In Luxembourg, mileage is almost never scratched off

Mileage fraud, widespread in Eastern Europe, remains a minor problem in Luxembourg. According to a study by Carly, a company specialising in car diagnostics, only 6% of used cars on the Luxembourg market have had their odometer manipulated - about the same as in neighbouring Belgium. This compares with 8 per cent in France, 12.5 per cent in Germany and more than 25 per cent in Northern Macedonia.

This low level of counterfeiting is primarily due to the relative youth of the car fleet, explains Frank Lentz of the Federation of Automobile Distributors and Mobility (Fedamo). Many cars are sold through official dealerships, where there is a transparent service history, in addition, the market is actively replenished with cars at the end of leasing and remains quite alive in the sector of new cars. Representatives of the Automobile Club of Luxembourg (ACL) emphasise that this sales structure helps to reduce fraudulent practices.

Nevertheless, the risks increase when buying cars from private individuals. The ACL is concerned about the lack of official statistics: in fact, only the courts record confirmed cases of fraud, as Finance Minister Yuriko Backes explained last year. Nevertheless, Luxembourg has already harmonised its legislation with the European directive by strengthening controls at technical inspections.

Experts advise to approach the purchase with critical thinking. It is necessary to ask yourself and the seller a simple question: why does a car with a solid age show a suspiciously low mileage? Or on the contrary - why a very fresh car has "racked up" so many kilometres? Too favourable offers on the Internet should also arouse suspicion - they often hide unpleasant surprises.

While the Luxembourg domestic market is relatively protected, importing used cars from other EU countries, especially Germany, can carry increased risks. That is why Fedamo and the government are in favour of introducing a pan-European mileage database that will allow tracking changes across borders. For now, buyers are left to be cautious and check the car's history carefully before buying.