Buying a S4 this week, Odometer question...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 0
From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Buying a S4 this week, Odometer question...
I found the 928 S4 I want, it is auto, red clean cream colored interior with 120k miles on it...
Question is around the odometer, I know a lot of BAD people turn them back but which might me more difficult as the number are not designed to go back but what if you roll the 100k number forward through 200, 300, 400 etc...until you get back to 0 which would show 20k miles...? Is this even concevable...? just wondering how easy it is to tamper with the odometer (non electronic LED)...?
thanks...
Seats I am buying:
http://www.andysautosport.com/images...a_pole_red.jpg
Steering wheel:
http://www.andysautosport.com/images...uark_red_1.jpg
Question is around the odometer, I know a lot of BAD people turn them back but which might me more difficult as the number are not designed to go back but what if you roll the 100k number forward through 200, 300, 400 etc...until you get back to 0 which would show 20k miles...? Is this even concevable...? just wondering how easy it is to tamper with the odometer (non electronic LED)...?
thanks...
Seats I am buying:
http://www.andysautosport.com/images...a_pole_red.jpg
Steering wheel:
http://www.andysautosport.com/images...uark_red_1.jpg
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 812
Likes: 0
From: Brooklyn, NY
Buy carfax for the car you are buying and check if odometer reading matches what's on it. It's possible to adjust mileage even on today's all computerized cars, no one will give 100% assurance that mileage wasn't tempered with - it only takes one dishonest owner... That said, I would assume if anyone tempered with odometer, it was done back when car was more or less new. At this point, value of a car with 50-60k is not that much different from the one with 120k on it.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,095
Likes: 2
From: Massachusetts
The odometer is easy to change and should never be relied upon when evaluating a 928. Condition is far more important, especially when you are talking about a 100K+ mileage car. Your better off treating these cars as TMU in many cases. Carfax has already been mentioned. Does the car come with any records?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 0
From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Yes he has near full maintenance history, he seems upright and honest but you never know... : ) He offered to take it to the local Porsche dealer to get inspected for me on my dime (which is reasonable)...
thanks for all the input...
thanks for all the input...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,582
Likes: 286
From: Gibsonia, PA
Where are you located? Any local 928 owners that can take look at it for you first? Maybe someone here can recommend an independent shop.
Has the Porsche dealership done all the maintenance on this car? How much do they really know about 928s now? A lot of dealership don't know a lot.
TBF (Thrust Bearing Failure) is important to check out on S4's with auto. Do a search here on this.
Has the Porsche dealership done all the maintenance on this car? How much do they really know about 928s now? A lot of dealership don't know a lot.
TBF (Thrust Bearing Failure) is important to check out on S4's with auto. Do a search here on this.
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,575
Likes: 5
From: Orange, Cal
Typical Porsche dealer would not be qualified to check more than tire pressure, most have done no serious repairs on a 928 in years. Find somebody that actually knows the 928 to do the inspection.
Even with a full history I would not assume the mileage is correct. Too many cars were purchased with leases that had large penalties for excess mileage, so temptation was great to alter it. There is a gear that commonly fails and a connection back in the spare tire well, either of which stop the odometer from working.
Even with a full history I would not assume the mileage is correct. Too many cars were purchased with leases that had large penalties for excess mileage, so temptation was great to alter it. There is a gear that commonly fails and a connection back in the spare tire well, either of which stop the odometer from working.
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Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,575
Likes: 5
From: Orange, Cal
If the odometer itself is broken, likely its the gear. If the speedometer doesn't work either, check the 4 pin connector in the spare tire well (maybe under a plastic protector thing towards the top/front).
