odometer?

[gatormark91]

So Toyota's web site is showing my 2000 LC had three service records at one Toyota dealership in Alabama, up to 178K miles in 2009.

Problem - when I ran Vin checks, My LC came from California, and lived in Key West it's whole life, per registrations and a couple small accident reports. The odometer was showing 116 K miles when I bought it last year. Tires on it looked brand new, still had nubs on the tires but they had 2012 date on them, but were flat-spotted badly from not being used. The mounting screws on the gauge cluster don't have a mark on them, so I don't think that it's been messed with.

Does a 2000 LC keep its mileage in the ECU anywhere? Would it show up in Techstream? I am confused as to why these records are showing up, when everything else (condition, registrations, etc) are all looking correct. I don't plan on selling the truck, but if these records are there and aren't right, it sure makes it look funny.

Thanks!
Mark
Orlando, FL

 

[abuck99]

I don't recall seeing any data in tech stream referring to mileage. Not sure the ECU stores it in in a 2000 model year.

There are or should be stickers on all the body parts, engine transmission, etc that have the same vin printed on them corresponding to vin number under the windshield and on your title. Check those and cross reference. See what you find.

Any Toyota dealer can confirm selling dealer and print detailed service history- you'll have to show them proof of ownership.

There are some reporting discrepancies between vin check providers- I've found carfax to provide more reliable info.

Cross referencing carfax, dealer records and matching all of the vin number locations on the truck should clarify what you are dealing with.

 

[hoser]

Odometer reading is in the cluster only. There is often a t-belt sticker with mileage/date on front of engine. Match that with the Toyota dealership records. Any of your registration papers from the 2008-09 year?

 

[gatormark91]

I did all that, initially came up with the Toyota service record entries that gave me pause. But MUD members said 'no, it's probably Toyota that made a mistake' - which I unfortunately took as gospel..

Florida does not record mileage on title transfers on vehicles over 10 years old, so there is no way to tell when the odo got switched. So I made a decision based on my best info at hand. Probably paid 2K-2.5K too much for it, I'd guess.

I still like the truck and have no plan on selling it, and it looks and runs great... but I have no clue now how many miles are on the thing, which is really annoying.

Mark
Orlando

 

[MastiffDad14]

I'm assuming toyota added a 1 in front of the odometer reading probably was supposed to read 78k miles in 2009. Easy fix what's carfax show? Does it say odometer discrepancy?

 

[gatormark91]

no, it does not say odo discrepancy. And the records are consistent over several years.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Doesn't carfax have a pink slip guarantee?

 

[Sandroad]

From the data you've reported here, it does look like @MastiffDad14 probably has guessed the problem and someone accidentally added a 1 in front of the miles when recording service on the Toyota site. The would explain what you're seeing. It's slightly odd but not unreasonable that an Alabama dealer showed records on the truck. You might run an Autochek report too, but I bet it had 116K when you bought it, unless those accidents were big ones.

 

[camino70]

If you haven't pulled a Carfax yet, search on Craigslist, you can get one for $4.

 

[gatormark91]

Carfax didn't have the full details when I bought the car, but they have updated since. No idea why info got populated to Carfax that isn't even in Toyota's system.

They didn't add a 1 on sequentially increasing records over five years. No one changes a timing belt at 51K, says it was changed at 151K. Thanks for trying, but this sort of advice is why I bought the truck instead of passing on it, like I should have. Now I have a truck that is worth thousands less than I paid for it, wth way more miles than I thought (unknown number, actually), because I listened to earlier MUD members who were just guessing. If I ever sell it, anyone who pulls a Carfax on it won't touch it, and if it gets wrecked, I'll get shafted on the insurance.

 

[gatormark91]

It's good that I am planning on keeping it. But I bought it because I listened to MUD member guesses.

 

[Sandroad]

It seems to me that Carfax may be the issue here, not MUD members. Those who responded last October to your initial post were basing their thoughts on their experiences and also on the apparently very incomplete information available at the time. Don't blame them for trying to help interpret what you had last year. If Carfax had incorrect information (a 1 missing in the miles) back when you bought the truck, can you go after them as @Muddy Bean mentioned?

 

[Cheslucy]

My TB and water pump was changed out at 67,000 miles and I have the receipts from the dealer. Maybe it was because of a faulty water pump or something else so I don't see why it couldn't have been at 51,000 miles.

 

[abuck99]

Carfax didn't have the full details when I bought the car, but they have updated since. No idea why info got populated to Carfax that isn't even in Toyota's system.

Blaming Mud members for your purchase mistake is pretty lame. Good learning experience for you though, to do your own due diligence before pulling the trigger: buying a carfax report on your own, doing your own vin research, checking service history and cross checking everything so it all adds up.

Should have been your first clue when car fax didnt add up- Second flag would have been conflicting VIN info between California and what ever you knew about its history in FLA. Third Clue was mileage variance and service history in Alabama.

