WhackyWill Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Just a question to ponder...Why do Jap Imports have such low mileage ?? I see most JDM for sale in the UK have at least half the expected mileage for the year..!! Makes you wonder as the Jap unit is in kilometers so are they clocked when changed to miles before or after they are exported..!!! I bought a Lexus RX300 JDM a few years ago with 42,000 miles on the clock, I then found a Japanese service sticker attached inside the air filter housing..."not where you would expect it" so it slipped through the inspection net to be removed, showing it was changed at 98,200 Km which is 61.000 miles. (the Lexus showed 42,000) Makes you wonder if you really are getting a low mileage JDM car after all ?. I know Japan pretty well and their driving habits are no difference than us in the UK, so why should the millage be so different..!!! :scare: ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOM'S_ZED Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Dont they get stung by high tax if they keep a car longer than 2 years or something like that so they get passed around frequently and then auctioned for ukdm usdm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Just a question to ponder...Why do Jap Imports have such low mileage ?? I see most JDM for sale in the UK have at least half the expected mileage for the year..!! Makes you wonder as the Jap unit is in kilometers so are they clocked when changed to miles before or after they are exported..!!! I bought a Lexus RX300 JDM a few years ago with 42,000 miles on the clock, I then found a Japanese service sticker attached inside the air filter housing..."not where you would expect it" so it slipped through the inspection net to be removed, showing it was changed at 98,200 Km which is 61.000 miles. (the Lexus showed 42,000) Makes you wonder if you really are getting a low mileage JDM car after all ?. I know Japan pretty well and their driving habits are no difference than us in the UK, so why should the millage be so different..!!! :scare: ?. Your car probably was. I changed my oil at every 6k miles rather than 9k. My car must be clocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Just a question to ponder...Why do Jap Imports have such low mileage ?? I see most JDM for sale in the UK have at least half the expected mileage for the year..!! Makes you wonder as the Jap unit is in kilometers so are they clocked when changed to miles before or after they are exported..!!! I bought a Lexus RX300 JDM a few years ago with 42,000 miles on the clock, I then found a Japanese service sticker attached inside the air filter housing..."not where you would expect it" so it slipped through the inspection net to be removed, showing it was changed at 98,200 Km which is 61.000 miles. (the Lexus showed 42,000) Makes you wonder if you really are getting a low mileage JDM car after all ?. I know Japan pretty well and their driving habits are no difference than us in the UK, so why should the millage be so different..!!! :scare: ?. I was always led to believe that they dont use their cars like us, long journeys, commuting etc? Do they also not have a very stringent mot type thing a a certain stage in a cars life that makes it more cost effective to buy new? Is the average mileage of a car in the UK still given at 10 to 12k miles? I also suppose all the rumours of "hair cuts" must have some merit, but i cant quite believe all imports are trimmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliecrx Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I'd say a large proportion of jap import cars have their mileage altered. My s2000 was the same when I got it, the mileage certificate and the service stickers on the car didn't add up at all. And we always joke, every Jdm import has 50k on it regardless! Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 How do they even do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliecrx Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) How do they alter a mileage on a 350? Quite easily, digital speedos are literally a ten second job for them. Laptop and some software and that's generally it in most cases I replaced the Jdm km only digital speedo in my s2000 with a uk one and asked the guy to increase the mileage on the speedo from 47k to 53k and he looked at me like I was insane. Lol, obviously he is used to going the other way!!! Luckily a lot of newer cars like bmw store the mileage which as far as I know can't be altered on the ecu, so a dealer can read it and tell immediately. All you can do really is be vigilant when buying to stop getting a clocked motor. Sadly locally diesel VW and the like seem to be popular for mileage adjusting, a mate bought a 5 series not long ago with 100k on it, found out a few months later it actually had 170k..... Gutted wouldn't come close Edited March 23, 2013 by Olliecrx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thats quite scary. Just hope mine hasn't been turned back as its quite low. Id be gutted to find out it had 100k on it when i thought it was 30k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Is it illegal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 All this talk of haircuts is upsetting me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 No' very illegal...comes under fraud..! :scare: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I've got to say, this thread feels like it is in pretty bad taste to me, tainting all low-mileage JDM cars as being clocked. :thumbdown: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Well my RX300 JDM, was defiantly clocked...!! Looks like Olliecrx S2000 JDM was clocked...! Its not just JDM's that get clocked, but they are easier to pass off as previous history is generally unknown.