As many of you know from my previous postings I am "courting" a very nice couple in their 70s that are selling a very nice 2008 Ranger SPORT Supercab.
I found the truck about 2.5 hours away from me the day before they went north for the summer, they left the truck in their garage here.
I told them this was fine and that would give me time to sell MY 2 Ranger Edges and have the $$ ready when they return in November.
They trusted me enough to give me their VIN, which I ran on Carfax. (They advertised the mileage as 51,xxx)
Carfax showed a mileage of 62,xxx back in 2012, which is obviously MORE than what the sellers are claiming.
THEY bought in in 2011 with 13,xxx miles on it, they feel that the selling DEALER made the error but the Carfax doesn't show it like that.
It looks and has been confirmed BY CARFAX that the DMV made the error....
The sellers are trying to get this straightened out but seem to be limited because they are out of state.
I have NOT seen the truck in person, and know that IF I just buy it as is without the mileage discrepancy being corrected that CARFAX will gat the info that the truck has Odometer Rollback.

What do I do folks? They have the truck priced just over $1,000 lower than the low end of the TRADE-In value--I'm starting to wonder if they were aware of this situation before placing the truck for sale but don't seem to be the type to commit fraud...…

Thanks!

 

Well, if this discrepancy bothers you, you could work with and assist them in trying to correct it since they seem a bit baffled by modern technology and communications. However, it IS 10 years old so at this point in the game most people would evaluate a vehicles condition overall to determine value, not live strictly by the odo reading. On top of this, it's a Ranger but the same exact thought as if it were a F150, Chebby truck, a Mustang, Challenger, a 10YO 4WD low end BMW station wagon, etc....all mass produced vehicles, nothing exotic or overly expensive and/or unique. Now if you were looking at a Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren to name a few, then it's a different ballgame.

Edit: this odo situation will matter even less if you plan on keeping it for a longggggg time, just like what I said about the 10 years (sorta a magic number).

 

I get this, really I do. and I DO plan on keeping the truck a LONG time.

Even if I sell it in 25 years it will show Odometer Rollback...….

I guess it will matter even less then.....

I'm going to try & help these folks get this straightened out when they return to Florida in November....

 

in Ohio when a title is transferred there is an option for odometer replaced/repaired and does not reflect actual mileage.
I wouldn't put too much faith in what Carfax says, it isn't "official" for any legal purposes.

they drove it 49,000 miles in a year????? possible, but not likely.

 

I hear that!

 

I know that Carfax isn't for legal purposes, but evedentally the seller folks were somehow already aware of the situation before I ran the Carfax.
They had another buyer walk away AT the DMV when they went to transfer ownership.....
I agree that many miles would be nearly impossible in that amount of time....

 

Does anyone know that IF a digital odometer was tampered with IF the ORIGINAL mileage can still be accessed?

 

Could plug in an OBD Link MX unit (ELM 327 adapter) and using Torque or FORscan, see what VIN number pops up on the vehicle hardware, and see if it agrees with the VIN for the vehicle itself. Aside from the miles being a fairly moot subject on a mass produced, 10+ YO vehicle, with the current condition and how it's been maintained mattering more at this point in time, if it still is a bother you could consider a new, lower price with the sellers. Could go look at it and white glove it to see if the odo reading and condition make sense or not.

 

So, We're saying that in order to wipe out any traces of the vehicles ORIGINAL mileage the computer itself must be changed?

And I certainly am planning on white gloving the truck around the first of November when the seller folks return for the winter.....

I am really trying to find out if someone were to plug in and alter the mileage would the ORIGINAL mileage still be stored somewhere in the computer?