R231 SL Possible mileage clocking - Checks?

[CharlesM96]

Hi everyone.

I went to see a SL63 this week, and performed a HPI check after leaving a deposit where the following mileage discrepancy was found.

MOT performed at 18,718 miles on 20/06/2023, then the mileage increased to 27,527 (Recorded by VOSA on 02/11/2023) before dropping down to 20,682 miles at the next MOT on 28/05/2024. Not good...

It should also be noted, the private plate on the car was registered on 24/07/2022 and then removed on 18/11/2023 (presumably when it was then last sold).

My concern would be, if this recording isn't a mistake - the owner in this period has clocked it and unwound the mileage prior to it being moved on late in November 2023. So what's recorded as a 21k car, could be anything...

What I also wonder is what led to the recording by VOSA/DVSA on 02/11/2023 as it was between MOT's?

More bizarrely, Autotrader's own HPI check showed the car as clean. I have a friend in the motor trade and got him to check it - clean also. However this discrepancy came up for me when checking it on hpicheck.com

I have had my deposit returned, and left it to the dealer (who was very apologetic and seemingly surprised) to see if they can correct this on national mileage database (they are sure it must be an error). The car did look very clean, still with 2021 dated MO tyres on with lots of life. However, for me to even consider buying this car if the mileage is corrected and was an error, for peace of mind I would want it inspected by a third party star dealership. Question is....what is possible to check - does anyone know?

 

[ALFAitalia]

I can imagine its been clocked.....its not enough of a reduction to make any different to the value.....7000 miles would not be worth the hassle.....its a recording error somewhere I would think.

 

[DSM10000]

You cannot easily change the mileage. It is stored in the instrument cluster and, I believe, the electronic ignition switch.

If a new cluster is fitted for example then mileage correction would need to be carried out with the vheicle connected to the Mercedes system in Germany to update the records.

As said , it is almost certainly a transcription error as removing 7000 miles would be inconsequential to the value.

 

[CharlesM96]

Cheers - that is the same feedback from everyone I have spoken to. Still, going to see what the dealer is able to do - if they can provide information, should be able to get the database corrected. Gives a bit more time to see if anything else comes up also

 

[Jobsworth]

Have you managed to get a copy of the Mercedes DSB service history for the car?

 

[CharlesM96]

Was able to view all services listed on the MB system:

Car Registered: 05/2017
09/06/2018 - Service A - 3,196 Miles (MB Dealer)
12/02/2019 - Service B - 4,271 Miles (MB Dealer)
05/08/2020 - Service A - 13,009 Miles (MB Dealer)
28/06/2022 - Oil & Filter - 16,343 Miles (JCT 600 Chesterfield)
21/06/2023 - Service A - 18,718 Miles (CVM Preston LTD)
01/03/2024 - Service A - 20,640 (Mobile Mechanic, VAG Specialist, Manchester)

Next service was due 03/2025. Spoke with local MB garage, they recommended Service B, plus spark plugs and brake fluid. Car showing 21,050 miles currently so really has done nothing last few years (caveat, assuming genuine mileage).

 

[BTB 500]

Have you managed to get a copy of the Mercedes DSB service history for the car?

Just as an aside that's susceptible to 'data entry' errors as well.

There's an incorrect entry for my C300, showing a B service carried out 2 years ago as an A service. I was at the dealership today and took a copy of the DSB and the invoice for the service - they were very apologetic but adamant that there was no way for mistakes to be corrected! In the past another dealer got the mileage wrong on a different MB I owned - accidentally swapping two digits.

DVSA/VOSA is similar - I had a completely spurious MOT fail recorded against my W203, citing a defective electronic parking brake (which the W203 doesn't have) ... followed by a pass with no advisories on the same day. I spent 6 months on and off trying to get this removed before giving up.

 

[Jobsworth]

Just as an aside that's susceptible to 'data entry' errors as well.

There's an incorrect entry for my C300, showing a B service carried out 2 years ago as an A service. I was at the dealership today and took a copy of the DSB and the invoice for the service - they were very apologetic but adamant that there was no way for mistakes to be corrected! In the past another dealer got the mileage wrong on a different MB I owned - accidentally swapping two digits.

DVSA/VOSA is similar - I had a completely spurious MOT fail recorded against my W203, citing a defective electronic parking brake (which the W203 doesn't have) ... followed by a pass with no advisories on the same day. I spent 6 months on and off trying to get this removed before giving up.

Indeed, the DSB is susceptible to data entry errors, as you say. What isn’t true is that the errors cannot be corrected. Within 1 year the dealer or independent responsible can correct the error. After that the originally responsible dealer or indy can contact the mercedes DSB helpdesk with appropriate evidence to get the entry corrected. It’s not straightforward which is why most places will tell you it can’t be done

 

[CharlesM96]

I should add, 5 owners. More than I ideally wanted...however it seems quite difficult finding one with 1/2/3 owners so better to go off service history and condition ultimately

 

[DSM10000]

I should add, 5 owners. More than I ideally wanted...however it seems quite difficult finding one with 1/2/3 owners so better to go off service history and condition ultimately

Unsure why the number of owners is an issue. Cars like this are possibly bought for the experience and then moved on.

