How easy is it to clock a Micra?

[-SS-]

I have spent the evening looking at a load of Micra K11s on eBay and AutoTrader today.

There are plenty of 1999, 2000 and 2001 Micras with under 40,000 and some as low as 20-something thousand miles on the clock.

For a car that is 10 years old, that is very low miles. Some 10 year old Micras are over 100,000 mile mark.

Obviously a lot of elderly folk buy and use the Micra to potter around in locally, which partly explains why there could be some genuine low mileage cars around, but that doesn't explain why there are so many low mileage ones.

So, how easy is it to do? I recall a conversation I had once with a mechanic who said that digi speedos can be 'adjusted' for about £100 if you knew where to go, which certainly put the frighteners up me. Micras are well built, so a 60,000 could be made to look like a 30 or 40,000 car.

Thoughts, opinions, experiences?

 

[frank]

you probably need a data cable and software to clock the digital ones, but the earlier ones are a 5 minute job with a sharp pin/tool.
underbonet condition and pedal/gearknob/steering wheel wear are the best indicator of milage imo

 

[-SS-]

Frank, if a cra has been steam cleaned from underneath, that'll obviously spruce things up wouldn't it.

Also, I guess the steering wheel on a 60,000 car clocked back to 35,000 won't be that worn and neither will the seats, pedals etc. That kinda stuff will be noticeable on a 100,000 mile car though, am I right?

I guess just to be on the safe side, I will look out for a digi speedo Micra, one of the later models.

 

[pollyp]

i found when i was rebuilding and swapping all parts between my 2 micras that the speedo cluster in the instrument panel can simply be unbolted and swapped with another low milage cluster

so i wouldn't simply rely in the claimed milage as the definate condition of the car. give em a fully thorough inspection including all the common problem areas, sills, crossmember, engine compression, lambda diagnostic, gear linkages, etc

 

[Shaun]

whichever way you look at it, EVERYONE can get caught out! look at it this way:

• Steering Wheel Condition - could be replaced/ wheel cover
• Pedals - again replaced rubbers/ covers
• Seats - seat covers/ steam cleaned/ replaced

i think your best bet would be to try and find a car that has decent service history if it were an elderly couple no doubt they would be taking it in for services and would have a nice collection of receipts! (i mean you trust old people don't you) proving the mileage and you would have nothing to worry about!

Good Luck! (Y)

 

[-SS-]

Thanks boys

I know and have read about issues with rust - sills, sunroof, arches, crossmember - but can anybody shed any light on the lambda sensor and engine compression? What to look for on those / how to test?

 

[Mojo Micra]

just go by the old m.o.t's if its suddenly only done 30 miles in a year on a car claimed to be a 'daily driver' then something is amiss

 

[Manny]

Thanks boys

I know and have read about issues with rust - sills, sunroof, arches, crossmember - but can anybody shed any light on the lambda sensor and engine compression? What to look for on those / how to test?

you can test the lambda sensor with a multimeter, but if youre getting a low mileage car then these diont really matter.

 

[-SS-]

Thanks Manny.

I phoned up regarding a car this morning, 43,000, 1999, asked about old MOTs and the chap said he's lost the doc upon moving house. Yeh, right!

I know that there is a link you cna use via VOSA's website to look at old MOTs since the time MOTs have gone computerised, but that only takes it back last 3 / 4 years if I remember correctly.

 

[Mojo Micra]

i wouldn't know about that, its news to me! lol

so the guys basically saying theres no other documentation with the car?

could always look at the interior screws/bolts etc to see if they've been touched before... anyone pathetic enough to clock a micra is bound to have used the wrong size screwdriver

 

[pollyp]

what years the car, does it have an engine warning light? if yes, you could put the ecu into diagnostic mode using the "short consult pins with paperclip" trick and reading the engine light flashes, then starting the engine warm would make it check the lambda operation

engine compression: either take to local garage to check or get a compression gauge (£20 halfords, motor factors etc) and check it yourself whenever you like (you can then monitor the condition of the engine over time), tis real easy.

