Unfortunately, we hadn't had the car for long before it began to run roughly. I had been doing tune-ups on cars for years, so I changed the points, plugs and condenser and adjusted the timing. However, no matter what I did, I was unable to get the engine to run smoothly.
Then one day I was looking through the glove compartment and discovered a maintenance receipt. When I glanced at the mileage listed on the receipt, I just about spit. It was way higher than what was on the odometer. While the car may have looked decent, mechanically, it was very long in the tooth. I now realized why I was having so many problems with the car. I couldn't put my wife on the road in a car that could break down and strand her somewhere. Where the rubber meets the road, an unreliable car is an unsafe car.
We took the issue to a lawyer, but didn't have much luck. When buying a used car from a private individual, the rule is "caveat emptor" (buyer beware). As it turns out, I am far from the only driver who has gotten bitten by odometer fraud. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some 450,000 cars are sold each year with false odometer readings.
But you don't have to be the victim like I was. Here are some steps from NHTSA to help keep you from being "taken for a ride" by an unscrupulous car seller.
Detecting Odometer Fraud
Aca,!Ac Ask to see the title and compare the mileage on it with the vehicle's odometer. Be sure to examine the title closely if the mileage notation seems obscured or is hard to read.
Aca,!Ac Compare the mileage on the odometer with the mileage indicated on the vehicle's maintenance or inspection records. Also, search for oil change and maintenance stickers on windows or doorframes, or in the glove box or under the hood.
Aca,!Ac Check that the numbers on the odometer gauge are aligned correctly. If they're crooked, contain gaps or jiggle when you bang on the dash with your hand, walk away from the purchase.
Aca,!Ac Examine the tires. If the odometer on your car shows 20,000 or less, in most cases it should have the original tires.
Aca,!Ac Look at the wear and tear on the vehicle - especially the gas, brake and clutch pedals - to be sure it seems consistent with, and appropriate for, the number of miles displayed on the odometer.
Aca,!Ac Request a CARFAX Vehicle History Report to check for odometer discrepancies in the vehicle's history. If the seller does not have a vehicle history report, use the car's vehicle identification number to order a CARFAX vehicle history report online. For more information on odometer fraud, visit www.nhtsa.gov.
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