Published
01/28/2025, 16:53There is a concerning trend in Kyrgyzstan: cars are being "made younger" before they are sold by artificially reducing their mileage. This manipulation of the odometer distorts the real condition of the vehicle, misleading buyers.
Mileage tampering not only artificially inflates the value of the car, but also leads to missed scheduled maintenance, which creates potential safety hazards. Careful mileage inspection is essential to provide buyers with accurate information and protect them from this deception.
The situation is worsened by the fact that Kyrgyzstan has no legal accountability for mileage tampering.
The issue is so widespread that services for mileage correction are openly advertised on popular online platforms like Lalafo or social media for a fee. This disregard for transparency, combined with the lack of legal repercussions, highlights the urgent need to raise awareness and tighten regulations against this fraudulent practice.
Askar Orozbay uulu, a specialist in computer and body diagnostics at AUTO REPORT, confirms the seriousness of the issue. Based on his experience, more than half of the vehicles undergoing pre-sale inspections have altered mileage. This manipulation occurs both abroad, before the vehicles are exported, and within the country.
“For example, in South Korea, mileage tampering is prohibited by law, but when cars from there arrive on our market, they often come with ‘adjusted’ mileage,” — he said.
This is clearly unfair to buyers in Kyrgyzstan, while citizens of South Korea can be confident in the actual condition of their vehicles, our citizens cannot.
Askar Orozbay uulu explains that the methods of mileage tampering are quite simple and involve manipulating the car's electronic control unit (ECU) using a computer. Reducing the mileage to around 100,000 kilometers is a common practice. The odometer can even be reset to zero, although this is harder to hide due to the physical wear and tear on the vehicle. According to the expert, the lack of accountability for odometer mileage encourages the proliferation of this type of fraud.
Detecting mileage fraud requires attention to detail and professional expertise. Here are the key indicators:
Wear and tear: Pay attention to the wear and tear on the steering wheel, seats, pedals and bodywork (chips, scratches, especially on the headlights). Significant wear that does not match the stated mileage is a red flag.
Technical condition: The wear of the engine, oil condition and the state of the timing belt/chain can reveal the true mileage.
Documents: The service history may contain discrepancies with the reported mileage.
"There is just one nuance. The condition of German cars remains good much longer than that of Korean and Chinese cars, so we have to resort to additional measures during inspection," — he said.
Consequences of buying a car with stranded mileage
Buyers overpay for the car, risking costly repairs and safety issues due to missed maintenance.
"The cost of repairs exceeding 10% of the purchase price is a reason to walk away from the deal. If the mileage has been tampered with, your expenses could be even higher. Don't rely on your own knowledge or the advice of friends — consult professionals for a pre-sale inspection," — he says.
Nurkamal Niyamatov, the founder of "DUBAI TRADE KG", a company specializing in supplying cars from Dubai to CIS countries, agreed that this issue exists in Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, he stated that about 70% of cars in the country have altered mileage. Many vehicles with low reported mileage raise suspicions.
"Cars from 2005 with a mileage of 120,000 kilometers are unrealistic," — he said.
According to Nurkamal Niyamatov, in Dubai, odometer tampering is strictly prohibited by law. Legal proceedings are in place for such violations. This ensures high transparency in transactions and trust in cars sourced from the local market.
In the past two years, we have shipped over 400 vehicles to the CIS countries. With access to vehicle history data, such as Carfax, our specialists can accurately verify mileage, maintenance dates, accident information and other parameters.
"However, even using software or scanners does not always help determine the true mileage, especially if the manipulations were carried out professionally and not for 300 KGS in Bishkek. I want to share our experience on how we identify fraud in addition to the paid vehicle history. The simplest yet most effective methods include checking the windshield, tires and the condition of the interior."
"Windshield: check the year of manufacture of the glass and look for any chips. Chips may indicate frequent driving on highways.
Tires: The tires have a production date – the first two digits indicate the week of manufacture, and the last two digits indicate the year. A discrepancy between the tire year and the car's year may suggest significant mileage.
Interior: analyze the condition of the steering wheel, seats, seat belts, pedals and other elements. Scuffs and wear and tear may indicate high mileage.
Vehicle history: use paid services to check data on maintenance, accidents and mileage," — he shared.
Niyamatov advised involving experts for a thorough inspection when purchasing a vehicle.
"Thank God, there are already enough specialists in Kyrgyzstan who can help avoid fraud," — he concluded.
According to the entrepreneur, buyers should be attentive and thoroughly check vehicles to avoid unpleasant surprises.
The problem of mileage tampering in Kyrgyzstan requires a comprehensive solution. Buyers need to be vigilant and consult experts for pre-sale inspections. However, it is also clear that legislative accountability for mileage tampering must be introduced to protect consumer rights and make the used car market more transparent.
Citizens of Kyrgyzstan should be confident that they are purchasing vehicles according to the stated specifications. Currently, these privileges are mostly enjoyed by citizens of other countries.
Only a combination of buyer awareness, professional expertise and strict legal regulations will effectively combat this type of fraud.
