How to confirm odometer on a JDM?

bighorn · Post by **bighorn** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:44 pm

Just wondering what's the best way (if any) to determine if the odometer has been tampered with on a JDM import?

Aside from the condition of the car matching the mileage (Worn seats and pedals with only 32,000kms? I don't think so.) is there any paperwork that can be verified?

I'm new to the process (in case you couldn't tell), but am planning on asking the dealer for a copy of the auction paperwork from Japan to compare mileage with the actual vehicle.

But since cars get new VINs in Canada, can the original vehicle VIN in Japan be matched to the auction paperwork and the odometer? Or is this something so rare as not worth worrying about?

BH

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:58 pm

(Worn seats and pedals with only 32,000kms? I don't think so.)

actually quite possible... keep in mind that their driving habits are quite different from ours... simply put, they don't drive! but they DO sit in the vehicle, LOTS, it's a social thing, and a status symbol. the seats don't get worn by the kilometers going up, they get worn by people getting in and out of the vehicle...

is there any paperwork that can be verified?

Yes! the auction sheet. one of the things they look for is evidence of tampering.

But since cars get new VINs in Canada, can the original vehicle VIN in Japan be matched to the auction paperwork and the odometer?

Cars don't get a new VIN to come to Canada, however if registering the car in BC then BC will assign a BC VIN to the vehicle, the old one (matching the auction paperwork) will still be on the vehicle (under a plastic trim panel beside the driver's seat, and also on the official VIN plate under a carpet flap in front of the driver's seat)

Or is this something so rare as not worth worrying about?

It really is exceedingly rare, Japan is a small country with nowhere to drive, and where driving makes no practical sense... low mileage is the norm, turning back the odometer is too risky for no real benefit...

however, DO get the auction sheet (and get a translation of it too!) I would be EXTREMELY leery of an importer who doesn't want to provide the auction sheet!

bighorn · Post by **bighorn** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:44 am

Would the auction sheet come with the car, or would that be something the dealer has to get sent over from Japan at a later time? When I requested an auction sheet from VICC, they went on about trying to track it down in Japan and are "still waiting" for it to "arrive".

This sounds like BS: how could they get the car without having a copy of the auction sheet? I suppose it's possible, but it seems pretty unlikely...

BH

psilosin · Post by **psilosin** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:15 am

It really is exceedingly rare, Japan is a small country with nowhere to drive, and where driving makes no practical sense... low mileage is the norm, turning back the odometer is too risky for no real benefit...

Playing the Devil's Advocate here...

It is not illegal to rollback odometers in Japan so its really not risky at all for them to do so.

The thing that has me wondering about the actuality of the claimed milage of these cars, and the story that the japanese don't drive much, is if you look at auctions for newer cars that are like 5-10 years old (ie not importable), many have comparible milage to those in Canada...150,000-200,000km. So does it really make sense that a majority of cars 15+ years old available for sale to Canada, where low milage is a BIG selling feature, seem to have amazingly low km...

There are a lot of true low milage vehicles but there are a lot of phonies as well.

ccautos · Post by **ccautos** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:46 pm

All the vehicles I have bought from Japan the auction sheet is available on line . It is clearly marked if there is any evidence of mileage change or speedo change with a star next to the mileage . Any vehicle that cannot be verified is normally marked . That is not to say that the mileage is incorrect every time . I have a porsche 928 with 66k on the clock marked with * but to change that mileage you have to change the computer and upon inspection it is original , looking at the vehicle it is genuine mileage . Buying cars from Japan is a lottery but the odds are in the buyers favour !!!! Anyone looking to purchase vehicles from suppliers around Vancouver Island are more than welcome to stop by with the vehicle for a pre-purchase inspection . We give a fair and honest opinion of all vehicles and do not favour one supplier over another , just give true details of the vehicle .

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:15 pm

Would the auction sheet come with the car, or would that be something the dealer has to get sent over from Japan at a later time? When I requested an auction sheet from VICC, they went on about trying to track it down in Japan and are "still waiting" for it to "arrive".

No dealer would bring a car over without seeing the auction sheet at a bare minimum before purchase, some will do more thorough inspections as well.
Some dealers will buy vehicles from a dealer in Japan rather than at auction and therefore not have an auction sheet, however this is rare, and those importers will most likely have gotten an inspection done prior to purchase.

Personally, I would steer well clear of any dealer that refuses to provide a documented inspection of some form, be it auction sheet, or a more detailed inspection done prior to purchasing the vehicle.

Fanny Bay Delica · Post by **Fanny Bay Delica** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:26 pm

I'd agree with green1, there is absolutely no way they don't have the auction sheet!! If they say they don't, not to put to fine a point on it, they're lying!!

39Ronin · Post by **39Ronin** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:05 am

I posted a Delica on here for sale a while ago, offering the auction sheet up front and all the service records for the vehicles life in Japan and people jumped all over me saying all sorts of weird comments like; the record books could have been faked and crap like that. Not saying that it can't ever happen but I think my retort was something like "maybe they are the same guys who assaninated Kennedy" So they fooled the auction house, and then took the time to write out 15 years of history papers, it was really cool because the must have washed them with brown sugar to make some of them look aged and everything. Red flags should be raised to someone who is not offering auction sheets and records, not to someone who is.

BTW another subtle way to tell if the vehicle has low Km's is by the wear on the key. I took my key to the local Locksmith shop and he asked me if my car was new, I told him it was a 1991 and he said by the lack of wear on the key it looked hardley used. Just how it should have looked for a vehicle with 33,000 km. Oh wait maybe they changed all the locks and ignition cylinder aswell to make it look new. Come on people!