Dodgy car in a dealership

Submitted: Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 18:43
ThreadID: 89101 Views:2987 Replies:13 FollowUps:6
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Hello all, just thought I'd share an experience I had a couple of weeks ago when looking for a dual cab to replace my 100 series.

I headed down to Kalgoorlie with the Cruiser and van to hand over to the new owner who was flying in from QLD.

For a replacement there were a few late model secondhand dual cabs in the yards for me to have a look at. They were mainly Tritons one of which I was particularly keen on if it checked out. There was also a couple of Navarras one with very low kms and a couple of BT-50s.

The Navarra with the low kms was in the yard closest to me so it was first port of call. Was a 2006 model ST-X with 38,000kms on the clock. bullbar, sidesteps, towbar, cruise, auto, diesel. Was ticking most of the boxes so far. No tub liner or hard lid. Didn't really care about the lid as I would be getting a canopy for it anyway. They wanted $32,990.

I had a chat with the salesman and asked him a bit about the history, in particular the low kms. There were no service books in the car so that was a big cross straight away. He wasn't sure why such low kms and that's fair enough. I asked him if there were any books for it and he said there was and he'd get them. I'd had a quick look in another couple of dual cabs there before the Navarra and they all had their books in them. I told the salesman that I was heading down the road to have a look at another couple of cars and while I was gone if he could get the books I'd swing back by.

Had a look at the GLX-R Tritons and head back to the dealership with the Navarra. Books were now there so I started having a look. The service history was all in there, right up to the 90,000km service which was done last year. WTF? When I asked about this he looked a bit sheepish and said he didn't know, it was a mystery, perhaps the instrument cluster had been changed. I still went for a drive in it, it actually felt very nice to drive if you could get past the service history and all the rattles and squeaks eminating from it. He asked if I was still interested and I told him, 'What do you think?'

I went back to the other dealership with the Tritons and actually ended up buying a new D-MAX instead.

That was 2 weeks ago. I notice that the Navarra is still on carsales and is still being advertised in the Kalgoorlie Miner as having done 36,000kms. (they've actually got a photo of the odometer showing 37,000kms. At least they've dropped the price, they only want $31,990 for it now, lol.

I just hope people are asking for the books when they go to have a look at it.

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Reply By: bibtracker - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 19:11

Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 19:11
Hmmmmm . . . sounds exactly like a Navara I saw in a yard in Malaga a couple of months back. I was keen for about half an hour, then the bulldust detector went off when I found there was no logbook (and not even a user manual).
Brand spanking new bullbar, shiny, unmarked new WA number plates, but the tow bar was old, scuffed and rusty (after 35,000km?).
Long story short, I am convinced it was a Queensland flood car, many of which have been sent to WA for sale.
Ended up buying a Colorado from a rather more respectable yard (but even then I had to have a serious chat to the head honcho when he refused to show me the rego papers (on "privacy" grounds). Happy with the vehicle (44,000km) and my mechanic neighbour says he doubts it has ever been off road.
Be careful out there, people!
Cheers, Tony
AnswerID: 465400

Reply By: Grubby - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 19:46

Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 19:46
Thanks people.
I will be buying whatever I am buying by myself (female) so this is a timely reminder for me not to be trusting at all.

AnswerID: 465406

Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 22:20

Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 22:20
I reckon it is your civic duty to make a call to Fair Trading (or whoever is the authority to deal with odometer fraud in car sales) Gypsy.

Motherhen

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Follow Up By: Member - geelong gypsies - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 00:42

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 00:42
I am looking into it. Wasn't sure who it was. I looked up Consumer Affairs this afternoon just before I posted the thread. I'll take a look at Fair Trading tomorrow or at least call Consumer Affairs and see who I talk to. The book belonged to the car, once I saw the kms I checked the VIN in the book to make sure it wasn't a mistake.
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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 23:57

Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 23:57
I'm with Motherhen on this one, I don't normally make a noise like that but that should be reported. Did the book belong to that particular vehicle? did the engine numbers correspond? They would be better off saying there is no log books.

Cheers

D


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Reply By: skulldug - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 01:50

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 01:50
Gypsy,

My second car has 42,000km on the ODO but it's service records show it has had it's 90,000km service. The car has not missed a service but because it isn't used much, it's services are scheduled by time not kms. I asked the guy why they did it this way and he said so they can track what work has been done and what is needed next. According to the manual, the timing belt should be done at 90,000 or six years. I believe they get brittle with age.

I'm not saying this was the case with the Navara. Just pointing out that it could be legit if the dates of the service history add up. You would think the dealer would at least have his story straight so you were wise to go elsewhere.

Skull
AnswerID: 465438

Follow Up By: anglepole - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:45

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:45
My truck is 6 years old, and time and kms do not match.

