Do you reset your odometer?

[harrymarlin]

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

[Glenn]

In New York it's illegal to reset the odometer.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[harrymarlin]

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

[Glenn]

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

[Pruneman99]

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.

[EverettB]

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.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[TimGud]

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.

[Cusser]

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.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[TimGud]

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.

[oprn]

[Antonio Trejo]

[wheel607]

[andk5591]

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.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[pyrOman]

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

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.


Nowadays I’m actually proud of the high mileage showing in my vehicles!
_________________
Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise.

[Antonio Trejo]

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.
_________________
Parts VW
"From Volkswagen of Mexico factory..."
Genuine VW Sedan parts
Genuine VW Ultima Edition parts
Genuine VW Type 2 watercooled parts

[kingkarmann]

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".

[oprn]

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

[ach60]

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.
_________________
Good Luck
Al

[oprn]

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?

[oprn]

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