As HPI confirms, this week, that its National Mileage Register (NMR) now exceeds 150 million mileages, the BBC’s The One Show puts the spotlight on the growing threat of car clocking.

Leading with HPI’s figure of one million clocked cars on UK roads, The One Show went on to report how one used car buyer fell victim to clockers, spending over the odds on a vehicle that had done over four times more miles than the odometer registered.

One in 20 cars checked with HPI show a discrepant mileage, and this figure has risen by 10% in the last 5 years.

“Clocking itself isn’t illegal, but selling a clocked car without declaring its true mileage is,” explains Kristian Welch, consumer director for HPI. “The One Show highlighted that there are many of mileage correction firms clocking vehicles, despite there being only very rare instances when the mileage needs correcting. Clearly many of these companies are exploiting a legal loophole to help unscrupulous sellers con used car buyers out of their hard-earned cash and we support calls to change the law.

“People don’t realise that digital odometers can be clocked, but the BBC has proved what we have always known - that they can be altered just as easily but are harder to detect. A low mileage can add hundreds or even thousands of pounds to the perceived value of a vehicle, so buyers have a lot to lose. Not only could they pay more than the vehicle is worth, but the car may need servicing and repairs sooner than the tampered mileage suggests. An HPI Check includes a mileage check against the NMR as standard, and now with over 150 million readings, it safeguards the car buying public against clockers. It will also record mileages in the first 3 years of the vehicle’s life, before it enters the MOT system.”

Backing advice given by Dom Littlewood on The One Show, HPI urges consumers to check the mileages recorded on the service history. Buyers can also look for invoices and service stamps from a genuine dealer and contact the previous keeper to confirm the mileage when they sold the vehicle.