Dodgy Odometer

**Fidel** · 7th March 2009, 21:37

Just bought a scooter on Trade Me and discovered the odometer had been disconnected. Should I take a complaint to the police, confront the previous owner or just chalk it down to experience? It was a cheap bike and I didn't expect it to be perfect, but outright fraud is another matter! Any thoughts welcome.

**smoky** · 7th March 2009, 21:45

Originally Posted by Fidel

..... discovered the odometer had been disconnected.

Was it disconnected when you bought it? If it was why didn't you pick it up on a test ride?
If it was working when you bought it - how do you know it HAD been disconnected?
Did you do a check on line of the odo reading, a prepurchase check?

**xwhatsit** · 7th March 2009, 21:45

Are you sure the cable just didn't shit out? Happens on motorbikes all the time, nothing malicious. Seems a bit rough to call the police about it, unless he made a big deal about `mint low kms great bike never ridden just kept in garage' blah blah. And even if he was doing that, wouldn't he connect the speedo up again?

**cynna** · 7th March 2009, 21:49

dunno if it is fraud tho. did u test ride it - if so they could say u should have noticed speedo wasnt working

does the bike look like it has done more km then the speedo says. when i was young and not so wise i brought a jap import bike with 2500k on the clock - then it was pointed out to me the footpeg rubbers etc were worn. live and learn or maybe u have some sort of comeback with the consumers act or something?

**FJRider** · 7th March 2009, 21:51

Originally Posted by Fidel

Just bought a scooter on Trade Me and discovered the odometer had been disconnected. Should I take a complaint to the police, confront the previous owner or just chalk it down to experience? It was a cheap bike and I didn't expect it to be perfect, but outright fraud is another matter! Any thoughts welcome.

Does it have a wof ?

**Fidel** · 7th March 2009, 21:54

Yeah, that's why I say maybe chalk it down to experience as I didn't check it out before buying (never again), but when I opened it up the cable wasn't even close to where it should have been, and according to the carjam.co.nz report I've since got it has been disconnected for about 8 months!

**Fidel** · 7th March 2009, 21:57

Yep, the odometer appears to have been disconnnected not long after the previous WOF.

**smoky** · 7th March 2009, 22:01

Originally Posted by Fidel

.. I didn't check it out before buying ..... and according to the carjam.co.nz report I've since got

And you didn't test ride either?

I guess if they sold it, and the speedo wasn't working at the time ---- what ya complaining about

Chalk it up to an experience