Not sure how much time has elapsed between your purchase date and today, but research Carfax Buy Back Guarantee: if you paid for the report before you bought the truck: The CARFAX® Buyback Guarantee®
The CARFAX® Buyback Guarantee®

 

[Keowee]

Did you purchase the truck from a dealer or an individual. Seems you would have some leverage with the seller because there is an odometer law in Fla. that covers tampering with mileage readings or changing a speedometer.

It is a third degree felony for intentional violation. But that opens a new can of worms because the title and registration should be stamped to indicate that the mileage is inaccurate because of any change that occurred for the car to be legally driven.

I would put the onus on the seller to find the truth or buy it back.

 

[jLB]

No one changes a timing belt at 51K, says it was changed at 151K.

I may be in the minority, but yes my timing belt was changed, on my LX at ~50,000 miles, due to age.

I will also point out that my son's 2000 LC had some BS service records pop up on the Toyota service website, from a dealership 180mi away, that I know has never seen my son's vehicle. Maybe someone transposed some digits in the VIN when they entered it into the Toyota system?

 

[gatormark91]

Blaming Mud members for your purchase mistake is pretty lame. Good learning experience for you though, to do your own due diligence before pulling the trigger: buying a carfax report on your own, doing your own vin research, checking service history and cross checking everything so it all adds up.

Should have been your first clue when car fax didnt add up- Second flag would have been conflicting VIN info between California and what ever you knew about its history in FLA. Third Clue was mileage variance and service history in Alabama.

Not sure how much time has elapsed between your purchase date and today, but research Carfax Buy Back Guarantee: if you paid for the report before you bought the truck: The CARFAX® Buyback Guarantee®
The CARFAX® Buyback Guarantee®

I did my due diligence, dug into every record I could find, and was actually going to walk. Florida doesn't record mileage on title transfers or registration on older cars, so 3 Toyota records and a full VIN check were all I had to go on then. MUD member comments convinced me the Toyota records were an anomaly. So I bought it. New Carfax search is now showing a bunch more records from Toyota. VIN search in Toyota's owner site doesn't have these, but they line up with what I found initially.

So yes, I bought the truck based on MUD members comments after I did all my homework. But I am the one, at the end of the day, that listened to them. Lesson learned, should have gone with my gut instincts. Info added that came up on second Carfax search that was not on first search just confirmed my initial suspicions.

Unfortunately, Carfax and others only guarantee against missing a "branded" title (salvage, odo in excess of limits, etc). Since this truck has a clean title, and always has (due to Florida exempting vehicles over 10 years old), I'm SOL for any guarantee.

I did pay $16 for the police record of a minor accident the LC had from 2012. That driver was the owner until 2014, so if I can get in touch with her, I should get the definitive answer as to the mileage when she sold it.

 

[abuck99]

Understand better now-

I've had the sense that there is some unscrupulous title work and mileage manipulation going on related to 100s because they sell so much higher than book value in secondary market. It's my conspiracy theory, unsubstantiated but reinforced by a situation like this. Certain states make it much easier to do this.

In your case the carfax info being populated after the fact gives more credence that someone was adding records to build false history.

The Toyota owners website is another problem. Anyone with your VIN can register the vehicle to themselves as the new owner and enter service history ( that is . But actually going to the dealership, and asking them to print service history might reveal something different.

You might post up the carfax before and after, and service history- (black out your vin)

 

[Sandroad]

I did my due diligence, dug into every record I could find, and was actually going to walk. Florida doesn't record mileage on title transfers or registration on older cars, so 3 Toyota records and a full VIN check were all I had to go on then. MUD member comments convinced me the Toyota records were an anomaly. So I bought it. New Carfax search is now showing a bunch more records from Toyota. VIN search in Toyota's owner site doesn't have these, but they line up with what I found initially.

So yes, I bought the truck based on MUD members comments after I did all my homework. But I am the one, at the end of the day, that listened to them. Lesson learned, should have gone with my gut instincts. Info added that came up on second Carfax search that was not on first search just confirmed my initial suspicions.

Unfortunately, Carfax and others only guarantee against missing a "branded" title (salvage, odo in excess of limits, etc). Since this truck has a clean title, and always has (due to Florida exempting vehicles over 10 years old), I'm SOL for any guarantee.

I did pay $16 for the police record of a minor accident the LC had from 2012. That driver was the owner until 2014, so if I can get in touch with her, I should get the definitive answer as to the mileage when she sold it.

The Carfax definition of "branded title" specifically includes those with "odometer was not actual mileage". If Carfax missed the fact the odometer was not correct when you bought it, you may want to follow up with a full explanation/details letter to them that includes the report when you bought it and the report now. They make a big deal in their ads about their accuracy and completeness and may not want a black mark on their name for something like this.