tuf question

or they just buy the setup on ebay: item # 130031160644 for example.

When buying a car, I normally look at the gear stick, steering wheel and pedals, if they are all brand new I am suspicious, but otherwise, the signs of wear are a kind of odometer.

Chris

I do that too, after I find a car that looks like it's probably ok. Finding a good mechanic isn't always easy.

Chris

Chris Jones wrote:

Back in the '70s when rolling back odometers (mechanical dashboard counter types at the base of the speedometer dial) was popular, there was a joke as to how to set them back. Since mechanical odometers would run backwards when the car was in reverse (no kidding, I've actually seen it happen), the joke went something like this: To set your car's odometer back without fiddling with the cable and an electric drill (or a couple of other dodges also used to set back old-style odometers), just drive your car backwards through the Smoky Mountains one time.

I don't know, however, if this dodge would work with modern digital odometers, as I'm not sure if they will run backwards when the car is driven in reverse. If it does work this way, that could be the explanation for why the car under discussion in this thread had thousands fewer miles on it than the buyer thought it had--the previous owner probably drove it backwards down a mountain or some crazy thing like that. If not, then I just don't know, unless, as was mentioned here, someone somehow got into the mileage computer and hacked it. One way I can think of to set a car's digital odometer to zero, however, is to disconnect the car battery for a day or two or run it down. I cannot imagine for the life of me how the odometer would retain a previous reading under those circumstances, unless the things have lithium backup batteries or something like that; even at that, lithium batteries still fail after a certain length of time, so the odometer would lose its mileage memory eventually anyway. I have a digital wristwatch I bought some seven years ago; the battery is still good, so I think these cells should last just as long in a digital odometer application. But the question still remains: Who keeps cars seven years or more these days? The odometer backup battery will probably be dead as a doornail by the time a seven-year-old (plus) car is sold, so I would almost expect that the odometer would be reading zero anyhow. Talk about a good way to fool a used-car buyer!

Jeff Strieble, WB8NHV (email addy not shown to deter spammers) Fairport Harbor, Ohio USA

Instead of driving backward, just jack up the rear end, put chocks behind the front wheels, and leave the car running in reverse for a few hours. It was simpler and quicker to disconnect the speedo cable and use a drill motor.

I don't know whether car instruments use it, but flash memory is cheap and retains data without power.

Given reverse gear is usually the lowest of the lot - apart from in some autos - you'd have to leave it running for quite some time to make any appreciable difference, and is likely to cost you more in fuel than you gain in any added 'value'.

Some rough figures from a UK car guide.

I've taken a Lexus GS300 1996 as the closest to the OP's I can find data for.

For each 10,000 miles below average, it gains very roughly 450 gbp. It's best mpg is given as 36 mpg (UK gallons) So even if cruised gently for that 10,000 miles it will have used a minimum of 280 gallons. At a cost of roughly 1300 gbp.

Now drive it in reverse for 10,000 miles - and assuming it doesn't blow up as is very likely through overheating, you could at least treble the fuel consumption. So to increase the value of your car by 450 gbp it's cost you some 4000 gbp...

Homer, U misunderstood, I wouldn t hurt a fly even if I could. I only advised the (mew mew) not 2 throw words coz some people respond with a fist...not me anyhow.....and I prefer 2 use U instead of you....its faster.... Now about clocking-back digital ODO..here is the deal.....All digital readers are basically frquency meters, with some memory chip. This chip can be identified, then find its data sheet, pulse the reset pin, but you will get it ZERO reading...means you can not clock itback 2 certain reading, only Zero...Brand new car !!! SOme manufacturers play smart by hidng the chip model with black paint.., just scratch the paint away...those idiots....use a plastic scratching tool not asteel one...

other method is to check what pulse is adding reading..if it is a positive TTL (+5 volt) then feed the opposite (-5 volt) pulse and this may start to reduce the reading till U clock to any reading U want..but U need a signal generator, and tracer....a software on a laptop can peform both.......

Happy clocking guys....

Goldenshuttle

Homer J Simps>