Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) odometer fraud

[ffken]

I called some local dealers with my vin to try to find out if my truck had ever been worked on there and possibly try to find the original owner to check on poss upgrades and maintenance. well, i think i got more info than i wanted.



the original owner told me that it was a great truck and he hated to get rid of it with only 140k in Jan '01. ??? But i bought it with only 110k in June '03 from the guy he sold it to. Original owner has all receipts and an extensive maintenance record. Do i have any recourse? Does anybody have the unlimited carfax to run my vin and maybe save my $20?

 

[Snow man]

Odometer fraud is illegal in every state as far as I know. here it carrys up to 10K in fines,and 10yrs imprisonment. If you have solid proof the owner in the middle committed fraud, i think you do have recourse. Theres 2 ways to approach it i guess. the first way is to contact the original owner to find out the milege he sold it with,get any documentation from him you can. The you can either ask the middle man to give you back a percentage of the purchase price since the vehicle isnt worth what it was as it is now a TMU. TMU vehicles typically are worth 45% less than average book value. If he balks or heistates threaten legal action,once hes aware of what the law will do to him,he'll gladly pay you any price you want IMO. The 2nd way is to take your proof to the police/DMV or attorney generals office and se where they tell you to go with it.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

The ECM actually records mileage even if the odometer says something different. A dealer could tell you actual mileage with the DRB III tool if someone hasn't figured out a way to change it in there.

 

[ffken]

one guy at gillete diesel (local shop) told me all that is needed is to change out dash and console from junkyard for new and improved mileage reading. (dodge specific)

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Thats true as far as the dash reading but the mileage is stored in the ECM, at least it is on my 2001. My truck was Canadian and the dash got changed to a miles from kilometers at an importers so before the dealer could do warranty work they had to verify actual mileage.

 

[yogibear]

My fuel guage quit working, dlr. replaced the inst. cluster, they had to report mileage when they ordered new cluster. When new cluster came in it had the mileage they reported, I had driven it 7527 mi. between the time they ordered, and it got here. I was told the ECM showed the correct mileage, I did not see it though.



Larry

 

[diesel DOG]

get him jailed unless he gives you a bundle back

 

[Philip]

I wouldn't try the blackmail route. I would just take it to the police and let them do their job.



Almost every state has strict laws about this. It doesn't matter if it was done by a person or a auto dealer.

 

[Shovelhead]

I'd wager that you're not the only person this guy might have sold a "doctored" vehicle to.



I'd send the evidence to the local LE and let them handle it.

 

[skcmcc]

Contact your Attorney General's consumer affairs/protection unit.

Don't let the guy off the hook, if he's found guilty he'll be ordered to pay you restitution.

What state are you in?

 

[Deezul1]

I had that happen to me and the guy that sold me the truck had a dealers license but wasnt a regular dealer. When I found out the true undoctored mileage I called him and made him sweat a bit and he refunded 30% of the total price. Prolly should have called the law anyway so some other guy doesnt get screwed by him, just didnt think of it.

 

[JR2]

Heck do both, go sweat him for some $$ and then turn him in anyway. Serve him right for trying to cheat you.



On the Carfax front, that may or may not help you much. Most of the info in car fax is taken from DMV records. When you come into the DMV to register a vech. and the clerk asks "what is the mileage", then just type the answer you give them. This can be compunded by the fact that the dealer might have transferd the truck to a different state and back to wash the title. My wife works in the DMV and she knows all the tricks. The only joy she gets at work is catching people doing this sort of thing. She will not let people try to BS her with wrong mileage or reconstucted/Salvage title deals.