Odometer rolled back, what can I do? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

lietuviai · #1 12-13-2005, 12:14 PM

As some of you know, I found that the odometer has been roilled back in my '87 300D. I found that out when I got a carfax from one of our members. The interesting thing is that in the carfax, some of the more recent odometer readings were missing. I've sent a request to the state where I bought the car to get copies of the tranfer documents to see where exactly the rollback occured. I'm wanting to make sure if the PO had something to do with it or if someone before him did the awful deed. If the PO indeed have something to do with it, what regal remedy can I seek? I did buy the car from out of state.

boneheaddoctor · #2 12-13-2005, 12:17 PM

Time is your enemy here...how long has passed since you acquired it? I forgot. And what two states were involved.

Hatterasguy · #3 12-13-2005, 02:07 PM

Well that kind of comes with the territory with these cars. Personaly I'd try to figure out about how much mileage is on it and move one. Did you pay a premium for the low mileage?

Look at Brian C, he paid a good buck for his 100k SDL before he found out the ODO had been "repaired". Actual mileage is probably about 150k.

Your selling it anyway play stupid and pass it on with the currant odo reading.

dlssmith · #4 12-13-2005, 02:48 PM

Some states exempt older cars from odometer statements. Since these cars have such a poor odometer reliability record, I'm not surprised to see discrepancies.

barry123400 · #5 12-13-2005, 04:01 PM

Usually i always though the roll backs occured when they were in the first five years primarily as there was so much monetary gain for the seller. Plus in general always thought people brought diesels initially to do high milage per year driving when they were new. In general a twenty year old diesel car with less than 300k should be a rarety. There are lots of exceptions of course. The same practice was epidemic on the gas versions years ago. I would like to believe my odometers are accurate but kind of suspect otherwise for most of them. So a car vending with 300k may in reality have far less total milage than one vending at 150k. Indicators of true milage become important. It just may be wishful thinking but I do expect the vinyl tex interiors to be pretty good in fact almost like new till 200-250k in my experience. Thats if the car was used normally of course. Again this depends upon the climate the car has been in as well. My cars do not come from the sunbelt area. Plus the notorious failing odometer with these models also add another dimension. They may have far greater milage with no real intent to defraud. Owner just deffered fixing the problem for 100-200k or so. Some of these cars already have the notorious 500k on them prior to our purchase in my opinion the odometers just do not show it. I do not laugh at the 500k claims because with enough maintenance they can make it. I have seen some of them I think. The enemy of ours and ally of the milage rollback is the human nature thing that looks for the best senario in general. Thats why a total pre-purchase inspection by a reputable person is so important. He should be far more likely to spot things that are bad when they should not be at indicated milage for starters and not emotionally involved in car at all so his objectivity is not a problem. Just a few thoughts I have kicked around for a few years and not totally resolved. Odd when selling a car if any doubt exists about the accumulated milage I will tell the new owner before selling the car to him. The recourse if the previous owner turned back the odometer and you can prove it absolutly should be there. Basically he has commited a civil fraud and is a small claims court item I believe. It can be a good threat stratagy sometimes as it is known the court can adjust the price and the seller may bend rather than having to submit himself to it. If it was owners pror to him you just have to bite the bullet unfortunatly. Statute of limitations for starters.

dannym · #6 12-13-2005, 04:39 PM

When I bought my car the PO told me the odometer was broken. he also estimated the actual mileage to be 5k to 10k higher. I think it's a really thin gray area that people tread when they don't disclose info like that.

Personally if the title didn't say anything like "Mileage shown is not actual mileage" then I wouldn't worry about it.

Danny