Rules Against Odo Meter Rollback?

Shri · July 12, 2013

Hi Guys,

I bought a second hand viva elte recently and later realized that the odometer was reversed by 7K.It was on open papers while buying and i did not expect such thing for a brand new car like this. so now the actual reading should be 13.5K but now it shows 6.5K. So this mis matches with Unimos registered mileage and i want to get this corrected as i want to get it serviced from them soon.

So anyone can help me out with this? actually i want to reset the mileage to its original.i.e 13.5K? or i have to drive till it reaches the desired value.

Kavvz · July 12, 2013

Reversed by only 7k? Why only 7k? What good would that do? It doesn't seem right, are you sure its only off by 7k? If its been changed, I would think it would be changed a lot more?

Anyways, to solve your problem (not really much of an issue as its off by only 7K) just drive it. You'll have to do an oil change in between, but keep track of that and get the oil changed at the appropriate 5k interval by your neighbourhood garage (check the air filter, break pads and coolant levels as well, but I doubt you'll have to do anything after only 5k. However if the previous owner was dodgy enough to fiddle with the odometer its anyone's guess what's been done or not done at this point. Come to think of it; you'd be better off servicing the car right away and checking / swapping out all the fluids as well as checking your belts out just to be on the safe side). Then as soon as it rolls over into the 13.5k mark, drive over to the dealer / agent and get them to service it...

Edited July 12, 2013 by Kavvz

Watchman · July 12, 2013

On 7/12/2013 at 4:44 AM, Shri said:
Hi Guys,
I bought a second hand viva elte recently and later realized that the odometer was reversed by 7K.It was on open papers while buying and i did not expect such thing for a brand new car like this. so now the actual reading should be 13.5K but now it shows 6.5K. So this mis matches with Unimos registered mileage and i want to get this corrected as i want to get it serviced from them soon.

So anyone can help me out with this? actually i want to reset the mileage to its original.i.e 13.5K? or i have to drive till it reaches the desired value.

For starters, it's NOT a brand new car. It's 2nd hand.

And honestly like kavvz says i too think it probably did a LOT more than just 13k. I guess you got the 13k number based on the agent's records? That just means the agents know about that ONLY upto that point (probably the last free service i guess).

Do what Kavvz said and you shouldn't have any concerns afterwards..

Shri · July 12, 2013

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Well, thats what i also thought, soon after finding the mismatch in odometer, but now i realize that i might take it to dealers/agents right away because i noticed a noise from front wheels while driving it on flat concrete roads.But it never come while driving on carpet roads. Seems a problem in suspension. I'm not sure.Any suggestions?

dpbatagoda · July 12, 2013

do next two services in another location and go for third one for UNi motors.

Sampath Gunasekera · July 12, 2013

On 7/12/2013 at 5:53 AM, Shri said:
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Well, thats what i also thought, soon after finding the mismatch in odometer, but now i realize that i might take it to dealers/agents right away because i noticed a noise from front wheels while driving it on flat concrete roads.But it never come while driving on carpet roads. Seems a problem in suspension. I'm not sure.Any suggestions?

Most probably caliper pins .

Edited July 12, 2013 by Sampath Gunasekera

Sampath Gunasekera · July 12, 2013

On 7/12/2013 at 4:44 AM, Shri said:
Hi Guys,
I bought a second hand viva elte recently and later realized that the odometer was reversed by 7K.It was on open papers while buying and i did not expect such thing for a brand new car like this. so now the actual reading should be 13.5K but now it shows 6.5K. So this mis matches with Unimos registered mileage and i want to get this corrected as i want to get it serviced from them soon.

So anyone can help me out with this? actually i want to reset the mileage to its original.i.e 13.5K? or i have to drive till it reaches the desired value.

Now a days you get 2 labour charge free services for Viva Elite. - at 1,000km and 5,000km. (Those days we had 3 free services).

So most probably 2 labour charge free services are already enjoyed by the previous owner.

Simply you make a reservation for service at Unit#d Mot#rs and get them service as you wish.

But keep in mind that there is an engine tune up to be done at 20,000km as per owner's manual.

If you pay, Unit#d Mot#rs won't care your millage. it may matters only for claiming a warranty, as I feel.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Sampath Gunasekera

Shri · July 15, 2013

Thanks a lot guys.

Shri · July 16, 2013

Hi Guys,

Wanna know whether there is any rule over this?

I recently bought a second hand car ( Imported Brand new through agents by previous owner) from a broker( i never knew that, as he said its his wifes brothers car) and found that the digital odometer was reversed from 13k to 3.5k, as it is in excellent condition. It was done by him, not the previous owner.The thing is my vehicle is still under warranty and i cannot take it to the dealers now since the registered mileage on them are 3k-4k higher than the current vehicle odo reading.

