Sold a car as 114,000 km — Ford records show 240,000+ km

Caution to used-car buyers — verify the mileage independently.

In January 2026 I bought a 2020 Ford Figo from AfriWheels (Montana, Pretoria) for R109,000. It was sold to me as having approximately 114,000 km on the odometer, as reflected on the invoice and sales declaration.

In June 2026 the car had a major mechanical failure. When it went to Ford, the manufacturer's official service history for this vehicle's VIN showed readings of 225,057 km (Nov 2023), 238,791 km (Feb 2024) and 240,449 km (March 2024) — meaning the vehicle had already done over 240,000 km almost two years before it was sold to me as 114,000 km.

I raised this with the dealership and sent a formal letter of demand. The deadline passed without the matter being resolved. In my view the mileage I was shown did not reflect the vehicle's true history, and I am now pursuing it through the appropriate consumer channels.

My advice to anyone buying a used car: before you pay, get the full service history from the manufacturer using the VIN. It costs nothing and it would have changed my decision.