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.
Other than modifying the odometer by rolling back the display, shady used vehicle dealers also ignore evidence of fraud or tampering. Sometimes, the odometer readings that have been recorded in the repair records of the vehicle are inconsistent.
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.
These are signs that the seller should take seriously and check into the history of the vehicle. If he fails to do this then he's not certifying that the odometer is showing the correct mileage.
Car buyers who are concerned about the accuracy of odometer readings on a used vehicle can check the services such as Autocheck that gather background information on used vehicles. sometimes even these background reports are not accurate so. Another option is to take your car to a specialty garage where they can check for signs of tampering.
If it turns out that the seller does mess with the odometer or that he doesn't provide airtight odometer disclosures, use really looking for trouble, because federal law has serious penalties for such violators. Keep in mind though that federal laws regarding odometer tampering does not apply to vehicles that are more than 10 years old.
About the Author:
Karl O. Heil is a leading professional in Lemon Law practices At Romano, Stancroff & Mikhov PC. For top results you need lemon law attorneys. southern California has unique laws. Getting lemon law lawyers in southern California is like cash in the bank
