October 6, 2008
The Irish National Mileage Register (INMR), an online database designed to record the odometer reading of any vehicle registered in the
Speaking at the launch, Michael Rochford, (Director) explained the background to the initiative.
"The practice of ‘car clocking’ has long been regarded as a significant problem for the Irish Motorist. Vehicle retailers understand that it is a serious offense to misrepresent the history of a used vehicle but proving the previous readings of a vehicle’s odometer has always been a near impossible task”.
Rochford points out that “Although the National Consumer Agency has indicated its intention to prioritise the investigation of complaints of alleged car clocking made to the agency and indeed has begun carrying out unannounced visits on dealers there is still a serious lack of information when it comes to verifying the odometer reading on a used car”.
“Vehicles entering the used car market from fleet management and leasing companies as well as ex-rental cars, imported vehicles and those purchased at auction have always been seen as potential targets for ‘Clockers’” says Rochford. “What is not commonly known is that a used car, once purchased from the original owner, may change hands between traders four or five times before it ends up on a retailers forecourt. If the odometer has been interfered with in the interim, identifying who changed it and rectifying the reading is nigh on impossible”.
Describing the primary objective of the database, Rochford said “THe INMR has been established in an effort to protect a vehicle retailer from inadvertently misleading a consumer regarding a vehicle’s usage. Users will be able to verify the odometer reading of a used car (as recorded by the previous owner) and record his / her own reading before purchasing or selling it on to a third party. Keeping a record in this way creates an verifiable audit trail of the vehicles history and limits the opportunity for ‘clocking’ throughout its second hand life”.
Described online at www.inmr.ie as "a private initiative developed for and maintained by indigenous members of the Irish Motor Industry" it is refreshing to note that applicants do not have to belong to any individual society or industry association and online access granting a user the ability to search (and contribute to) the database free of charge.
It is expected that vehicle retailers, traders, insurers, used car websites, auction houses and manufacturers will support the INMR initiative and contribute past as well as present data to the database.