We pay 20 thousand euros for a car – which is probably worth less than 17 thousand euros. This is one of the conclusions of a new study on odometer fraud in vehicles in Europe. The numbers shown on the vehicle do not match reality, having been altered to show a lower mileage than the actual one.
A study conducted by carVertical analyzed the impact of this fraud on vehicle values in 16 European countries, including Portugal. The document reveals that customers are buying cars that are worth less than the price paid, and that they will probably need to go to the mechanic sooner than expected, since the vehicle is more used than the kilometers shown indicate.
The biggest impact of this fraud is seen in Germany, where the difference between the price paid and the actual value of the vehicle approaches 50 percent. This means that a car sold for 20 thousand euros may have an actual value of less than 17 thousand euros in the German market.
