legal question, where are the attorneys?

[Norm Faustino]

I rebuilt my speedo and I got to thinking. Since I rebuit my motor and did a 90% restoration (using the term loosely) is it legal to zero out the odo since I am going to keep this car and pass it down to my son someday? I woulld like to find out!

[dipso]

There is no way for anybody to know anything unless you tell them. If you buy a new speedometer, it comes at 0. If you buy a used speedometer, it comes at ?.
When cars get this old nobody knows where they are at anyways, turned over once, twice, three times?
I wouldn't worry about. Actually, the higher the better.

[Nico911]

Originally Posted by Norm Faustino

I rebuilt my speedo and I got to thinking. Since I rebuit my motor and did a 90% restoration (using the term loosely) is it legal to zero out the odo since I am going to keep this car and pass it down to my son someday? I woulld like to find out!

Well, Norm, it's your car, you own it, so you can do whatever you want with it. The only thing you should do if you sell the car to a stranger someday is to tell him exactly what went on with the speedo. So I would just keep track of the history of this, like the mileage the first speedo shown when it was replaced. This way, there's nothing hidden to a potential buyer. There's even a place in the owner manual (second page) where you can write down infos about a speedometer replacement. So just keep track of your datas !

Nico

[manbridge 74]

It is 20dang13, meaning every used car that you might be looking at will have the potential for odo discrepancy. Record and report where applicable. Trust nothing and verify using your five senses. (I realize you're not buying or selling.... but just a general FYI).

[Norm Faustino]

Good advice guys. Thank you

[dad911]

Federal Odometer Law and State Odometer Law

Not a lawyer, but looks like legally you need to disclose upon sale, and put a sticker in the doorframe.

Frankly, why zero it? I'd prefer knowing the miles on my car. If I bought a replacement, I'd set it to current mileage.

[Norm Faustino]

Originally Posted by dad911

Federal Odometer Law and State Odometer Law

Not a lawyer, but looks like legally you need to disclose upon sale, and put a sticker in the doorframe.

Frankly, why zero it? I'd prefer knowing the miles on my car. If I bought a replacement, I'd set it to current mileage.

Well, as I stated, I don't plan on selling it and if I leave the miles on it after replacing all that stuff on it the miles won't be accurate anyway, so why not restart the clock along with the new parts? I just think it's cool. Of course I will record the actual mileage so it can always be known what actual vs. virtual miles are.

[E Sully]

When I put an '86 engine with the electronic speedometer in my 1973, I documented it on the registration renewel with the DMV. I gave them the mileage on the original speedometer and the current mileage on the replacment speedometer.

[Justin@Athens]

Each time I have needed to crack open an odometer for repair, I document it on the outside of the case.

-Date opened with current reading
-Estimated discrepancy from actual miles
-I do not roll miles forward or backward
-Include my name and telephone in case a future owner wants to discuss.

This is not tampering as far as I am concerned--its just a repair. If you are restoring a car from the ground up, you might consider setting the odometer back to zero miles--but it would perhaps be more impressive if the odometer showed 521,000 miles and the car looked showroom new. IMHO

[safe]

A 100.000 miles car is ALWAYS a 100.000 miles car no matter what kind of restoration it has been through. Don't zero it, its fooling yourself and possibly a future buyer.

[JeremyD]

I did when I rebuilt the engine. Did it for me - and easier for me to get a good reading on how many miles from rebuild.

[Matt Monson]

Here in Colorado the vehicle would be titled as TMU, true mileage unknown. You can document the details but the state of Colorado would give you a title with a big fat 0 in the miles position if you sold it to someone here.

Most of my pcars are TMU under the law. I don't really worry about it. After a certain age mileage on the odometer doesn't matter as much as owner's records.

[dcjones56]

My position as DA no longer allows me to give legal advice, but I can think aloud and type while placing myself in your shoes. First, I would check to see what Florida law says about rolling an odometer to zero and any decent lawyer should be able to help you. Second, have the lawyer check federal law as well because it will always trumps state law. Third, I would feel obligated to document the actual miles for future reference. Saying I won't sell the car now is one thing but tomorrow I may need the cash or the offer from a buyer may be too sweet to turn down. Things change. Fourth, I am asking myself the purpose of placing the odometer on zero and my reasoning behind it. What do I aim to accomplish since my son knows the car has x amount of miles? Finally, I am thinking rolling the odometer to zero hurts the originality of the car and could get my tail in a crack with my insurance company. But then again these are just my thoughts. But I do wonder what my insurance company would think of this and would it be insurable? That makes me wonder.

[Joe Bob]

Attorneys scatter when the lights go on.

As to high mileage vehicles....as long as you state in writing that the mileage exceeds the limits of the original odometer you are clear.

My 83 has 300K+....the six place 964 odo says 30 something......stuff breaks....screw em.

You get in trouble when you allege that the meter is correct.

[dcjones56]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Attorneys scatter when the lights go on.

I couldn't agree more as they scatter like rats.