Vehicle information experts Hire Purchase Investigations has warned dealers that one in 17 cars have been clocked in the UK.

Clocking was recently the subject of a report on the BBC and HPI is warning dealers that the reality is far greater than reported.

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency revealed that one in 39 cars that undergo an MOT have had their mileage altered or clocked, but HPI's data shows that the figure is actually closer to one in 17.

The figures differ because the VOSA data does not include information on MOTs completed on vehicles prior to 2005 or on vehicles less than 3 years old.

This suggests that VOSA's findings are exposing just the tip of the iceberg.

"Unwittingly part exchanging a clocked car is a very real risk for retailers.

"With the tools to adjust mileages so easily available on the web consumers are just as likely to be the clocking cars as unscrupulous traders, doubling the danger to dealers," explains Daniel Burgess, Automotive Director for HPI.

"Not surprisingly the Office of Fair Trading has clearly stated that mileage disclaimers are not enough and to meet due diligence you must prove you have done everything in your power to validate a car's mileage," he added.

If a vehicle has had more than one keeper or if a discrepancy has been shown, HPI's mileage investigation team will explore all avenues to correctly validate the vehicle's mileage - giving dealers confidence in the quality and status of its stock.