Used Camry 2018 for Sale - Great Price, Low Km - Can The Metre Be Tampered with?

CI on 16/06/2019 - 13:14
Last edited 17/06/2019 - 13:55

Hi all
As per the title - I'm looking the buy a Camry SL new shape - there's one in carsales right now which has only done 5000km - is this too low for a car that's more than 12 months old ?
I am poorly educated about cars - can the odometer be tampered with these days (given there's lot more computing involved) ?
They are asking about $33.5k whereas all similar cars for that price have done 20k km +
Thanks in advanced for your responses

Update 1: the seller has provided me the VIN, I ran the PPSR and it's clean (re: loan, writeoff)
I asked the seller reason for sale: (non direct quotation) my friend bought it, she drove it 800km and then sold it to me - I want a big car so I am selling this.
The seller is chiense expat, his friend I am assuming was also the same.

Update 2: seller has provided me with service receipt from Preston Toyota - last service 09/01/19 - 1941km
The car is addressed to a company pty ltd (I am guessing that was his friend?)
Car manufactured October 2018 and picked up on 31/10/19.

Everything seems fine, I believe - I have been an ozbagainer for 9 years therefore I have offered $31k.
In response to comments regarding getting an inspection done - it still has 2 years and 4 months of OEM warranty.

Automotive Car Toyota

Comments

  • npc on 16/06/2019 - 13:31
    +3

    Yes it can. Will someone bother to roll 15k kms down? unlikely. Usually it is “worth” doing for expensive cars and reducing odo reading by 100k+ and it is also illegal….

    • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2019 - 13:45
      +1

      It can’t be done on newer cars as they are digitally stored in the odometer unit, the bcm and the pcm/ecu. If the odometer is replaced with a lower km unit, the other computers will adjust it to the higher value.

      • npc on 16/06/2019 - 13:58
        +2

        Of course it cannot be done because you think it is complex. Replacing the dash is quite brutal method that nobody is using these days anyway. There are much smarter ways to reprogram all applicable blocks. On some german cars even headlamps and airbags will store hrs of operation or kms, but it still can be changed.

        • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2019 - 19:21

          Not complex, just not cost effective.

  • kerfuffle on 16/06/2019 - 13:31

    Maybe it's been in an accident or two. But low kilometres aren't too much of a worry, I think. I've had my car almost seven years now (bought brand new) and it's only done about 75K km

  • holdenmg on 16/06/2019 - 13:35
    +1

    Was it owned by a little old lady that drove it once a week to Church?
    Explains the low K's

  • p1 ama on 16/06/2019 - 13:51
    +8

    Not really - 5000 km for a year is 96.15km per week. This is pretty normal for someone who takes public transport to work and doesn't drive on weekdays.

  • crentist on 16/06/2019 - 13:59
    +15

    Yea makes sense that someone would roll it back. Everyone knows Toyotas have terrible reliability and only last about 20,000km. Suprised it's still even driving after a year

  • Melb69 on 16/06/2019 - 14:30
    +3

    Check service book. Get it mechanical checked by RACV pre purchase check or take it to a reputable mechanical to check its condition. If its a second car its possible for those low kays. I broke my leg and couldn't drive for 9months. Car wasn't used. My parents have a car, but hardly use it. Just there for the convenience. Just do your due diligence as if the car had 100k km on it. If its a private seller you can't go back crying it was faulty.

    • pegaxs on 17/06/2019 - 08:43
      +1

      It’s a 2018 car with 5000km. If it’s faulty, you go crying to Toyota. It still has about 2 years of warranty left on it.

      • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 10:25

        Yeah true, October complied and October registration expiry = old warranty - 3yrs/100,000km

  • Cheeper on 16/06/2019 - 14:39
    +3

    Pay to get it inspected.

  • Gorodemon on 16/06/2019 - 17:44
    +1

    I bet you my left nut, it's a repairable write off.

    • pegaxs on 17/06/2019 - 08:42

      I bet my left nut that it’s more likely the guy impulse bought it and now can’t make repayments on it.

    • Ozpit on 17/06/2019 - 10:19
      +1

      If a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic proves it is not a repairable write off, how do you propose to supply your left nut? In a Vegemite jar? On the end of a pointy stick? Just wondering.

    • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 10:24

      Who's getting your left nut?

      • Gorodemon on 17/06/2019 - 11:00
        +1

        Plot twist: who says I'm a male? 😆

        • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 11:01

          Plot twist: You're down to 1 ovary :P

  • oscargamer on 16/06/2019 - 19:01
    +3

    The odo can easily be changed, if you have the right piece of kit.

    Would they do it on an 18 Camry…..no.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2019 - 21:02
    +2

    I think if you tempered the odometer, it would stop working the seconded you quenched it in water. You’re poorly educated about cars (that’s obvious, you’re looking at a Camry), but you know nothing about blacksmithing.

    • CI on 17/06/2019 - 13:38

      What would be your choice of vehicle - feel some strong judgement on your part for going for a Camry

  • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 00:14

    Link

    I'd be wondering why a private seller would be offloading the car so quick

    • TheOneWhoKnocks on 17/06/2019 - 05:58

      Something's amiss 🤔.

      • pegaxs on 17/06/2019 - 08:39
        +3

        My guess is with such low km that it was a surplus buy or they just don’t get the use from it they thought they would.

        Another option is that they bought it on finance and can’t afford the repayments on it and considered that they hardly use it, it was pointless to keep it.

        Deceased estate. Bought for a family member that didn’t drive it very far and wasn’t working and they can’t drive it where they are now.

        Loss of license. Drink driving, second offence and lost license for 18 months…

        So long as the car checks out and isn’t damaged and the service history is intact, it seems reasonably legit to me why it would be this age and being sold. My biggest fear for this car that no one seems to have made mention of is that is would most likely be encumbered and would need the finance paid out before it is sold. This is what OP needs to be concerned about, not if the odometer is wound back or not.

    • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 10:22

      Update

      Just ran a PPSR - She's clear. Not a write-off, no money owing

      • Gorodemon on 17/06/2019 - 12:00
        -1

        Hey mate, where do you want me to send my left ovary? Do you want to wrap and gift it to your imaginary girlfriend also?😆

        • spackbace on 17/06/2019 - 12:04

          What next, a "your mum" joke? 😒

  • kallico on 17/06/2019 - 09:00

    Didn't know odometers were made of chocolate!

  • HeWhoKnows on 17/06/2019 - 09:20
    -1

    The answer is…

    WE DONT KNOW

    Its only a year old so YES, its probably correct.
    If not it would NOT be too high anyway

    If the price is right just GRAB IT!

  • GOCAT9 on 17/06/2019 - 09:41
    +5

    Nobody seems to be paying attention and addressing the OP’s original question, which again is: “can the metre be tempered with?”

    Well, the answer is hell NO! Why would you want to? The metre Is defined as the distance travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. You would screw up the world if you tampered with that!!

    The other part of the question was, “can the metre be tempered?” Probably not, unless using the definition, you made a metre of metal and then repeatedly heated and cooled it. That may temper it somewhat. If your metre was nonmetallic, then you could not temper it in this way.

    Hope this provides some clarity on whether the “metre can be tempered with”. Have a nice day !

    • gyrex on 17/06/2019 - 10:07

      Damn, you beat me to it. There's nothing worse than a tempered metre!

  • [Deactivated] on 17/06/2019 - 13:51

    Get a mechanic to check it out.

    Usually the brake disc/tire/oil wear level is a good indicator.

    5000km, the brake disc/tyre should be almost as good as new.

  • boomramada on 17/06/2019 - 23:43

    Its possible https://youtu.be/Kp5sWdfXsmI but is it worth it ?

  • Oz8argain on 18/06/2019 - 09:47

    will it be an issue since it's a company vehicle?

    • CI on 18/06/2019 - 12:19

      ppsr was clean, rego transfer will be to private anyway

  • nafe on 18/06/2019 - 12:22

    I bought my car with 17k on the clock after 2.5 years. It's not common, but it happens.

    Edit: FWIW, my car was also owned by a expat Chinese uni student. It had scheduled service records and receipts and factory warranty left, and was better priced than the other cars on the market too.

  • Ken1977 on 18/06/2019 - 19:59

    I purchased a 2010 motorbike with 2895km. Anyone got anything better?

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