Hard numbers: why you should NOT import a car from Germany
Incorrect mileage
More and more people are choosing a used car from abroad.
This is not surprising, because in the Netherlands both new and used cars are often quite pricey.
But buying a car abroad does involve some risks.
In some countries, mileage registration is not handled so strictly, and smart traders take advantage of this by considerably reducing the mileage.
Germany
One country where this is still a regular occurrence is Germany.
Although the rules for mileage registration have been tightened in recent years, there is still a lot of tampering.
And let’s face it, about 60% of all imported cars in our country come from Germany.
The result is many imported cars driving around in the Netherlands with incorrect odometer readings.
20 percent
The Association Tackling Counter Fraud(VAT) investigated imported used cars and found that in 20% of cases the odometer reading was incorrect.
In 2023, 254,646 cars were imported, and there were no fewer than 73,198 reports of cars with a reversed odometer.
The economic damage from this in 2023 is estimated at 161 million euros.
In 2020, it was 140 million euros.
How do you recognize a car with incorrect mileage?
There are several ways to check if a car’s odometer reading is correct.
A good start is to check and compare the odometer readings in the service book or on inspection reports.
Also look carefully at the condition of the car.
A car with only 20,000 miles on the odometer should not have worn seats or worn out foot mats.
And if the price is too good to be true, it often is.
Netherlands well regulated
The Netherlands is among the few countries with solid mileage registration, for 25 years.
This has led to a big drop in counter fraud, from 48% in 1991 to just 2.75% in 2018.
Belgium also has its records in good order.
So if you’re looking for a used car, it’s better to travel south than east.