The wounding of Clocks

[eveo]

Hey fellaz ( and honeyz ), i wanted to ask if there's a way to determine whether a car has it's clock wounded back or not ?

I want to buy a R33 GTST but I hear so many stories about clocks being changed from it's real value.

Thanks in advance,

eveo.

[Airzone]

Look at the inside condition.. Steering wheel, seats, carpet, pedal wear. 60K on clock and worn through carpet should indicate something funny.

[2fardown]

Basically what the above person mentioned.....

Check condition of gear knob, steering wheel, side bolster on the drivers side seat, wear on the pedals, check alignment of km digits.

Take it for a drive, listen for any knocks in the suspension or a rough idle. Check for oil leaks etc.

[Morgs]

Suspension, undercarriage, engine bay.

[Mini Me]

true. a car that has done under 100,000 k's really shouldn't have any significant wear on interior parts.

[cyrius]

Check timing belt or surrounding areas.. there may be evidence of the 100,000km service.

[Boostzor]

What if the guy who last owned it wore pant made of sandpaper? that could really wound the seats and interior

Isnt there a second odo somewhere under the passenger seat?

[jabtronic]

Could someone please explain why it is so common for imported cars to have excessively worn (basically no leather left on them) steering wheels? Do Japanese drive with sandpaper gloves or something? Or is it from something else? Most cars you see here could have done over 200,000kms and the wheel isn't worn.

[eveo]

oh ok cool thanks alot guys for your inputs.

[dan_the_man]

apparently Japanese men who smoke, sit in traffic jams and pick at the steering wheel with their nails... frustration of some sort.

Thats why its only on the top half of the wheel

[Greg]

"Isnt there a second odo somewhere under the passenger seat?"

can anyone confirm this??

[T0nyGTSt]

Originally posted by dan_the_man

apparently Japanese men who smoke, sit in traffic jams and pick at the steering wheel with their nails... frustration of some sort.

Thats why its only on the top half of the wheel

Well look at it like this...

If we exported our old VN Commodores and EA Falcons to Japan, what would they say about us?

The same thing we say about them!

ie. young hoon type who smoke more than just cigarettes, big type sound systems and wear on knobs, wheels and pedals from general bad driving. If you wear rings you wear out the steering wheel.

T.

[=KowP=]

and if girlfriends drive it or if you boys/girls like to moisturise your hands.. that wears out the wheel more as well.

[JimX]

Originally posted by jabtronic

Could someone please explain why it is so common for imported cars to have excessively worn (basically no leather left on them) steering wheels? Do Japanese drive with sandpaper gloves or something? Or is it from something else? Most cars you see here could have done over 200,000kms and the wheel isn't worn.

I've heard that it's because a lot of Japanese are fond of the bling bling and wear lots of gold rings which may cause excessive wear on the wheel.

There are exceptions to the rule though, mine was in excellent condition when I got it, and is virtually the same now (I don't wear any rings or pick at the wheel with my fingernails).

You might be able to see some small wear on the right on mine in this pic, this is from where the previous owner attached the "overboost" button for the boost controller. I never used it so I removed it.

[Boostzor]

Why would moisturiser wear it faster?

What is with japs and smoking, its damn rare to find an import with no burns in the seat.

[DaiOni]

Japan has one of the highest % of smoking population in the world.

"I've heard that it's because a lot of Japanese are fond of the bling bling and wear lots of gold rings which may cause excessive wear on the wheel. "

False. Many men don't even wear wedding rings.

I've walked through many, many japanese car yards and have consistantly seen cars with low kms. Wound-back odos are definitely a fact of life, but I have a feeling that happens far less than people think - particularly with high-end performance cars (though I wouldn't say a GTST fits under that category).

[JimX]

Originally posted by DaiOni

"I've heard that it's because a lot of Japanese are fond of the bling bling and wear lots of gold rings which may cause excessive wear on the wheel. "

False.  Many men don't even wear wedding rings.

So they're all just a bunch of neurotic steering wheel pickers then?

[DaiOni]

dunno, my s. wheel and g. knob were both fairly worn and my car only had approx. 43k km on the clock (logs to back it up). I simply replaced them with momo and feed items anyway

sweaty hands maybe? though they often claim that they don't sweat as much as gaijin...

[Kutter]

i used to think that the condition/wear of the interior/exterior items would be a sure indication of the 'true' age of the vehicle. I remember when shopping around for a 180SX a year ago....saw one on sale for around 40-ish Kms on the odo....but the interior and engine bay condition was just shocking....dusty, faded interior panels...worn pads...etc etc...

Now with my 96 S2, it came with 36ks on the odo, immediately i thought "yeah right"....but i was amazed at the condition of the interior as well as the engine compartment....then again parts could've been replaced etc etc....so i didn't really care....besides it went really well...

Took it to 2 seperate workshops to get some servicing done and mods....and both(without me asking) commented on the immaculate condition of the under-carraige and the 'as-new' condition of the stock parts....so i dunno what to think now....

either way i'm getting one of them 'Super-Strong' timing belts done soon just to be sure.....

[Warpspeed]

A real sharp shifty used car salesman will know all about winding back or replacing the speedo, and all about wear on the steering wheel, carpet, drivers seat, drivers door, and pedal pads.

What the bugger will not change though, is the brake discs. They may even have been reground by the previous owner, but they will be always be thin on a very high mileage car.