What
Would a
Jack#$$
Do?

Ok so I go looking for a 6.5TD for hauling the family and an occasional boat around here and there... find one on Craig's List after a month of so of looking that is right in my back yard. 1996, 127k, no rust, good tires, runs nice, everything seems a-ok, no worries. At $9k, it's a little on the high side but, I really like it and don't feel like having to travel all over the country to find one, so ok with me I down payment on it....

I check carfax, no problems, only one owner before the guy I am getting it from, everything makes since with what/where/when he said he got it, no flags come up. Check for used ones on eBay etc... it still seems in the ball park... mostly because the body and inside are really clean ok buy, it.

Now, I learn about this site... check the vin #, (thanks whoever you are) and get the GM report... Hey WTF? this thing was in service at 151488 miles. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191766 (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191766)

Can someone explain the two dates with the same mileage in the claim history? And what is customer reimbursement, you do your own work?

What would you do...? my cleval (mixture of cleaver, evil, and legal) consular says I could ask for all of my cash back and return the truck. Or if I play my cards $1500 or so back for me to go away and leave it alone.

I really hate finding out this stuff after the fact... just erks me...
Later,
Captn

maybe, he put a different odometer in it. i'll tell ya they come out real easy. and go in just as easy. my truck has 200,000 kms on it and if i wanted to i could try and find a low mileage odometer at the wreckers and swap it in about 1 hour or less. i have heard stories about the computer storing the mileage value so if gm hooks a scanner up they might be able to know the true mileage but it's doubtful. i once read on iboats about a guy that tried that with an hour meter and got caught cause the computer stored the values. his claim was denied... Ed

I would at the least ask the guy about it and hear his explaination. That has to be fraud. Maybe the cluster was replaced.

vail426 has a good suggestion. The dealer may have put the wrong mileage for the reimbursement.

Those reimbursements are probably repairs which were not considered warranty at the time of service, then because of common problems were reimbursed when a longer warranty on said items was put into place. For example the IP, which originally had a short warranty, was given an extended warranty on ALL vehicles when it became clear that it was a bad design. More than likely, the dealership omitted the mileage on the last repair, so they just input the previous known mileage.

On the current reading on the odometer, I would guess that the gauge cluster was probably replaced considering it is a common problem on GM vehicles. Best thing is just ask the PO what happened with it.

PO? (oh ok I think Previous Owner)

Is there any way that these can be run backwards? The reason I asked is that right now I have an intermittent drop out of the speedo (and odometer/trip) with some strange lights comming on, like it has a ground fault an current is leaking into odd places. The guy I bought it from "was" in the used car business and definatly has the skill and equipment to set up anything... maybe I am just paranoid.

Well talking with the SO... I let her know what I found out, she is just pissed, even more than me... wants us just to go straight for the return of our cash and start the hunt over again... I'm guess that's what I'll try... It's just a crappy situation all around. If he had replaced the dashboard, and had the original, and it showed 200k+ that would have definatly changed the cost... but, I would have still likely bought it if he was just honest with and honest price. With the difference in $ I would have more to work with to get parts and help if need be... IT's just a PIA to have to deal with...

Be careful out there... lesson learned, take you time, check all resources before you hand over the check.

Will post what happens... oh boy this should be a fun phone call tomarrow...

Ahhh... here's your truck... gimmey my money.

I have to tell you, after working for the most crooked car dealers in the world, those are the EASIEST odometers to roll back. The cluster comes out, and the odometer unclips from the cluster...roll the numbers around to your desired lotto and snap it back in. One of my buddies did this for waranty work, oops.

Great... so it's easy to get the run around...

Ran some numbers, if in '03 it was 151k, that means by now it should have 250k at the same usage rate... I would not have given top dollar for a 250k vehical, no matter how clean it is with regard to the body and interior. I should have the title back today with his John Hanckock on it sating the "odometer is unmodiefied and correct".

Funny thing... started the wonder in my head... the night I bought it I had to fuel it up. Pulling out I noticed that the speedo wasn't working... called him right back,
"hey I'll help you get that straightend out at my shop, if it was months down the road too bad but, since you called me right away we'll get this fixed"

I think he was just making sure I didn't take it somewhere, or do it my self as it would be come appearent that it wasn't right....

If the odometer wasnt working, it was sure to have been tampered with.

Take the print out to the local GM service manager for explanation of the procedure numbers on each of the three lines. There may be information to a GM dealer that is not available from the source here. Also possibility a dealer used the data from this truck to fix another. There may also be dealer info available on the truck . On further read I see it is a one owner. His name may still be on the title & if not The DMV might be able to hook you up with him somehow,for an explanation. A 1996 is exempt from any federal or state mileage statement required for sale or transfer. If the truck is OK & what you wanted ,what is the big deal. Odometer reading has nothing to do with the actual present condition of the truck. Good luck & please advise of what the scoop is!!!

Not a bad call on going to the dealer...

I see your point... it's past 10 yrs... Don't thinks there's anything I can do about it.

Well, guess its on to getting a boost gauge installed, and starting to work out the silly vacuume powered waste gate control....

Even though the vehicle is exempt I would still personally try to put the ownership / mileage trail together just to see how many miles were on it when it was traded etc.

If he did accidently put down mileage as actual and signed it he might be bound by that, even if he didn't have to do it based on the law.

If you can't find a notice of odometer replacement and the first owner indicates the mileage he traded it with you could trap the person you purchased it from.

I wouldn't let this go yet until I'd put together all the pieces of the puzzle.

my .02

Here's what you do. If you really care enough to do something about it. What it's going to come down to is the guy's going to give you your money back and keep the truck or you're going to keep it and live with it. If you have proof that the mileage was 151, go to a stealership and pay the $20 for the printout. Run a carfax and autocheck on the VIN and print those out as well. Sometimes different things are reported on the two of them. If the only thing that shows a mileage change is the dealer report, you have to take things into your own hands and threaten (but you really can't) to sue...or he gives $$ back in full or widdle him down $1500 like you said. If one or the other of the online VIN check services says it had 151 on it...you're in luck and you have a ground to stand on. If it's just the dealer's ONE service record, something could have gotten screwed up with typing and it will be harder to pursue legally. What a scumbag...I hate this. I bought a Dodge truck with 167 on it, found out it had 245 on it--talking to the previous owner. Got the owner of the dealer thrown in Jail for 5 years. Now... Here's what makes this difficult: The guy played it smart (if he did it) in that he didn't roll it back past the miles on Carfax, most of the time you can get away with it if you do your own service or don't go to a reporting dealer, but a lot of people ****** themselves doing this as well. Good luck, let us know what happens. Just because you signed a piece of paper when you bought it doesn't mean you are held to it if the miles are wrong...take care of it, don't let it go. If you have any other questions about this stuff, let me know...or PM me. This shit drives me nuts!

I will go you 1 better than that !!! If it was tampered with whoever did it left FINGERPRINTS !!!! Why not take it to your local state police and have it fingerprinted, FRONT AND BACK !!!!