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Ah two examples. That's ALL the JDM's in the world, after all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KC350Z Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) well good job the last owner off mine who i know went over and imported him self with prove off milage so same as any car jdm uk or us its all about the cars history Edited March 23, 2013 by KC350Z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliecrx Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) It's certainly not tainting all jdm's, Im pretty sure my s2000 had been clocked, I could never prove it, and it turned out to be the best s2000 I ever owned and still to this day anyone that's driven it said the same. I even know the import company, and the first uk owner so I know where it came from. My Evo 6 came in with 40k, and you could tell instantly it was a low mileage car, full previous history that added up correctly, all the correct paperwork etc, I was the 2nd uk owner. The whole car was like brand new inside and out..... God I miss it! Lol It's very illegal if not declared, sometimes people have genuine reasons for mileage not adding up (speedos replaced under warranty) and there is a paper trail in these cases. As said, every car can be clocked, and from what I'm seeing recently it's more luxury cars (530d, Mercedes) or popular diesel cars (Audi, vw) that seem to be falling foul of this practice. All you can do is be on the alert and look out for the tell tale signs of higher mileage. The only reason I bought uk for the 350 was because in NI our mot is a pita, the headlight washers and speedo markings just make it hassle year after year sadly, and I just couldn't be bothered with Jdm for that reason Edited March 23, 2013 by Olliecrx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 It's certainly not tainting all jdm's, Im pretty sure my s2000 had been clocked, I could never prove it, and it turned out to be the best s2000 I ever owned and still to this day anyone that's driven it said the same. I even know the import company, and the first uk owner so I know where it came from. My Evo 6 came in with 40k, and you could tell instantly it was a low mileage car, full previous history that added up correctly, all the correct paperwork etc, I was the 2nd uk owner. The whole car was like brand new inside and out..... God I miss it! Lol It's very illegal if not declared, sometimes people have genuine reasons for mileage not adding up (speedos replaced under warranty) and there is a paper trail in these cases. As said, every car can be clocked, and from what I'm seeing recently it's more luxury cars (530d, Mercedes) or popular diesel cars (Audi, vw) that seem to be falling foul of this practice. All you can do is be on the alert and look out for the tell tale signs of higher mileage. The only reason I bought uk for the 350 was because in NI our mot is a pita, the headlight washers and speedo markings just make it hassle year after year sadly, and I just couldn't be bothered with Jdm for that reason I'm not tainting all JDM's either, I'm just saying its easier to give them a "haircut" because you wont know the previous history unless you import it yourself...and it looks suspecious that most have below average miles for the year..I just don't believe they do less miles in Japan than here, I know Japan, and I have been stuck in as many traffic jams there as I have here. The only stipulation on owning a car in Japan is you must have an off street parking space for it, otherwise you cannot register it. :scare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisS Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Is it illegal? Digital correction is not illegal. Miss-representation of a cars mileage is illegal. Hence why it is easy to alter a cars mileage these days. (you used to have to take the clocks out and 'CLOCK' them) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Just a question to ponder...Why do Jap Imports have such low mileage ?? I see most JDM for sale in the UK have at least half the expected mileage for the year..!! Makes you wonder as the Jap unit is in kilometers so are they clocked when changed to miles before or after they are exported..!!! I bought a Lexus RX300 JDM a few years ago with 42,000 miles on the clock, I then found a Japanese service sticker attached inside the air filter housing..."not where you would expect it" so it slipped through the inspection net to be removed, showing it was changed at 98,200 Km which is 61.000 miles. (the Lexus showed 42,000) Makes you wonder if you really are getting a low mileage JDM car after all ?. I know Japan pretty well and their driving habits are no difference than us in the UK, so why should the millage be so different..!!! :scare: ?. I was always led to believe that they dont use their cars like us, long journeys, commuting etc? Do they also not have a very stringent mot type thing a a certain stage in a cars life that makes it more cost effective to buy new? Is the average mileage of a car in the UK still given at 10 to 12k miles? I also suppose all the rumours of "hair cuts" must have some merit, but i cant quite believe all imports are trimmed. It's gone up to 15,000 acording to WLMC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Well perhaps imports have low mileage because if somebody is going to the trouble of importing a car, then they are a more discerning buyer with a very specific set of requirements? i.e. Why bother importing a car with higher mileage...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (you used to have to take the clocks out and 'CLOCK' them) A mate of mine used to bring his into work and use a high speed drill to reverse the mileage . Still, I would say that most cars were clocked in the day, often by disconnecting the speedo. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjcdeans Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 i.e. Why bother importing a car with higher mileage...? If the price is right, then maybe worth important. Not suggesting anything but sometimes a higher mileage car might be better condition than a lower one, hence cheaper price and easier to sell as lower mileage. I know its not big and not clever but my old neighbour used to adjust BMW 5's all the time as interior etc never did look its true age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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