Odometer discrepancy on potential TJ purchase

DropTopDon

DropTopDon

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
642
Location
VA
Travelling to look at an LJ I am planning on buying this Saturday. The listing says 130k and the owner says that the odometer works and is at 130k. When I ran the vin at carfax, it says it had 145k miles in 2015. That was the last time the mileage on the odometer was reported and in 2022 it says "exempt from odometer report". The current owner has only owned the LJ for about two months and says he got it with 130k too. The condition of the jeep looks stellar through the pictures but I have not drove it yet. So either 1.) the shop reported the mileage wrong, which seems kind of unlikely because it had 112k in 2012, 2.) The odometer has been replaced or 3.) the odometer has been rolled back. Either of which, I don't know how many actual miles are on the LJ now.
 
Carfax can contain incorrect information. Had someone run a Carfax on my TJ which I have owned for over 2 years, and it came back with 3 items added within that 2 year period. I have had nothing done outside of my garage that should show up on the report. Go figure.
 
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SPECWAR said:
Carfax can contain incorrect information. Had someone run a Carfax on my TJ which I have owned for over 2 years, and it came back with 3 items added within that 2 year period. I have had nothing done outside of my garage that should show up on the report. Go figure.
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+1

I have had incorrect info from Carfax, but I'd also be curious why a guy who has owned a vehicle for 2 months is selling it.
 
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jeepguy03 said:
+1

I have had incorrect info from Carfax, but I'd also be curious why a guy who has owned a vehicle for 2 months is selling it.
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I was kind of iffy on that too. I asked him and he said he got an LJ to fit his kids but it still wasn't enough space. I saw on his page he has sold a few TJ's within the last 2 years. Can't be sure until I look at it though.
 
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DropTopDon said:
I was kind of iffy on that too. I asked him and he said he got an LJ to fit his kids but it still wasn't enough space. I saw on his page he has sold a few TJ's within the last 2 years. Can't be sure until I look at it though.
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Sounds to me like he is a flipper. I wouldn't be surprised if the dash cluster has been replaced or something. I wouldn't 100% dismiss the vehicle without looking at it, but I'd proceed with caution.
 
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CharlesHS said:
You need to compare the odometer against the PCM; both log mileage and I would trust the PCM over the odometer.
The flipper would replace the odometer with a lower mileage instrument cluster, but would not know that both log mileage.
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How would I check the mileage on the PCM?
 
The only way I know for sure is to connect a Factory Troubleshooting Console.
The newer style OBD2/Bluetooth readers may be able to read the PCM mileage.
There may be other members that can provide you with additional ways to read the PCM mileage.
 
You don't need to worry about the odometer at all unless you are selling the Jeep sometime soon. You shouldn't skip any inspection based on high or low mileage. It simply doesn't matter unless you are selling. If you plan on keeping the Jeep for some time don't worry about 130k or 150k, there is nothing special about either number or the fact they don't match.
 
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pagrey said:
You don't need to worry about the odometer at all unless you are selling the Jeep sometime soon. You shouldn't skip any inspection based on high or low mileage. It simply doesn't matter unless you are selling. If you plan on keeping the Jeep for some time don't worry about 130k or 150k, there is nothing special about either number or the fact they don't match.
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True. I'm not really worried about the number more so as the reason a previous owner may have reason to hide the original miles. I guess I'll have to wait until I go look at it to really check everything out.

Does anyone know which OBD2 scanner for sure reads the mileage from the PCM? I hope I can buy it and scan it while I look at the jeep just so I can actually know the miles and use it as a bargaining point.
 
pagrey said:
Worry about them trying to hide rust, that'll get you. I know what you mean though, it's nice to have everything match.
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Say I do sell this LJ down the road in a couple years, if there is a similar market do you think the odometer discrepancy will effect my success of selling and getting my money back?
 
I don't think an everyday scanner will do it. I know my Amazon Bluetooth scanner with torque app won't. Some of the higher end stuff that does manufacturer specific functions might, and I know the drb3 will. But that's probably not something that you're gonna get your hands on by Saturday.
 
DropTopDon said:
Say I do sell this LJ down the road in a couple years, if there is a similar market do you think the odometer discrepancy will effect my success of selling and getting my money back?
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Not if you're selling to me but reading this thread obviously some people are the nervous type. Unfortunately, even if you get all the Jeeps numbers correct with the odometer and cluster Carfax will never acknowledge reality.
 
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