*warm up engine

#depressurise fuel rail# (so that fuels not injected into cylinders, affecting compression results and flooding engine)

*while idling, take out the fuel pump fuse
*let engine chut chut till it stops
*full throttle, crank engine for 30sec to make sure fuel rails empty

*pull all spark plug leads out
*disconnect both connectors going to the distributer (so that the coils don't charge up and damage itself since its not connected to the plugs, but importantly so you don't shock urself)
*take out plugs
*screw on compression gauge to cylinder 1
*full throttle, keep eye on gauge, crank engine till the gauge reading reaches its highest value
*repeat test on next cylinder

note: i found the max pressure result also varies with the actual engine temp and crank speed. as the engine cooled the compression got lower and if the crank speed rised (from increased oil pressure after 3 turns) the max pressure rised. so test all 4 cylinders as soon as you've depressurised the fuel to keep the heat and give consistant results.

all 4 cylinders should read nearly the same +- 0.9bar. and during cranking the pressure should've built up quickly to its max within 3 turns. if it took longer or looks sluggish, it may indicate worn rings, valve clearances or incorrect valve timing (walk away from the sale).

 

[Ed]

One way too look at car wear that most dont think of is the wear in the windscreen wiper bearing bushes. These usually will have a lot of play in them by the time they reach 60-80K miles...

I think you can go to any mot station and ask for the full mot history (at least since it was computerised) chances are if its up for sale the changes were made recently. Id call VOSA for more info on that if needs be.

 

[k11micra]

i found when i was rebuilding and swapping all parts between my 2 micras that the speedo cluster in the instrument panel can simply be unbolted and swapped with another low milage cluster

so i wouldn't simply rely in the claimed milage as the definate condition of the car. give em a fully thorough inspection including all the common problem areas, sills, crossmember, engine compression, lambda diagnostic, gear linkages, etc

as far as i know the mileage is determined by the ECM on cars with electronic odometer, so if the speedo has been changed, or disconnected then the ECM should send the 'correct' mileage to the odometer clock when reconnected. I ve seen it happen on a (DLA) mazda 3 supposed to have 9k when sent in for 10k service at the dealers, left sitting overnight magically displayed 24,600. The only exception is the 'electronic' tampering where it will have been "corrected" by a computer connected through the OBD socket!, although on an 8-12 year old car i would say wouldn't be worth the money a clocker would have to pay.

Better going for a micra with slightly higher mileage and a good Service History cos the engines are relatively bomb proof if they are serviced

 

[k11micra]

Thanks Manny.

I phoned up regarding a car this morning, 43,000, 1999, asked about old MOTs and the chap said he's lost the doc upon moving house. Yeh, right!

I know that there is a link you cna use via VOSA's website to look at old MOTs since the time MOTs have gone computerised, but that only takes it back last 3 / 4 years if I remember correctly.

WALK AWAY FROM THIS CAR!

There is an awful smell of bull shhhiiittt about this one

 

[pollyp]

as far as i know the mileage is determined by the ECM on cars with electronic odometer, so if the speedo has been changed, or disconnected then the ECM should send the 'correct' mileage to the odometer clock when reconnected. I ve seen it happen on a (DLA) mazda 3 supposed to have 9k when sent in for 10k service at the dealers, left sitting overnight magically displayed 24,600. The only exception is the 'electronic' tampering where it will have been "corrected" by a computer connected through the OBD socket!, although on an 8-12 year old car i would say wouldn't be worth the money a clocker would have to pay.

Better going for a micra with slightly higher mileage and a good Service History cos the engines are relatively bomb proof if they are serviced

i forgot to mention its the mechanical speedo cable type cluster thats swappable. was it after the 1998 facelift that they went to digital odometers?

 

[-SS-]

Thanks Ed, Polly etc. - I have taken note and will look at those bits next time I view one.

The Micra where the owner conveniently lost old MOTs and service history, I definitely won't be looking at!

 

[Ed]

Yes follow your gut instinct. There are many many ways to tell the age of a car.

BTW k11micra the K11 stores its miles in the speedo on digital models not the ECM, most speedos that I have come across do the same. I can tell you this from pulling out and fitting after market ecus and the speedo still maintains and works as normal.

 

[bilsat]

When my Micra display failed I went to a scrap yard and obtained another one,£40-00, dead easy, just remove a few screws and remove the single multipin plug (mine is a 1999 micra) takes just a few minutes! Lucky that the one from the scrapyard had similar mileage so I didn't worry about adjusting it....................

 

[kennierobo]

you can check all the mot history of a car on line www.motinfo.gov.uk or you can have an mot history check sent to you by calling 0906 1209941

 

[k11micra]

the K11 stores its miles in the speedo on digital models not the ECM, most speedos that I have come across do the same. I can tell you this from pulling out and fitting after market ecus and the speedo still maintains and works as normal.

I stand corrected! sir lol (the mazda must have been different!)

 

[Shaun]

you can check all the mot history of a car on line www.motinfo.gov.uk or you can have an mot history check sent to you by calling 0906 1209941

thanks for that site i will keep it bookmarked its useful