Buy on history and condition.

 

[CharlesM96]

Unsure why the number of owners is an issue. Cars like this are possibly bought for the experience and then moved on.

Buy on history and condition.

Not an issue per say - agreed condition is a lot more important.

However, many owners can lead to times where people have skipped the proper maintenance especially where it's more expensive and are less likely to do preventative maintenance (E.g on these, flush the ABC fluid & filters). My father has an Audi RS6, and it was noticeable where people bought them and forgot the high running costs so sold them on again quickly - the multiple owner cars were often dogs vs ones which had been one person owned for a consistent period of time. Not always the case, but it can be.

 

[markjay]

While the car may be fine... an inconsistency in the recorded mileage will make it difficult to sell on. I'd buy the car if the mileage was corrected on the MOT history. Otherwise, I'd give it a pass, to avoid the hassle when selling it on.

Same applies to the number of previous owners. Regardless of what you and I may think about it, out there it affects the car's value. If the car had several previous owners, then this should be reflected in the price because it will certainly be reflected in the price when I try and sell it later.

 

[Pontoneer]

Unsure why the number of owners is an issue. Cars like this are possibly bought for the experience and then moved on.

Buy on history and condition.

SLs in particular seem to be like this , My SL had 13 owners before I got it , but once I sorted out a few issues I had mine for almost 8 years and covered over 100,000 miles in it . Plan to get another R129 at some point .

 

[Pontoneer]

Hi everyone.

I went to see a SL63 this week, and performed a HPI check after leaving a deposit where the following mileage discrepancy was found.

MOT performed at 18,718 miles on 20/06/2023, then the mileage increased to 27,527 (Recorded by VOSA on 02/11/2023) before dropping down to 20,682 miles at the next MOT on 28/05/2024. Not good...

It should also be noted, the private plate on the car was registered on 24/07/2022 and then removed on 18/11/2023 (presumably when it was then last sold).

My concern would be, if this recording isn't a mistake - the owner in this period has clocked it and unwound the mileage prior to it being moved on late in November 2023. So what's recorded as a 21k car, could be anything...

What I also wonder is what led to the recording by VOSA/DVSA on 02/11/2023 as it was between MOT's?

More bizarrely, Autotrader's own HPI check showed the car as clean. I have a friend in the motor trade and got him to check it - clean also. However this discrepancy came up for me when checking it on hpicheck.com

I have had my deposit returned, and left it to the dealer (who was very apologetic and seemingly surprised) to see if they can correct this on national mileage database (they are sure it must be an error). The car did look very clean, still with 2021 dated MO tyres on with lots of life. However, for me to even consider buying this car if the mileage is corrected and was an error, for peace of mind I would want it inspected by a third party star dealership. Question is....what is possible to check - does anyone know?

Mileage is , I believe , stored in several of the ECUs , and highly unlikely to have been changed in all of them . Besides , you'd have to go some to put 9000 miles on a car between June and November . Looking at the other mileages in the service history etc , I'd suggest the 20,682 is consistent with the use the car had been getting and that one mileage of 27K is just a mistake .

If you can find someone with a proper STAR diagnostic setup , they could plug in and confirm this .

Clockers usually just change the odometer , and as said , unlikely to have been done for a mere 7000 miles ; it is most likely to have been an error .

 

[DSM10000]

Not an issue per say - agreed condition is a lot more important.

However, many owners can lead to times where people have skipped the proper maintenance especially where it's more expensive and are less likely to do preventative maintenance (E.g on these, flush the ABC fluid & filters). My father has an Audi RS6, and it was noticeable where people bought them and forgot the high running costs so sold them on again quickly - the multiple owner cars were often dogs vs ones which had been one person owned for a consistent period of time. Not always the case, but it can be.

So simply check service history.

 

[tony gee]

I agree to it being a mistake somewhere (not clocked) it happens !!!! before my Merc I had a Nissan Elgrand and their was a 193mile discrepancy in the mileage readings, some people where telling the seller its been clocked and wouldn't buy it, who in their right mind would clock a car for 193miles ?????? he said in the advert it was a mistake and not clocked, by the way the van had 32.000miles on it anyway so was low mileage, the guy was genuine and i picked it up from his house and met his wife/kids and his dog. only sold it because 18 mpg round the town is not good

 

[MrGreedy]

I possibly recall mileage might also be recorded in the gearbox ECU. A good independent with STAR might be willing to have a look round for mileage verification data trails.