Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Wed 6 Apr 2016 14:58

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - tico

The wife's looking for a new car (new job with quite a lot of driving). I've bought from auction in the past and was really pleased with what I got. In truth, I'll probably never get her to buy from auction, but have noticed a really nice looking 2015 Merc E350 coming up that would be ideal for her. However, it's mileage (9475) is listed in the catalogue as "incorrect". I don't think I'll go anywhere near it now, but am struggling to believe that anyone would clock such a new car. What do you guys think?

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 03:12

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - bradmax

Most leased cars get clocked but on something so new shouldn't be prob as will be motorway driving and not round town trips

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 09:34

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - Falkirk Bairn

>>However, it's mileage (9475) is listed in the catalogue as "incorrect".

How many other matters are incorrect?

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 10:27

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - pd

The mileage might be right, it might be wrong.

What that means in auction terms is that there is something which doesn't line up properly in the paperwork and the auction house / vendor do not want any comeback. It might have a typo on a MOT or in the service book for example.

"Unwarranted" is slightly different and means the mileage is unwarranted, not that it is wrong. Some vendors never warrant any mileages at all as once the hammer is gone they want to know 100% it isn't coming back.

As with all cars at auction investigation of the mileage, history and anything else is primarily down to the buyer.

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 13:23

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - bathtub tom

Most leased cars get clocked

I'd like to see how you can justify that?

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 14:07

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - Warning

Most leased cars get clocked

I'd like to see how you can justify that?

What about the fact leasing companies have annual mileage limits?

In the old days people had to open up cars to turn the numbers back on the clock, these days people hook up a computer and can turn the mileage back. It is too easy! These companies are advertising on the internet. No longer do you need to know a shady garage.

Conversely there was an article in the newspaper about clocking and it says some people increase the mileage for tax reasons! (company car drivers).

I feel betrayed by car manufacturers they seem to make it too easy to turn the clock back. It is great for the first customer who can get a great trade-in, but not so good for second and third owners. I would have thought they would have an interest in unclockable cars, since it would impact warantee claims.

Edited by Warning on 08/04/2016 at 14:08

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 13:40

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - alan1302

Most leased cars get clocked but on something so new shouldn't be prob as will be motorway driving and not round town trips

How can you tell it's been motorway miles or round town?

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 14:20

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - Warning

but am struggling to believe that anyone would clock such a new car

The most lucrative time to clock cars is when they are nearly new. Especially in the first 3 years, when MOT is not compulsary.

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 15:12

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - SteVee

>>The most lucrative time to clock cars is when they are nearly new. Especially in the first 3 years, when MOT is not compulsary.<<

Yes, indeed. Especially when the car is on a mileage-limted lease.
They'll never know about those extra miles - thinks the customer; but the lease company have seen it all before and charge accordingly

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 17:26

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - slkfanboy

>>The most lucrative time to clock cars is when they are nearly new. Especially in the first 3 years, when MOT is not compulsary.<<

Yes, indeed. Especially when the car is on a mileage-limted lease.
They'll never know about those extra miles - thinks the customer; but the lease company have seen it all before and charge accordingly

So it would not show on the service history?

While I agree any high mileage car is a target for clocking, I suspect most are not.

Spotting clocked car is not so much about the paper work as the looking for the signs.

Mostly likely a clocked car will have only the basic documents and service book. So look at the foot wells, seats and stearing wheel. The west midland seams to be a hotspot for clocked cars too.

Audis and i guess some VW cars can be spotted by looking at the milage verses ECU fault code data. Currently thu needs someone with a very good understand of the cars ECU workings.

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 23:39

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - pd

As sugested above the most common form of clocking are personal lease cars.

The price difference between 8k pa and 30k pa is enormous, so, people take out a cheap 3 year lease at 8k pa - do 90k in it and before handing it back and it's first MOT have it turned back to 23k and maybe a service done.

No one is ever the wiser as there is no incorrect MOT record or service records. It looks like a 20k mile car with the one correct service on paper.

There are, of course, some rogue individuals who will take a 180k car and turn it back to 90k but with electronic MOTs, increasing records and increasing penalties these are few and far between these days.

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Sat 9 Apr 2016 10:30

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - brum

I thought there are 2 mileage counters, one on the dash clock and one in the ecu,,both keep a tally of mileage. The dash clock can be changed however the ecu is not changeable iirc. Also the clock keeps a record of changes.

So all lease companies need to do is read both with the appropriate diagnostic gear.

Could be lease company have flagged up this Mercs as having been tampered with.

I maybe wrong though.

Edited by brum on 09/04/2016 at 10:31

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Sun 10 Apr 2016 00:36

Mercedes E350 - E class with unwarranted miles - Happy Blue!

I bought a low mileage 2011 E350 last year. Before I did so, I went into the local Merc dealer with the reg no. They were very helpful and gave me all the details of the service history. So I would do that and sdee what they say. It would be very silly to clock such a new car if it has been into the dealers for servicing, as the history is all held centrally. My car was serviced in Stoke, but the dealer I went to was in Manchester.

If the car is 'right' then great and I can tell you that it is simply lovely!

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