One of the oldest tricks car dealers use to increase a vehicle’s resale value is rolling back its odometer. However there are a number ways for consumers to detect this scam.
- First and the most important, request a copy of the vehicle’s history from sites like CarFax or AutoCheck. Vehicle’s history record will include information about state registration and emission inspection and a lot more.
- Check if the numbers on the odometer are lined up straight. Pay special attention the 10,0000 digit.
- Look for service stickers (oil change, tune up, etc.) inside the door or under the hood that may have recorded mileage.
- Look at the date the title was issued. If the vehicle was sold shortly after the title was issued then this was possibly done to hide a mileage alteration.
- Check the owner’s manual for maintenance records. If you find out that pages have been removed, you should inquire about it.
- An indication of odometer tampering could be loose screws or scratch marks around the dashboard. But it could also mean someone replaced a burnt out light.
- Ask to see the official title document. Look at it carefully to see if the mileage on the document has been altered.
- Always have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle. The inspection should include checking for signs of tampering.
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