From: callison@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (James P. Callison)
Subject: Re: Dealer cheated me with wrong odometer reading. Need help!
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Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
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In article <1qvrnpINNnid@shelley.u.washington.edu> yongje@hardy.u.washington.edu (Yong Je Lim) writes:
>Here is a story.  I bought a car about two weeks ago.  I finally can
>get hold of the previous owner of the car and got all maintanence
>history of the car.  In between '91 and '92, the instrument pannel 
>of the car has been replaced and the odometer also has been reset
>to zero.  Therefore, the true meter reading is the reading before
>replacement plus current mileage.  That shows 35000 mile difference
>comparing to the mileage on the odometer disclosure from.  The 
>dealer never told me anything about that important story.
>
>I hope that I can return the car with full refund.  Do u think this
>is possible?  Does anyone have similar experiences?  Any comments
>will be appreciated.  Thanks.

This is a tricky situation; if the previous owner didn't inform
the dealer of the odometer change, then the previous owner committed
fraud, and he may be liable. The dealer may also be liable; If the
previous owner notified the dealer, or if the previous owner had the 
dash replaced at a dealer, or if the previous owner had the dash changed 
legally, any records search on the car should turn up the fact that
the odometer had been altered.  If a dealer changes the speedometer, he has
to report it (it goes into the car's service record with the manufacturer,
and on the title, if I remember correctly; the dealer told me that
the old mileage, etc. were sent to Ford when my T-Bird's speedo 
was replaced). If the odometer can be set to the old mileage, it must 
be; if it can't (eg, electrically-driven odometers) then the mileage 
of the old odometer must be written on a permanent sticker which is 
affixed to the door frame of the vehicle. 

Either way, if the change had been done legally, then a records search
(which the dealer almost certainly did) should have turned it up.

Call your state's Department of Transportation/Public Safety/Motor
Vehicles--or your tag agent--to find out for certain what your
rights are. Your state's Attorney General will know for certain ;-)

				James

James P. Callison    Microcomputer Coordinator, U of Oklahoma Law Center 
Callison@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu   /\    Callison@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu   
DISCLAIMER: I'm not an engineer, but I play one at work...
		The forecast calls for Thunder...'89 T-Bird SC
   "It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he has 
	and all he's ever gonna have." 
			--Will Munny, "Unforgiven"
