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Use my link, cost $60? (someone correct me) will tell you true KMs.

If its here, just get a shop to do a compression and leak down test... Get it on a hoist too.

Will do, I don't have the VIN number with me and will post the result after I checked it.

When I was looking for my car (and before reading too much about EL) I had a look at one of their cars. Same deal - car was in Japan - I got pictures etc.....

Now I was smart enough and knew enough to ask some detailed questions about problem peculiar to the car I was looking for (an R32 GTR Vspec 2) only to find EL obfuscating, avoiding or plain ignoring my requests.

Needless to say I did not proceed with the purchase - Despite "lovely" calls from Mr Lee on how fantastic their reputqation was, how long they've done this, how typical the car was etc......

I went with the Iron Chef instead and now own one of the finest examples in the country.

My advice - even if its a thousand bucks deposit - walk away - ney run away.....

Then go to the "Import" tab on this forum - find the thread on "who imported your car and who are you happy with", select one of the names (Iron Chef is there as well as others) and start from there. Yes it'll take a couple of months - but you'll be happy.

Whatever your deposit is - you'll save it back going this way and end up with a better car.

Just my 2c

Cheers

The Baron

  • Like 1

Just an additional observation (and focussing on the car as requested). In the Japan pic, the two 'clips' holding either side of the radiator are clearly a brown rusty colour, in the Australia picture they are jet black.

This suggests a respray or touch up which leads me to ask what else has been "cosmetically enhanced" to disguise an underlying problem??

Wear on steering wheel and gear lever in Japan picture suggests far greater kilometres....

Be very careful....

Cheers

The Baron

I'd take the Cam cover off and check for the original timing belt too!!!!

If you were doing water pump, you would also do the timing belt (which would be a 100,00km service). May give you some good hints as to whether or not it's actually done over 100K depending on condition of belt.

The car looks great, however unless you can get someone who really knows their stuff to look over the car, or a trusted mechanic I'd be cautious.

The water pump change does hint at it having done more kms than stated.

When my 100,000km service was done last year at 101,000kms, the water pump was in excellent visual condition and my mechanic commented how you'd most likely get another 100,000kms out of it, but we changed it anyway.

So I would say it has done at least 100,000kms, perhaps more. I'd work on the basis of the car doing at least 100,000 + what ever is on the speedo now. The general condition of the interior points to a car that was well cared for, but well used at the same time.

Is there any stickers/writing around the timing belt cover to hint at replacement?

Thank you all of you who had reply for this post, few hours ago Phil emailed me this:post-134006-0-16889800-1396847174_thumb.jpg

And I have already ask japodocheck to do a double check for me, but he think this looks genuine but not 100% sure. And will confirm when he got his version of the certificate which will no late than next Monday.

Yes the car had done more mileage than what Phil had told me and himself had confirm with me that the water pump and timing belt had been changed with the 100,000km services. (the exact mileage remain unknown but should be somewhere between 90,000 KM - 100,000 KM according to the export certificate.) TBH I didn't expect him to be honest with me all the sudden, but at least it is a good sign. I know a lot of you or maybe all of you think I should walk away but I have already put down huge deposit and I don't want cause any further issue with EL specially anything to do with money, god knows what will happen if I told him I want all of my deposit back now. And TBH, the car does look very mint, besides the lie about the mileage.

To make things clear I knew Edward Lee's is a dodge dealer very very recently which is obliviously after I put down deposit not before! If I knew, there is no way I will walk near that place! That is why I keep ask you guys focus on the car because I already know how dodge EL is, more accusation won't help any of the current situation, as I needed this dodge mileage thing to be fix ASAP and don't want turn this post to another "how bad EL is" post, hope you guys understand. And the reason I chose EL was it is recommended by MCM,, and I wasn't aware of this forums (or any others) until very very recently as I don't really go to any English based forums. And yes! I was very very stupid that didn't check on google! I am a fanboy of MCM and I trusted them so easily and my brain was not working properly due to I'm getting a R34 GTR! So yes, I take most the responsibility as well!

Also he tried to sell me the car for 55k and 11k of deposit was already put ATM.

AND SORRY AGAIN FOR MY BAD ENGLISH!

Now, back to the topic, will negotiate a new price today what do you guys think is fair for the condition now shown?

Edited by Edifier

Yeah man, try to drop at least $5k. Seems like a lot, but replacing/rebuilding the engine (including labour) will cost around that much, if not more. Who know what else might break or needs replacing.

You should have mentioned that you found out about the dealer after putting the deposit down, that way we wouldn't bash you :P

Other than that, the car does look in pretty good shape. Do you have any pictures of the under body? Look out for chassis rails and condition of the suspension, bushes, arms, etc. Looks like the car was tracked (worn after market steering wheel and radiator). Driver's seat and steering wheel can be replaced so it appears to be a low km car.

Yeah man, try to drop at least $5k. Seems like a lot, but replacing/rebuilding the engine (including labour) will cost around that much, if not more. Who know what else might break or needs replacing.

You should have mentioned that you found out about the dealer after putting the deposit down, that way we wouldn't bash you :P

Other than that, the car does look in pretty good shape. Do you have any pictures of the under body? Look out for chassis rails and condition of the suspension, bushes, arms, etc. Looks like the car was tracked (worn after market steering wheel and radiator). Driver's seat and steering wheel can be replaced so it appears to be a low km car.

That's what I am thinking, 5k should teach him a good lesson, but I don't think he is gonna change the way he do business.

I was so worry about the car so didn't make things clear which was my bad, so sorry!

haven't had a chance to look under body but will do when I get the chance.

Huge thanks to all the members on this forum, learnt a lot!

Just to add.....

You put a deposit down on a car that had 50,000 kms on it. The dealer came back and said 'ooops its actually closer to 90,000 to 100,000' - with all the recent media attention on 'wound back odometers' you will have absolutely no problem in getting your deposit back. After all - the product you secured with your deposit is not what you will end up with.

Its what I would do in this case.

I hope I am wrong and that the car turns out to be what you wanted.......

Good luck

The Baron

  • Like 1

Throw some words like Department of Fair Trading around when trying to get back the deposit or dropping the final price.

Not sure which department would investigate his dealings and possibly suspend/cancel his dealer license.

You were promised a car with XX amount of kms and it turned out to have much more. I´d go the route of getting your money back. Wait till you hear back from Japodocheck and take it from there.

Better to get it from another more trusted place, as mentioned in other posts. Go to the who brought your car in section.

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