Laws Prohibit Tampering and Inaccurate Odometer Disclosures
by :
Karlo.heil
Used car buyers factor in a vehicle's mileage when they're deciding the condition and value of the used vehicle. Odometer readings and disclosures are therefore a very important part in determining a vehicle's condition and value.
It's because of those reasons that state and federal laws restrict both odometer tampering, and also a false odometer disclosure papers. federal laws require those seller provided a detailed odometer disclosure statement and certifies the following:
(a) the odometers mileage reading is accurate for that car,
(b) the odometer reflects the amount of miles beyond the mechanical limit of the odometer, or
(c) the odometer reading does not reflect the actual mileage.
Besides rolling back or modifying odometer readings (e.g. using odometer "kill switches"), unscrupulous sellers of motor vehicles also ignore tell-tale signs of possible odometer discrepancies or fraud. For example, there may be inconsistent odometer readings recorded in a vehicle's title or repair history.
One example would be where the mileage drops during one calendar year. That's pretty much a give away that something is going on. In other cases, the seller may notice that the odometer has been tampered with by seeing missing screws or scratch marks on the odometer casing.
Evidence like this should put the seller on alert and start an investigation into the vehicle's history to check on the odometer readings. If the seller fails to investigate this than he is not certifying that the odometer is reflecting the actual mileage.
Buyers who are worried about potential inaccurate readings should check with commercial organizations such as Carfax they can collect background information on the vehicle's history. These types of reports are not always complete, so another option is to take your card to a grudge, which specializes in checking used cars.
If it turns out that the vehicle seller does alter the odometer. Or that they do not provide accurate disclosures, they should know that they are putting their business at risk, because federal law has severe penalties for businesses that violate the odometer laws. It's important to note though, that the laws regarding this only cover vehicles less than 11 years old.
Used car buyers factor in a vehicle's mileage when they're deciding the condition and value of the used vehicle. Odometer readings and disclosures are therefore a very important part in determining a vehicle's condition and value.
It's because of those reasons that state and federal laws restrict both odometer tampering, and also a false odometer disclosure papers. federal laws require those seller provided a detailed odometer disclosure statement and certifies the following:
(a) the odometers mileage reading is accurate for that car,
(b) the odometer reflects the amount of miles beyond the mechanical limit of the odometer, or
(c) the odometer reading does not reflect the actual mileage.
Besides rolling back or modifying odometer readings (e.g. using odometer "kill switches"), unscrupulous sellers of motor vehicles also ignore tell-tale signs of possible odometer discrepancies or fraud. For example, there may be inconsistent odometer readings recorded in a vehicle's title or repair history.
One example would be where the mileage drops during one calendar year. That's pretty much a give away that something is going on. In other cases, the seller may notice that the odometer has been tampered with by seeing missing screws or scratch marks on the odometer casing.
Evidence like this should put the seller on alert and start an investigation into the vehicle's history to check on the odometer readings. If the seller fails to investigate this than he is not certifying that the odometer is reflecting the actual mileage.
Buyers who are worried about potential inaccurate readings should check with commercial organizations such as Carfax they can collect background information on the vehicle's history. These types of reports are not always complete, so another option is to take your card to a grudge, which specializes in checking used cars.
If it turns out that the vehicle seller does alter the odometer. Or that they do not provide accurate disclosures, they should know that they are putting their business at risk, because federal law has severe penalties for businesses that violate the odometer laws. It's important to note though, that the laws regarding this only cover vehicles less than 11 years old.