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Manipulate Odometer

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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 06:47 AM
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Default Manipulate Odometer

Planning to buy a used C5 or C6, just wonder is it possible to manipulate the odometer to a lower reading, or can I trust the milage 100%.
Thanks
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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 09:00 AM
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Last I read and heard if you try to "manage" the odometer reading the PC will issue an error code that cannot be removed. You should be okay with trusting the mileage indicated on the display. Of course, if unsure, take a pass on the car.
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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 09:32 AM
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Yes the mileage can me manipulated, but it is not easy and takes someone with knowledge to do it. An easy way would be to just swap out a cluster with lower mileage.

However what is almost impossible to fake is what GM has stored in their data base. I would just ask a friend with access (your local GM Service Department) to run a check on the serial number. They will pull up the history and if there are any irregularities they will very likely be immediately obvious. For instance the car was serviced/recall performed on XX July 2005 with 4X,000 miles. And now it's being represented with 3X,000 miles. Not good!!!

The older the car is (less likely to be serviced or had warranty work done at a GM dealer), the less reliable this method is. But if the car was serviced a few months back with 41,XXX miles and it now has 42,XXX miles it's pretty safe to assume the mileage is correct.

Good luck... GUSTO
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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by GUSTO14
Yes the mileage can me manipulated, but it is not easy and takes someone with knowledge to do it. An easy way would be to just swap out a cluster with lower mileage.

However what is almost impossible to fake is what GM has stored in their data base. I would just ask a friend with access (your local GM Service Department) to run a check on the serial number. They will pull up the history and if there are any irregularities they will very likely be immediately obvious. For instance the car was serviced/recall performed on XX July 2005 with 4X,000 miles. And now it's being represented with 3X,000 miles. Not good!!!

The older the car is (less likely to be serviced or had warranty work done at a GM dealer), the less reliable this method is. But if the car was serviced a few months back with 41,XXX miles and it now has 42,XXX miles it's pretty safe to assume the mileage is correct.

Good luck... GUSTO

If I remember right, the miles are also stored in the bcm as well as the odometer, not positive with GM but Chryslers work that way. Maybe a GM tech on here might verify.
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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 05:20 PM
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If I remember right, the miles are also stored in the bcm as well as the odometer, not positive with GM but Chryslers work that way. Maybe a GM tech on here might verify.
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Old Jan 26, 2008 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by fasthwks
If I remember right, the miles are also stored in the bcm as well as the odometer, not positive with GM but Chryslers work that way. Maybe a GM tech on here might verify.
Nope, on the C5 Corvette the ONLY place the odometer reading is calculated/stored is in the IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster). A dealer/technician cannot change the mileage stored in the IPC with a Tech2. It takes "special" equipment to alter the mileage without damaging the IPC. Dealers/Shops have to send an IPC to a place like this .....

http://www.paspeedo.com

to have the IPC odometer updated.
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Old Jan 27, 2008 | 12:18 PM
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Are the Vette's a little harder to do this to then a lot of other cars then? I know that you can find guys in Montreal that will set-back almost any newer digital odometer car for something like $80 just using the OBDII port and about 2 minutes of time.

FYI, Quebec does not track the car mileage at the DMV when it is plated each year so rolling back happens a lot there. I have seen cars for sale in used car lots around here that are imports from the US that were imported through Quebec. I personally believe these were likely rentals that were run through a Quebec registration just so they could be rolled back before delivery to the dealer. Dealers in Ontario do not have to give the buyer a car history report but the seller has to provide one for a private sale.

Peter
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