Mileage is one of the first things anyone asks about a used car, and with an import it can feel harder to pin down. The reading may be in kilometres, the history is in another country, and the UK records only start when the car arrives. None of that makes the mileage unknowable. It just means looking in a few different places.
- 100,000 km is about
- 62,000 miles
- Japanese cars
- Check the auction sheet
- US cars
- Check the title for an odometer brand
- UK record starts
- At the first UK MOT
Kilometres or miles
Start with the units, because it is the simplest mistake to make. Cars from Japan and most of Europe record distance in kilometres. Cars from the USA normally use miles.
One kilometre is about 0.62 of a mile, so 100,000 km is roughly 62,000 miles, and 150,000 km is roughly 93,000 miles. A Japanese car advertised at "80,000" has covered about 50,000 miles if that figure is in kilometres, which it almost always is.
The odometer may not change when the car is converted for UK roads. A car under 10 years old at import needs a speedometer that reads in mph, but done properly that conversion should not affect the odometer. If an electronic converter is used, the odometer may change units as well. Either way, make a note of which units the reading is in, and keep that note with the car's paperwork. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains the work.
Cars from Japan
Most Japanese imports are bought at auction, and the auction sheet is the best mileage record you are likely to get. The auction's own inspector records the mileage shown when the car came in, in kilometres, alongside the grade and a diagram of the bodywork.
Some auctions also flag a car where the reading may not be genuine, or where the meter has been replaced. If the sheet hints at either, have it translated and take it into account. Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read one.
Have the export certificate translated too, and compare any dates and readings on it with the auction sheet. The original goes to the DVLA when we register the car and you do not get it back, so keep a copy for your own records.
Cars from the USA
American title documents can carry an odometer brand, a short note from the state saying what is known about the reading. The wording varies from state to state. The Texas DMV, for example, lists brands that include:
- Actual: the mileage is true for the vehicle
- Not Actual: the reading is known to differ from the true mileage
- Exceeds Mechanical Limits: the odometer cannot display the full mileage, so the true figure is higher
- Odometer Replaced: it is not the odometer fitted when the car was built
- Odometer May Be Altered or Odometer Discrepancy: the state has reason to doubt the reading
Any brand other than actual mileage is worth understanding before you buy, and it will matter to the next buyer too. Read the title itself, not just the listing. Our guide to buying a car from a US auction covers the rest of the paperwork.
Cars from Europe and elsewhere
For cars from Europe and most other places, the evidence is usually the service history: stamps, invoices and records from main dealers or garages, each with a date and a reading. Some countries also have their own roadworthiness test records. Ask the seller what exists, and ask for copies.
A run of dated readings that climb steadily is what you want to see. Gaps are not unusual, but a reading that goes down, or a long gap followed by a surprisingly low figure, deserves a question.
Where the evidence lives
| Feature | Japan | USA | Europe and elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual units | Kilometres | Miles | Usually kilometres |
| Best record | Auction sheet, with any mileage flags | Title, including any odometer brand | Service history with dated readings |
| Also useful | Translated export certificate | Service records and inspection reports | Local test records, where they exist |
| After it lands | UK MOT history from the first test | UK MOT history from the first test | UK MOT history from the first test |
Once it is in the UK
The free GOV.UK MOT history service shows each UK test since 2005 for cars, with the mileage recorded at the time. For an import, that record only starts with its first UK test. Anything earlier is in the paperwork from the car's home country.
That is why the overseas records matter. If you are buying an import already here, the MOT history tells you about its UK years, and the auction sheet, title or service book tells you about the rest. Our guide on whether a car is an import uses the same checks.
Signs the reading may be wrong
Devon and Somerset Trading Standards describe clocking as reducing the miles shown on the odometer, and warn that digital odometers can be rolled back, often without any tell-tale signs. So paperwork comes first, and the car itself is a cross-check.
The same guidance points to wear on the pedal rubbers, the gearshift, the seat belts and the steering wheel as signs of higher mileage. If a car with a very low reading looks well used inside, trust what you can see and ask for the evidence.
Paper beats the dial. A reading on its own proves very little. Dated records from an auction, a title or a service book are what give the number its value.
Your mileage checklist
Before you rely on the reading
0 of 8 done
If something does not add up on a car you have bought from a UK trader, Pembrokeshire Council's trading standards advice is to report suspected altered mileage to Citizens Advice, who can refer it to Trading Standards. If you are buying abroad, our guide to buying a car abroad safely covers the wider checks.
Questions people ask
Are Japanese import mileages in kilometres?
Yes. Japanese cars record distance in kilometres, and the auction sheet records the reading in kilometres too. 100,000 km is roughly 62,000 miles.
How can I check the mileage on a Japanese import?
Start with the auction sheet, which records the mileage when the car was auctioned and may flag a doubtful reading or a replaced meter. Have it and the export certificate translated, and check any UK MOT history.
What does Exceeds Mechanical Limits mean on a US title?
It is an odometer brand meaning the odometer cannot display the full mileage, so the true figure is higher than the reading. Wording varies between states.
Will converting the speedometer to mph change the mileage?
Done properly, it should not affect the odometer. If an electronic converter is used, the odometer may change units as well, so note which units the reading is in.
Does the UK MOT history show an import's full mileage?
No. It only shows tests done in the UK, so an import's record starts at its first UK MOT. Earlier mileage evidence comes from its home country.
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