However saying that, the records my say I have completed the 80k service but the ACTUAL kms are recorded on the voucher.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - geelong gypsies - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:48

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:48
G'day skulldug,

That's a good point but I looked at that too. Generally servicing will be at 10/15,000km or 12 month intervals, whichever comes first. The dates in the service book didn't reflect that being so in this case.

As you said, you'd think the sales team would know. It surprised me that it was in a dealership and it surprises me even more that it's still on the market and advertised as it is.

Gypsie.
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Reply By: Member - blackbird1937 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:46

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:46
Hello , you have to be very careful buying a vehicle , new or secondhand , years ago I traded in a car that I had bought new , it had with 51,000 miles on it . Twelve months later I drive past the same car yard and saw my ex car for sale so I dropped in to look at it and the speedo was back to 36,000 miles .
AnswerID: 465444

Reply By: Shaker - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 09:26

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 09:26
Logic says that the selling dealership didn't touch the odometer, if they had, why would keep, yet alone show, the incriminating service history.
A lot of owners have their odomaters "adjusted" prior to trade-in to acheive a higher valuation.
AnswerID: 465450

Follow Up By: Kimba10 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:09

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:09
""A lot of owners have their odomaters "adjusted" prior to trade-in to acheive a higher valuation. ""

Certainly not legal !!! Even if your original speedo is RS its up to you as the owner to have it fixed and calibrated with correct klms showing on the new instrument cluster. Any body winding them back so to speak is ripping the next person off...............should be charged with fraud..........
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 15:52

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 15:52
They should be, and they can be Kimba
Motherhen

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Reply By: member - mazcan - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:47

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:47
hi geelong gypsies
its very important that you report this to consumer affairs as these shonky dealers dont deserve to be in business trying to take poeple for a ride
its a pity you didn't take a photo of the said details with your camera ph
as it would have helped with the reporting did you notice whether the dealer is a member of the motor trades association show a copy to consumer affairs of the advert as well in carsales it will all help in nailing him
cheers barry
AnswerID: 465460

Reply By: Fab72 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:53

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:53
Did you bother to check to see if the VIN number in the service book matched the VIN number of the car you were buying?

It could have been an honest mistake of right car, right kms, wrong books. Often yards will store the books in the office to prevent tyre kickers from walking off with them either on test drives or while walking past the yard.

Then again, he may have also used the wrong book technique to try and pull the wool over your eyes.

Fab.
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Follow Up By: Fab72 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:55

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:55
Disregard .... I read your foolow up post further up.

Fab.
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 16:06

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 16:06
Was there a name and address in the front of the service book, or even a phone number. A quick phone call would have settled your questions.

You are probably known at the yard. Get someone else to go back and get the details. Then forward the info to consumer affairs.
PeterD
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AnswerID: 465483

Reply By: kidsandall - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 18:21

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 18:21
When we were looking for a car for my wife we looked at a 1995 subaru wagon. The speedo read 87,000km. The sticker on the window said "next servive due: 192,000km. (that's the best service interval I've ever seen. I had a closer look at the speedo and there was glue around the edge of the cluster panel.
There were a couple of other things dodgy about this dealer, he was also rude and couldn't care less what I thought.
There are some real rogues out there so buyer be ware..

Josh
AnswerID: 465496

Reply By: Meggs - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 18:55

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 18:55
I wouldn't get to worked up about it except the price is way to high but the Klms and time could be right if it was second car in the household. My shopping trolley has 50,000 klms but has just had its 70,000 42 mths service but all the dealer stamps have had the klms written on it and over time the difference will get greater.

Take care if you complain as you might have egg on your face
AnswerID: 465500

Reply By: Member - Wayne B (NSW) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 21:27

Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 21:27
I get to investigate quite a few alleged odo wind backs. It use to be common practice many years ago. These days its restricted to shonky individuals who purchase high km late model vehicles most of which have been subject to events like flooding or have been written off at some time.

Make sure you do a REVS (Register For Encumbered Vehicles) or your state equivalent to ensure vehicle is not listed as being a repairable write off.

Legislation is becoming National in relation to these vehicles so it will become almost impossible to register a previously written off car.

A tip when looking at a vehicle you suspect has higher mileage then indicated, is to have a look at the steering wheel. All steering wheels have a pattern in them, after around 130 to 140000km this pattern wears off where the drivers hands usually go.
People winding back speedos usually change things like brake pedal rubbers, floor mats etc but they rarely change the steering wheel.

Not 100% fool proof but it is a quick indicator.

On many of the later models it is not possible to wind backor forward the speedo in fact there is a problem when a speedo has to be replaced under warranty, the dealer is not able o set the new one to the correct reading.

Other vehicles like the BMW the correct odo is always recorded by the ECU and no matter what you do to the speedo all you have to do is plug in the diagnostic tool and you will get the correct km traveled for the vehicle.

More useless information from:

Wayne B
AnswerID: 465513

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