Odometer Tampering

[nerm]

what if the odometer is not the ticky numbers (analog) but is instead the LCD display (digital)

is there a way to wind back digital displays. The chaser ive imported says 61xxx on the digital display just wondering if that is tamperable (im pretty sure thats not a real word.. lol )

i dont see how it would be...

[ZENNON]

sif it wouldn't be

[Michele]

33Sedan - Latest HPI mag has a good little write up which you might find interesting. Besides being a Skyine special edition, it has some interesting points on speedo tampering.

[Shell]

I know my chances are slim but i think its worth a try.

PS:

Motor Car Traders Act 1986 - SECT 38

(4) A person must not, in the course of selling or exchanging a motor car,

falsely represent the accuracy of an odometer reading of the car.

The Motor Dealers Act (The Act) makes it illegal to interfere with an odometer. It states that the following actions are deemed to be interference:

* altering the reading of the odometer

* removing or replacing the odometer

* rendering the odometer inoperative or inaccurate by any means whatsoever

* fitting a device capable of rendering the odometer inoperative or inaccurate.

A dealer is also prohibited from advertising or specifying that the reading of an odometer is accurate if the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to know that this is not the case.

Did you buy it off a dealer, or did you import it yourself using a broker??

If it was imported, the above wouldn't apply because the car is yours from day 1... all the broker is doing is assisting you in buying it, you never bought it from them.

33Sedan - Latest HPI mag has a good little write up which you might find interesting. Besides being a Skyine special edition, it has some interesting points on speedo tampering.

And Nick (Blitz) is on the cover woohoooo!! Thats the only reason I bought it hehe

[S T A R 3 3]

Due to the hundreds of queries and interest in the whole tampering bizaaay, it's obvious that there have been proven cases of it. I've heard that cars are wound back to seem more appealing to buyers - which is true! Because, we like the idea of the car being closer to new, and that's what gets the car onto the boat and into our driveway.

As for the digital LCD, I would have thought it would be as easy, if not, easier to tamper. Bloody digital and new-age fandangled contraptions! I have an LCD clock where I can program greeting messages when the alarm goes off.. I'm pretty sure that there would be an external peripheral that could manage/edit the data that's logged in a car. And dont get me started on those LCD belt buckles!!!

[33Sedan]

Ill grab the HPI mag thanks.

I talked to a mate doing legal studies, he seems to agree with a previous post saying that I basically chose the car....

The importer gave me some options stating what the dealer advertised, I then chose that car, they imported it for me and complianced it....

In the end its in pretty good shape, a few things show wear far beyond the 76xxxkm's i got it with. But i think i'll take it as a learning experience - if i import a car again that is ;-)

I was just really pissed off to think i got conned by the jap dealer. I think we should make a sticky of things to look out for when importing a car. Maybe to get the km's checked, look at certain things on the interior that show age etc..... what you think?

[CeJay]

All good points, I think there is a sticky in the general auto section though, along the lines "so your going to buy a skyline" along with all the points to look out for. I know I'll be more wary next time I buy an import, not exactly please with the dealer I bought it off.

[Amaru]

I think we should make a sticky of things to look out for when importing a car. Maybe to get the km's checked, look at certain things on the interior that show age etc..... what you think?

Theres already a million threads on SAU (some stickied) that talk about these things when buying a skyline, a 2 minute search will find them for you.

The only way to get true and believable genuine km's is to buy it brand new. If youre picking it up second hand, the next best thing would be to buy one with log books. A log booked car will always be more expensive though, at times up to 50 - 100% more... and rightly so. You are paying for the knowledge that your car probably hasnt been fiddled around with.

If you go for one without books then you are playing the russian roulette equivalent game known as importing a car. If you dont like the rules, dont play the game. You're not the first to feel hard done by, and certainly wont be the last.

[Michele]

Ill grab the HPI mag thanks.

I think we should make a sticky of things to look out for when importing a car. Maybe to get the km's checked, look at certain things on the interior that show age etc..... what you think?

That HPI I was talking about (#90) has a few pages on what to look for when buying a new Skyline, it covers ignoring the kays (because its a fact of life that the Japanese love to "knock the clock", how to tell for telltale marks of coming from a Japanese junkyard (where the slingmarks are), where to look for the oil leaks, where to look for rust or rust repairs, getting the feel for the mechanical condition by driving it (what to look/listen for) etc. and is well worth the read if you're interested.

[tridentt150v]

The flip side is...........you get the 'benefit' of marketing a low k's car when you sell!!! Ok, you don't like it and feel ripped off somehow, but when you sell, your going to sell it with those same 'missing' km's aren't you!

[GeeTR]

i personally thought when buyin an import.. you expect the odo to be messed with...

Amen, the car came 1000's of clicks away, its a risk when buying a performance vehicle. Replace/rebuild the box - done

Want a sure fire hipo car? buy a rex or evo from the show room. Want a second hand performance skyline built in a time of over engineering, with no regard for emission standards? - buy second hand from OS, and just fix whats wrong with it, they are bordering on enthusiasts cars now; your supposed to love them to bits and pour everything you have into them... if not, its Commonbroad minded female SS time

Edited March 3, 2008 by GeeTR

[33Sedan]

haha as if i would mention it, although the next buyer 'should' look past the kays and look at the condition etc.... ;-)

[TezGT-R]

haha as if i would mention it, although the next buyer 'should' look past the kays and look at the condition etc.... ;-)

So your going nuts about people lying to you about false readings, but are quite happy to do it to someone else?

The dealer told me my car had been wound back. He freely admitted they do it all the time in japan. He was desperate to sell too (council wanted to buildt a tunnel right through his yard and they need to sell up and move).

[33Sedan]

So your going nuts about people lying to you about false readings, but are quite happy to do it to someone else?

The dealer told me my car had been wound back. He freely admitted they do it all the time in japan. He was desperate to sell too (council wanted to buildt a tunnel right through his yard and they need to sell up and move).

Haha hell yes! Nah i'm pretty honest so would prob tell them. U prob got the car cheaper then did you? I got myne for average price. I wouldn't have paid as much for this if i knew it had done more thatn what it said. I would have prefered to get one that isn't wound back but has higher kays but is well documented etc. I would pay more for that.

[TezGT-R]

Got a few grand off. Found out later it was more modified than they told me. I found its got the diffs done and it had a chipped ECU (had it dynoed to make sure it was safe).