impossible to check if odometer has been rolled back in VIC.

[Tickford.]

yes, i believe it is. or is there really a simple method?

thinking of buying a BA privately and I've done all the online checks I can think of (PPSR, revs, car facts, etc). but none of them will tell me the kilometre history of the car, even though car facts and revs said they would.

the online checks say the ba is all clear. it has 93k on it and owner says genuine and has books. but that's easy to bodge up too. just want to be 100% sure, but how?

a visit to the vicroads office today was a waste of time too. there's nothing you can do to check, either online, or through an government agent's office if a car's odometer has been rolled back?? no one has records? no wonder there's so much of this going on.

the only thing that might give some answers is the ford dealer computer. did forum a search and apparently a BA under 100k can have it's odometer wound back 3 times. if over 100k it's still possible but not so easy. and it would also pick up if the cluster has been changed. is this correct?

to do a ford dealer check obviously you would need the car, and probably cost a fortune too. but what if you want to make sure the km's are correct before looking at the car? seems the only way to get some answers is a pre-purchase check and the dealer computer method. but both are no guaranteed method either.


oops, should have posted this in the pub, not the bar. sorry.

[ROOSTA]

Log books? And service history...

93k kms should have been serviced at least 5 times..

[05_ENFORCER]

Check with the servicing dealer and Ford customer care


.

[GASWAGON]

Service history is what you really need with stamps in the owners book.....Sounds to me like a genuine/legit car at 93,000k's......Good luck!

[xtremerus]

Why do you suspect the Kms are wrong?
If the condition of the car suggests it has a lot more , then leave it.
As others suggested, just check log books etc.

[BadMax]

wow to be so sus are you accustomed to dodgy Sydney spec cars?

Check the books and obvious wear spots like steering wheel, arm rests, carpets and pedals. If it looks consistent then it probably is legit.

[Tickford.]

have not seen the car yet, just trying to do some homework before looking at it. just realising that one cannot do any odometer checks pre hand. you would think that if a car had three previous registered owners it would be easy to check the km's the car had when each of those owners registered the car.

car was first registered in nsw, and then one owner prior to current owner both in vic. there should be a system where the km's are noted at each change of ownership, but vicroads say they don't even have a line to enter the odometer reading in the transfer of ownership form!

as you can prob tell, I'm very green to buying and dealing with second hand cars.


edit: department of human services says you can purchase a vehicle information package from vicroads. but vicroads says you cannot.

http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/funded-age...history-checks

[auMatt]

About the odometer in the cluster, it is up to 100km not 100000km. And if the odometer is changed in the first 100km it records a permanent DTC on the cluster. But in saying that anyone could go to a wreckers and grab a cluster and install it and you would never know. The clusters werent linked to any part of the car unlike the FG model.

Matt

[GasoLane]

One of the good points about having a roadworthy inspection every year (NSW) is that the odometer distance is recorded.

[BadMax]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

One of the good points about having a roadworthy inspection every year (NSW) is that the odometer distance is recorded.

Until the government cottons on and starts charging rego at a rate you travel.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by BadMax

Until the government cottons on and starts charging rego at a rate you travel.

SShhh we don't need that!

[BadMax]

Originally Posted by trublu

SShhh we don't need that!

I believe the idea is getting thrown around in Victoria again...

[xisled]

Originally Posted by xxxg

have not seen the car yet, just trying to do some homework before looking at it. just realising that one cannot do any odometer checks pre hand. you would think that if a car had three previous registered owners it would be easy to check the km's the car had when each of those owners registered the car.

car was first registered in nsw, and then one owner prior to current owner both in vic. there should be a system where the km's are noted at each change of ownership, but vicroads say they don't even have a line to enter the odometer reading in the transfer of ownership form!

as you can prob tell, I'm very green to buying and dealing with second hand cars.


edit: department of human services says you can purchase a vehicle information package from vicroads. but vicroads says you cannot.

http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/funded-age...history-checks

Vic roads used to sell this information before the PPSR. PPSR is where all the info is stored and sold. The info on the web site is behind by about a year and half.

If the car has had 3 owners, see if you can locate a RWC from the current owner. The RWC should have the K's on it.

[Franco Cozzo]

Go by all the tell tale signs:

- Panel gaps, accident?
- Wear on steering wheel?
- Wear on driver seat?
- Wear on center console?
- Wear on driver door where you would rest your near window?

If it has "93,000km" but the seat is trashed and the steering wheel is showing wear its all part of the puzzle.

Thats what they do with Jap Imports, tonnes of Skylines/300ZX from the 90s with only 40,000km on the clock but theres some bullshit going on there.

I'm not saying this car isn't legit, its probably not too common on a Falcon but those are the steps I'd take if it was suspect.

[buggo]

I don't think 93k Km is unrealistic for a BA.

Lets say its an 04' model, so its averaged 9,300Km a year. Which is 180Km a week.
The guy might get the train to work while it sits all week, he does a grocery run on saturday morning, runs a few errands whatever. Maybe once a month he'll go on the highway. There's the low average.

Unless something is obviously sus I wouldnt be worried at all.

[EBII Fairmont]

Apparently these cars can't be wound back. The only way I know of changing the reading is by changing the cluster itself(is that correct term?). I know of a BA MKII Futura that may be coming up on the market. It was my last car. I bought the car off an elderly gentleman and sold it several years later to a mate with 70,000km on the clock. He has barely driven it and has said he is thinking he will sell it soon. The colour is offshore blue and was in perfect condition while I had it. If you are keen let me know and I will ask him if he is still keen to sell. It is located in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

[stang65]

2003 ba xr6 turbo October build !st reg January 2004 120,000 K`s and I used it for repping. Its possible.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by buggo

I don't think 93k Km is unrealistic for a BA.