So what needs to be done over this? I mean over the guy? because i have seen him advertised so many same type vehicles on the WEB and news papers with lesser odo readings and i dont like see others facing the same issue like me.

Crosswind · July 16, 2013

No rule in Sri Lanka about odo rollbacks.

You can get the odo changed to its correct reading if you want.

Considering any legal action against this is a waste of time and money.

Uditha88 · July 16, 2013

Rule is don't depend on ODO reading.

Buy a god condition, well maintained, taken care vehicle...

Watchman · July 16, 2013

Didn't you have another thread about this few days ago.. why have you opened another?

Shri · July 16, 2013

On 7/16/2013 at 5:17 AM, Uditha88 said:
Rule is don't depend on ODO reading.
Buy a god condition, well maintained, taken care vehicle...

yeah its true.

i didnt check those things since this vehicle has just passed 08 months since 1st registration and was with great condition.So only issue is with meter reading.

My bad.

Shri · July 16, 2013

On 7/16/2013 at 6:32 AM, Watchman said:
Didn't you have another thread about this few days ago.. why have you opened another?

i wanted to know the legal side over this thats all.Nothing else.

No offence.

Watchman · July 16, 2013

On 7/16/2013 at 6:39 AM, Shri said:
i wanted to know the legal side over this thats all.Nothing else.
No offence.

Well, you could have just asked it on the same thread, right.. it would have saved you a lot of time and effort too, dont you think?

Hon. Joint Mods: Can this thread be merged to the other?

edit: previos thread: http://forum.autolanka.com/topic/15306-tampered-odometer-in-2012-viva-elite/

Edited July 16, 2013 by Watchman

carboy2011 · July 16, 2013

yeah unfortunately its practiced in sri lanka,you can try changing it to the correct reading but make the no's dont get mis-alinged.

Clark's son · July 16, 2013

Just try finding an reconditioned car without an odometer switching,

be happy if the car is in a condition which is in par with the odo reading

Edited July 16, 2013 by Clark's son

jdnet · July 16, 2013

Go get it rolled back to the orginal mileage and call it a day. Will cost you a couple of thousand and the agents wont know a thing.

ruwds · July 16, 2013

On 7/12/2013 at 4:44 AM, Shri said:
Hi Guys,
I bought a second hand viva elte recently and later realized that the odometer was reversed by 7K.It was on open papers while buying and i did not expect such thing for a brand new car like this. so now the actual reading should be 13.5K but now it shows 6.5K. So this mis matches with Unimos registered mileage and i want to get this corrected as i want to get it serviced from them soon.

So anyone can help me out with this? actually i want to reset the mileage to its original.i.e 13.5K? or i have to drive till it reaches the desired value.

How about telling them the truth?

Komisiripala · July 17, 2013

On 7/16/2013 at 7:34 PM, ruwds said:

How about telling them the truth?

That thought was the first to scamper thru my mind as well.

Wouldn't that be a lot simpler? They can't refuse a service for you. You're paying for their services.

Uditha88 · July 17, 2013

If you really want to track or check the ODO has been altered, there's a best way.

When you buy a car, asking the Smoke Test results sheet of the previous years. It's one of things that records it.

But don't know how many of sellers have got those collected & how many of will show it.

Rumesh88 · July 17, 2013

On 7/16/2013 at 6:21 PM, jdnet said:
Go get it rolled back to the orginal mileage and call it a day. Will cost you a couple of thousand and the agents wont know a thing.

What would happen to the 2 years or 40,000 km whichever comes first warranty?

Crosswind · July 17, 2013

On 7/17/2013 at 3:21 AM, Uditha88 said:
If you really want to track or check the ODO has been altered, there's a best way.
When you buy a car, asking the Smoke Test results sheet of the previous years. It's one of things that records it.

But don't know how many of sellers have got those collected & how many of will show it.

what exactly prevents a car owner from telling the smoke test guy to add a random reading?

I did a smoke test for the Focus when its odo was 14000km. But the smoke test guy had marked it as 6000km without looking at the odometer. I didn't know about it until several days later.

Uditha88 · July 17, 2013

On 7/17/2013 at 5:02 AM, Crosswind said:
what exactly prevents a car owner from telling the smoke test guy to add a random reading?
I did a smoke test for the Focus when its odo was 14000km. But the smoke test guy had marked it as 6000km without looking at the odometer. I didn't know about it until several days later.

Here we go ....

Clark's son · July 17, 2013

On 7/17/2013 at 5:02 AM, Crosswind said:
what exactly prevents a car owner from telling the smoke test guy to add a random reading?
I did a smoke test for the Focus when its odo was 14000km. But the smoke test guy had marked it as 6000km without looking at the odometer. I didn't know about it until several days later.

And once when I went with a friend with his car to toyota lanka to change the smart key battery the sales person put the odoreading that he asked from my friend,

but when we went back so that the actual reading was something more than he told.