the computers or modules store data on the operation of the vehicle, as well as the actual mileage, also in an authorized and specialized workshop they carry out the diagnosis of the car with the latest technology equipment. to be more exact.
This is a good way to check if you are looking for something accurate and reliable but it is somewhat more annoying than simply checking it in the ITV history or in the vehicle report. Even so, it is the most recommended way if you want something exact and reliable to know beforehand.
In-depth review
This is something more annoying or nuisance because we cannot thoroughly review a car before buying it, in most cases. But we can go to a workshop, especially if we have an acquaintance in it, if they have let us try it. This we It will allow you to identify any possible problem or calculate the exact kilometers.
Although it is additional but this will allow us to review other options such as brake discs, suspension, steering, etc. As a piece of advice, make sure that the revisions are made on the most expensive components, the same ones that are more expensive to replace. Because? Generally, the changes in the car before selling it, in order to camouflage or hide it, are made in more affordable parts thanks to how cheap they are in scrapyards or workshops, but it is much more complex to modify some more expensive parts of the vehicle and it will be here when you can realize the time or the real use that it has.