Lets say its an 04' model, so its averaged 9,300Km a year. Which is 180Km a week.
The guy might get the train to work while it sits all week, he does a grocery run on saturday morning, runs a few errands whatever. Maybe once a month he'll go on the highway. There's the low average.

Unless something is obviously sus I wouldnt be worried at all.

Other Alternative is two car family where one car is mainly used local, Example my wifes 2000 KN laser just clocked over 105,000Kms and is still in immaculate condition.

The condition of car should indicate the mileage.

[Tickford.]

thanks for all the advise people. have taken it on board. but, still, there's no concrete method to determine if the km's on a second hand mid to late 2000 falcon in VIC is 100% accurate then. unbelievable really to think in this day and age that this is still an issue with the falcon. even the fg falcon is easy to do over apparently(??)

as an example, a dodgy, but fussy owner could stop stamping the log book on his immaculately maintained falcon once it's out of warranty (at about 60-70k), do two trips around Australia, drive around for a couple of years putting some high mileage on to his immaculate falcon, swap clusters for one with 80k and sell it saying he never drove it for a year and a bit, because he hurt his back. but to hurt your back you must first have a spine.
that's just one dodgy way of many I'm guessing. sure you guys will have plenty more. again, thanks. think i'll go have a look at it, but not really in a buying mode now.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by BadMax

wow to be so sus are you accustomed to dodgy Sydney spec cars?

Check the books and obvious wear spots like steering wheel, arm rests, carpets and pedals. If it looks consistent then it probably is legit.

"I" object !!!

at least the RTA/RMS will tell you what K's are on the car from last rego'ed..

[BionicXR6]

I reckon worry about all the B-series problems first (rust, broken heater shaft, door actuator's dead, warped discs, diff bushes, sagging headliner etc. etc. etc.) before investigating a car you haven't seen to this level.

[JC]

One of my mates has an AU2 (2000) XR8 with 120,000km on the clock. He bought it with 4000km on it, and obviously does less than 10,000km a year in it because the Territory is their main car, and he scooters to work.

[xtremerus]

Originally Posted by xxxg

thanks for all the advise people. have taken it on board. but, still, there's no concrete method to determine if the km's on a second hand mid to late 2000 falcon in VIC is 100% accurate then. unbelievable really to think in this day and age that this is still an issue with the falcon. even the fg falcon is easy to do over apparently(??)

as an example, a dodgy, but fussy owner could stop stamping the log book on his immaculately maintained falcon once it's out of warranty (at about 60-70k), do two trips around Australia, drive around for a couple of years putting some high mileage on to his immaculate falcon, swap clusters for one with 80k and sell it saying he never drove it for a year and a bit, because he hurt his back. but to hurt your back you must first have a spine. that's just one dodgy way of many I'm guessing. sure you guys will have plenty more. again, thanks. think i'll go have a look at it, but not really in a buying mode now.

Are you talking from personal experience of selling a car?
Is that why you are so suspicious.

[gregaust]

I recently looked at BA MKII XR6 ute , 109k's , for some reason I was sus although it was neat and tidy. But, the service books were missing and quick check of fault codes with a mates flash tuner revealed "instrument cluster doesn't match PCM " and another smartlock fault

[Tickford.]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

Are you talking from personal experience of selling a car?
Is that why you are so suspicious.

why are you so upset? did I just reveal your method of selling second hand car's or something?? take a chill pill bud.

suspicious?? no, just want be sure what it says is what it is. is that ok with you? you'd be a fool if you didn't do as much as you could to check what you're paying for is what you get.

[The Yeti]

93k is a little light for a BA but not impossible, personally if I were the type to wind back a car I wouldn't wind a BA back to 93, you might wing something with 400km back to 200 odd but to roll a high roller to 93 is asking for trouble, and if it's not a high roller why wind it back?

As others have said, look for carpet, seat, peddle and door trim wear these will give you a very good indicator.

Then you have to go with your gut

If it doesn't read like a 93km car move on

[xtremerus]

Originally Posted by xxxg

why are you so upset? did I just reveal your method of selling second hand car's or something?? take a chill pill bud.

suspicious?? no, just want be sure what it says is what it is. is that ok with you? you'd be a fool if you didn't do as much as you could to check what you're paying for is what you get.

Not upset. Quite the opposite.
I take a car as I see it. No more ,no less. If you want it at the price , buy it.

I don't do internet etc. checks on a car I have not even seen , go onto this site and wonder whether the owner has doctored the odometer.
Hello! Who has a suspicious mind.
When I have bought secondhand cars, I have never thought, has the owner knocked back the odometer.
Time for you to have that pill.

[BennyH]

Recently went through a similar predicament with a '96 nissan patrol with only 180,000 kms (10,000 a year). Seller advertised that it was only used to tow a caravan 2-3 times a year, so checked that the caravan was actually evident when inspecting car. But it was the overall lack of wear and tear in comparison to others that I had looked at with 250,000 km + that I trusted the integrity of the odometer, plus he had that honest bloke feel about him.

[Spurious]

Has anyone suggested inspecting the screws that secure the cluster in the dash. If they have been unscrewed & replaced there would be telltale marks on the screw head.

[93EB_SXR6]

This FlivverFord bloke makes a good point, that is also what I'd be looking for.