What are the legalities of rolling back the odometer on your own car?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

This is a 2 or 3 step [rpcess.

1. You have to decide what is reasonable. You want your car or another comparable car. You also want to be compensated for at least some of the hassle. Do your research and come up with a price. Collect that price. Now you are even (made whole because you have cash instead of a car.)

2. Fix, Part or walk?
Review the body shop's estimate. Make sure everything is included. Then look for less expensive ways to repair. Count your or shop's labor but buy parts cheap ie from yards or members.

What is the cost of buying your car back? Do you want to go to the trouble to repair? Even scrap cars are bringing 300-$500 around here. This is one of the risks of driving old cars.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I've been involved in deals where a nice car was totaled with minimal damage, it's age coupled with high parts cost caused it to be a total. Ask the adjuster what the maximum amount is that he can allow for repairs before totaling the car.

If this number is reasonable to you, ask for that amount for fixing the car, and you'll release liability.

This way, the title to the car never leaves your hand, and you've extracted the max money to fix the car, which can easily be reduced by careful purchasing of used parts, and contributing your labor.

I've done this this a few times, and since I charge my labor to therapy, I've been able to save some very deserving old cars and still have a few bucks left.

And you have a clean title.

Disclaimer: I'm not at all suggesting putting a heavily damaged vehicle on the road. You'd often be surprised how even minor shunts can total an older car, regardless of how nice it is....

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles