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Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:51 pm

Recently I ran across a post where someone was surprised that a person selling their car did not reset their odometer to 0, as they claimed to have done an engine rebuild. I was equally surprised someone *would* reset their odometer, as I saw it more as a historical note of the car, and less of a "this is how new the engine is." ( which seems like a slippery slope, as should I remove some miles if I replace the spark plugs, or replace the oil cooler - and how about if I replace other components?).

What do you all think - would you reset the odometer, and, if so, when?

- Harry

Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:59 pm

In New York it's illegal to reset the odometer.

Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:36 pm

I am surprised - I thought it was *always* legal - you just had to notate the owners manual, put a sticker on the door jamb, and stamp the odometer as "rebuilt." (As well as notate on the title that the reading is not accurate). What do they do if the odometer has to be replaced?

- Harry

Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:40 pm

On the title you have to tell if the odometer is not the actual miles.

Personally, on a 50+ year old car does it really matter? Mine's on it's 5th time around.

https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv103.pdf
Quote: 1. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, this odometer reading reflects the ACTUAL MILEAGE as seen on the odometer of the vehicle described below.
2. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, this odometer reading “EXCEEDS MECHANICAL LIMITS.”(Odometer started over at zero)
3. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, this odometer reading is “NOT THE ACTUAL MILEAGE.WARNING - ODOMETER DISCREPANCY.”

Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:01 pm

I seriously doubt many of these cars have the correct mileage. With a 100k ODO, they have been flipped, changed out with another one (like I did when mine self destructed), been reset etc.

Really,.what would it take to believe you found a car with less than 100k? There would need to be some documentation proving the milage.

I just check "not actual milage" on the cars I've sold on the title. No issues.

Sat Aug 17, 2019 10:59 pm

I would never do it myself, it's illegal.

I have seen people do it on a full restoration so the mileage is the # of miles since the full resto. Normally this included a speedometer restoration too so it sort of made sense since you can assume it came apart at that time.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:50 am

I set the odometer to zero when restoring them, other than that I leave the mileage where it’s at. Have never bothered noting it and have never had any problems when selling them.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:04 am

My 1970 is on the factory speedometer/odometer at about 260K miles; I've had it apart for cleaning and lubing twice as it has locked up twice in the 47 years I've had it. True, I did not re-set the odometer either time, but also the odometer did not advance during the time until I got around to fixing it.

Yes, In Arizona it is now illegal to re-set or replace an odometer without noting it and putting the true miles on the title when selling. Or Sheriff Joe will come out of retirement to get you.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:17 pm

That’s a bit misleading and dramatic. All you have to do is check one of two boxes, either the exceeds the mechanical limitations of the odometer, or that it’s not the original mileage on the back of the title when sold. I always told the buyer as well that the rebuilt speedometer was set to zero.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:51 pm

Cusser wrote: Yes, In Arizona it is now illegal to re-set or replace an odometer without noting it and putting the true miles on the title when selling.

I don't know how the laws are worded but I suspect they only apply to altering the odometer for the purpose of making a sale. You can likely do whatever you want to your own odometer on the car you keep.

Anyway on a vintage 50 year old car who really cares or believes the odometer. Unless it's some special celebrity owned/ one off/first of/last of car. Not many of them about.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:55 pm

oprn wrote: Unless it's some special celebrity owned/ one off/first of/last of car. Not many of them about.

Three months ago I sold one of the Last Edition 2004 Beetle... only 9.5 kilometers on the odometer (5.9 miles).

Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:58 pm

Antonio Trejo wrote:

oprn wrote: Unless it's some special celebrity owned/ one off/first of/last of car. Not many of them about.

Three months ago I sold one of the Last Edition 2004 Beetle... only 9.5 kilometers on the odometer (5.9 miles).

This is not what this thread is about.

Mon Aug 19, 2019 5:13 am

Resetting in PA is illegal, BUT old cars almost always are bought and sold with mileage exempt noted on the paperwork. The bad thing is that many buyers assume what is on the odometer is it real. I know better.

So, if I swap a speedo, I do usually make an effort to set the odometer to match if the customer cares. If they don't then I don't bother.

Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:54 am

Many moons ago I did start resetting the odometer in an old Itsabitchy by using a drill. 8-[

However, as the extremely slow process went on I also realized that it would turn out to be more detrimental than advantageous since the vehicle was so beat to shit that it’d be obvious it was altered. :lol:

Nowadays I’m actually proud of the high mileage showing in my vehicles! :P

Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:35 am

When I sell a new speedo, I do usually offer to set the odometer to match if the customer cares. Nobody has requested the service, I do not why... May be I am doing something illegal and Sheriff Joe will come out of retirement to get me.

Tue Aug 20, 2019 7:57 am

Yes.
I rebuilt the speedometer and set the odometer to "0" during the restoration of the Ghia. My Ohio title states "Actual Mileage Unknown"
Odometer now reads about 12,500.
I have no real fear of going to prison and feel very comfortable that the mileage is truly represented "post restoration".

Tue Aug 20, 2019 7:15 pm

I highly doubt any individual would ever be convicted. Those laws were intended for used car sales businesses.

Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:25 pm

Any VW Speedometer with plastic gears can't be trusted.
And that's any VW from the 70 through to when they went electronic.
Plastic gear's first failure mode is to stop & start odometer while your driving,
this goes on until you notice it & fix it, or it fails completely.
Also, No you don't reset the odometer ever, even with a restored car.
But buying a restored speedometer set to zero, documented in the restoration process is OK.

Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:04 am

Come on guys, let's get realistic here!

I can see wanting to preserve the original odometer reading on an all numbers matching restoration of an original car but that in my mind is where it ends with our 40 to 60 year old rides.

I will use my Buggy for an example.

Pan - '73 standard Beetle

Body shell - unknown, possibly late '60 to early '70s

Engine - '73 Bus with 10,000 miles on a complete rebuild

Transaxle - this winter it will be mid '70s IRS

Front beam - new reproduction this spring

Rear suspension and brakes - to be changed this winter to 944 parts

Speedometer - year unknown, from a Beetle, sourced from Denmark - reads in Kms.

So - what should the odometer read? The mileage on the pan? The engine before rebuild or after? The transaxle? The body? The new front beam? The 944? Or should it be the unknown Beetle from 1/2 way around the world? I would love to be in the courtroom and hear the Judge's reaction to this!

This is most likely the situation most of the cars on this site are in and who the heck is going to know the difference - or even bloody well care?

Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:09 am

And this is an example of one I would definitely not reset!

Antonio Trejo wrote:

oprn wrote: Unless it's some special celebrity owned/ one off/first of/last of car. Not many of them about.

Three months ago I sold one of the Last Edition 2004 Beetle... only 9.5 kilometers on the odometer (5.9 miles).

My Dad's '69 all original numbers matching Bus is another.

But - as soon as you/I swap out the drive train for a Subaru, update the brakes etc. Who cares?