What Is Your Odometer Reading Upon Reinstall?

[RDF]

Don't know how it is in other states, but if you alter the odometer reading, PA considers that "Odometer Fraud" which is a felony. Just wanted to restate that point, because if your state is similar, you could be facing hard time.

Just depends on if you state the fact that the odometer is incorrect at the time of registration.  And even if you do it after you register, you can still contact the DMV and state you had to put a new speedometer in you car and the reading is now zero.  The charge you are talking about is for car dealers and other private sellers who say "Yes it has 20k miles on it" when it really has 100k and they rolled the odometer back.  Especially in older car, they don't expect the original parts to work or work correctly and if you have to replace it, how can that be a felony?  What if you don't replace it, then you're still reporting a "false" reading if you decide to sell.

Just my     

[jeryst]

Just depends on if you state the fact that the odometer is incorrect at the time of registration.  And even if you do it after you register, you can still contact the DMV and state you had to put a new speedometer in you car and the reading is now zero.  The charge you are talking about is for car dealers and other private sellers who say "Yes it has 20k miles on it" when it really has 100k and they rolled the odometer back.  Especially in older car, they don't expect the original parts to work or work correctly and if you have to replace it, how can that be a felony?  What if you don't replace it, then you're still reporting a "false" reading if you decide to sell.

In PA, if you replace a speedometer, you are supposed to set it to the original mileage, or have some type of notarized letter stating the discrepancy. The law is not just for car dealers, it is for everyone. Mileage is recorded at every state inspection and made part of the records. If your odometer does not work, you are supposed to give an "estimated" mileage. If you are a private party, and you sell or trade in a vehicle, you have to sign a form stating that the odometer states the actual miles on the vehicle. If the speedometer rolls over, you have to state the actual mileage, not the mileage showing. Some older vehicles just have "Mileage Exempt" on the title, and you can probably do whatever you want with those.

[AARudy]

Tell the guy who is buying your car the actual mileage...and tell the state of PA to find a nice flag pole to pee on, because odometers on old cars could have flipped several times, and they cant prove anything to put you in jail....(tell then you went insane after watching Vanishing Point, and just had to drive back and forth across the country on speed, and you may have put 999,999 miles on it...you have no memory of it, and plead insanity) 

 I'm going back to zero with the AAR...it had 37k miles on it....the second owner of the car put a rally dash in and he set it to the correct miles way back when...now I'm putting the non-rally back in, all re-built and zero'd since the car will be all new again...I photographed  the old dash, if that matters... 

Good luck!!

Rudy

[jeryst]

Here's a question. Does anybody know if there are any federal laws against rolling back an odometer, or is it just up to each state?b

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Here's a question. Does anybody know if there are any federal laws against rolling back an odometer, or is it just up to each state?b

I'll guess it's up to each State. Here in Maryland, when I registered my Challenger that had a Florida title, they didn't give a rats behind about the mileage, as any car more than 30 years old here is mileage exempt. 

I did get a call from Pa. about a car I traded in that they suspected had the mileage turned back on. I told them the truth, and about what dealership I sold it to, and how many miles it had on it, and such. I got the impression someone was in big trouble after my answers, but I never knew then end result.


  Mike

[72hemi]

I've had so many different speedos in my car (In the 10 years I have had the car I have changed instruments around a half dozen times) that it is too much hassle to reset them back to zero. As far as the law in California goes, on the registration it states the mileage on the odometer does not accurately reflect the mileage on the car.

[AARudy]

I dont think the federal gov. has time to even worry about such a small subject, it's got to just be on a state level.....especially since so many people on here have different answers on the subject...

[jeryst]

There is a federal law against odometer fraud.

http://www.odometertampering.com/federalodometerstatute.htm

I guess I just don't agree with the people that set their odometers back to zero, even in the case of a total restoration. It's not a "new" vehicle. It's a restored vehicle. Big difference.

Not trying to be disrespectful or anything like that, just my opinion (and the federal governments as well).

[Pistol Gripper]

Resetting the odometer on a vintage automobile shouldn't cause too much problem,  as long as it's not represented as the original mileage.  In Ohio at least, the title reflects that the actual mileage is different than shows on the odometer.  As for the federal law, to me, the most important part is:

(It shall be unlawful for a person) "with intent to defraud,

P.G.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

There is a federal law against odometer fraud.

http://www.odometertampering.com/federalodometerstatute.htm

I guess I just don't agree with the people that set their odometers back to zero, even in the case of a total restoration. It's not a "new" vehicle. It's a restored vehicle. Big difference.

Not trying to be disrespectful or anything like that, just my opinion (and the federal governments as well).

I'm disputing the federal law, but I'll share my experience with you. 

When I bought my car, it had a clear Florida title, complete with certified miles on it. I registered the car here in Maryland, and they just sniffed and marked the new title mileage exempt because it was more than 25 years old.         So basically, if I sell this car, I no longer have proof of anything mileage-wise. 


 Mike