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How to tell if your odometer has been rolled back - insider tips

12/17/2021

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It is always a question you ask when the perfect used car sitting in front of you....... is This to good to be true? Sometimes it is. 

It's not a good feeling when you make the grim discovery that your odometer has been tampered with afters you fork our thousands of your hard earned dollars on a car or truck.

Service History 

the most crucial component in discovering potential odometer rollback is checking the vehicles service history either from service book or requesting what's called a 'service printout' with the servicing dealership.

The lack of service history supplied from the dealer or private seller already raises a red flag on the car's unknown history.

What you should also be checking is that if the vehicle has a service book, you need to make sure that its not a reprint or reproduction book with forged numbers.  Blank service books can commonly be purchased on the internet. 

Older vehicles with rotary style odometer readings 

Car Odometer image
If your are looking at a vehicle with a rotary style odometer gauge you will always need to ensure that the numbers are LINED UP CORRECTLY.

These old style gauges are very hard to lined back up within the gear mechanism and 9 times out of 10, they always never line up correctly. 

Inspect the general wear and tear of the vehicle 

OK.  So you have a vehicle with a full service history that has been confirmed by the dealership or servicing mechanic? that's great.  the last part of your investigation is inspection of general wear and tear items that are commonly worn down with cars or truck with higher mileage;
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  • Steering wheel material - worn leather or vinyl from skin oils/makeup 
  • Worn floor carpets, particularly around the pedals - from the driver's heel digging into the carpet while driving 
  • Worn/cracked drivers seat - this includes cracked leather and worn material exposing some the of foam ​
  • ​Worn seat belts 
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Have your car inspected by a professional 

The final stage of your investigation will be to have a certified technician inspect the vehicle with speciality tools and computer scanning equipment to ensure that, in fact, the indicated mileage of the vehicle is correct.

Various cars and trucks have different measures or configurations, so some of the above points may not be applicable to your vehicle, however, its a good start. 
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What is a paint thickness test on a car?

7/21/2021

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A coating thickness gauge is utilised to test the coating thickness of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (otherwise known as magnetic and non-magnetic metal surfaces).
Ferrous metals include;
  • Steel panels
  • Iron chassis and engine blocks
Non-ferrous metals include;
  • Aluminium panels
  • Tin panels
When conducting an inspection and a piece of equipment, we are able to determine not only the thickness of the subject panel coating (i.e paint), but to determine whether there are any underlaying imperfections that we cannot see to the naked eye.
These imperfections include;
  • Body rust
  • Chassis rust
  • Body filler
  • Substandard welds
  • Rust plates
  • Fish plates
  • Sand blasting
  • Primer thickness
  • Body deadener
All of the above mentioned are crucial factors in determining if the subject vehicle deemed as being safe with no other unexpected pre-existing damages or repairs.
In short, a coasting thickness or paint thickness test is crucial when completing vehicle inspections. No matter if it is for a pre-purchase inspection, warranty inspection or repair dispute inspections. 

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Advantages of using an infrared gun for diagnostic procedures

3/13/2021

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For all our classic vehicle inspections, inclusive of all vehicle not equipped with a suitable diagnostic port.

We measure the exhaust port temperatures outlets for any abnormalities in heat coming out of the combustion chamber.  With a classic and muscle car inspection pre purchase inspection this test is not only suitable to outlet gas temperatures (on the right exhaust manifold), but also braking systems, air-conditioning systems and HVAC systems.

​Here are some of the advantages when using an infrared gun when diagnosing vehicles without a suitable diagnostic port.  

Various aspects of engine components

With classic and older vehicle, the infrared gun is particularly useful when checking for any hot spots such as exhaust manifold temperatures on suitable manifolds, air conditioning compressors, power steering pulleys, any belt slip, catalytic convertor temperatures and coolant temperatures. 

Braking systems

This is  self explanatory, however, brakes systems can be used to measure the performance the brake callipers or drums post test drive to ensure each wheel brake is operating as it should. 

HVAC Systems

A critical element of purchasing a new vehicle, is the air-conditioning and heater working as it should?

A infrared gun can be suitable to measure the outlet air of the cabin vents to ensure heating and cooling capabilities.

This can test at the output vents, along all lines and at the condenser for a complete diagnosis of the entire system. You can also use it to identify if heating system failures are due to coolant circulation problems or blend door issues.
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Buying a used car – Dealership vs Private

1/7/2020

 
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Buying a vehicle can be an exciting time in your life, people often buy vehicles as a statement piece and can be very proud of their new wheels!  On the other hand, buying a used car can also lead of a lot of headaches, arguments with the seller and even court appearances in some cases.
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Below are just some tips for people looking at purchasing their next car and taking the necessary precautionary methods to make a successful transaction.

Buying from a dealership:

It is always recommend buying from an authorised dealership based on the following factors;
  1. Guaranteed that there are no monies owing on the vehicle (i.e. finance)
  2. Dealerships will have to disclose any vehicle history of requested by potential buyer
  3. Dealerships will have to advise of any odometer rollbacks reported
  4. Dealerships will have to disclose if the vehicle has been in any major accident deeming it to be a repairable write off, include hail and flood damage
  5. Dealership have to supply the seller with a statutory 3-month warranty period - always read the product disclosure statement before proceeding with purchase
It is recommended that the seller ask about the above-mentioned items to gain an understanding of the vehicles past life.

If your still unsure whether to go ahead with the inspection or not, just get a professional to come out and look at the vehicle and get a comprehensive report in writing.

This will usually save you all the back and forward phone calls and a lot of time.
With all the issues set in writing you will then be able to negotiate your final offer depending on the outcome of the vehicle inspection report.
 
Buying from a private seller:

Buying from a private seller can seem like a better option in some cases by one major factor, the asking prices are almost indefinitely cheaper!  Whilst this option can seem appealing, nothing comes without its downfalls. 

Please consider the following factors that all used car buyers should take into consideration before making their initial offer;
  1. Ensure that the person selling the car is the actual authorised owner – please check this by cross-referencing the registration certificate.
  2. Ensure that there are no monies owing on the vehicle – complete a vehicle REVS check or PPSR certificate
  3. The vehicle should be sold with an up to date roadworthy certificate – this can vary from state to state but a general rule of thumb is that the roadworthy certificate should not be over a month old – please check with the applicable state authority for exact time frames.
  4. Ensure that the registration number stamped on the body matches the number listed on the registration certificate
  5. Once you have completed your REVS check or PPSR report , ensure that the engine number matches the one listed on the report – if these numbers do not match, this is a sign that the engine may have been replaced at some point in time.

If the above-mentioned factors are out of your capabilities, again, it is recommend engaging the services of a certified vehicle inspector and mechanic to come out onsite and report on these items as they are crucial elements that will make your car purchase a breeze.

Also, there are no grace or warranty periods for all private vehicle sales, so it is essential that the seller is aware of all the red flags and ensuring that there are no question marks when making their final offer.   

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  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Services
    • Pre Purchase Inspections >
      • Pre Purchase Car Inspections
      • Pre Purchase Muscle & Classic Car inspections
      • Pre Purchase Truck Inspections
      • Pre Purchase Machinery Inspections
      • Pre Purchase Bus and Motorhome Inspections
    • Motor Assessments
    • Independent Valuations
    • Pre Finance Inspections
    • End Of Warranty Inspections
  • INSTAGRAM FEED
  • FAQ
  • Book Now
  • Blog