Odometer Mileage

Does your Mitsubishi L300 make a strange noise? Need wheel alignment specs?
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F0urEvrCaR22
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Odometer Mileage

Post by F0urEvrCaR22 »

Happy New Year Everyone,

Does anyone know of way to tell if your Deli's Odometer has been tampered with? How can you tell if your kilometers are legitamite. Does anybody have any experience with this? :?
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Growlerbearnz
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Odometer Mileage

Post by Growlerbearnz »

When we import vehicles from Japan we look for corroborating signs- general condition of the vehicle, wear on the pedals, service stickers or markers on the engine. If they don't add up you can remove the instrument cluster and look for evidence of tampering- fingerprints in the dust on the back of the cluster, damaged/missing screws, scratches on the odometer wheels.

That said, it wouldn't be difficult to falsify the odometer reading and leave no evidence.

With a vehicle this old the mileage isn't all that relevant anyway. Time will do as much damage as mileage, and a super low mileage van might have missed out on the servicing a more frequently used vehicle would receive. I'd prefer a well-maintained 350,000km van to an outdoor-stored 50,000km van.
Nothing says "poor workmanship" more than wrinkles in the duct tape.
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feetforbrains
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Odometer Mileage

Post by feetforbrains »

Growlerbearnz wrote:When we import vehicles from Japan we look for corroborating signs- general condition of the vehicle, wear on the pedals, service stickers or markers on the engine. If they don't add up you can remove the instrument cluster and look for evidence of tampering- fingerprints in the dust on the back of the cluster, damaged/missing screws, scratches on the odometer wheels.

That said, it wouldn't be difficult to falsify the odometer reading and leave no evidence.

With a vehicle this old the mileage isn't all that relevant anyway. Time will do as much damage as mileage, and a super low mileage van might have missed out on the servicing a more frequently used vehicle would receive. I'd prefer a well-maintained 350,000km van to an outdoor-stored 50,000km van.
Add to the above, I'd treat it like any other high mileage vehicle regardless of the odometer reading. Check for leaks and levels regularly. Investigate unusual smells or sounds. Simplify where you can. YMMV

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F0urEvrCaR22
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Vehicle: 1993 L300 Exceed Star Wagon Turbo D
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Odometer Mileage

Post by F0urEvrCaR22 »

Thank you all,

You all just confirmed what I was thinking. Just baby my Deli, and (since it has no maintenance history) treat it like it hasn't been properly maintained. The bottomline is that if I did not do the maintenance, it has not been done. Would you all agree? :?
philmeup1
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Odometer Mileage

Post by philmeup1 »

My van came with 71,000 Kms on the clock. I've owned for a little over 5 years now and it's been an amazing vehicle. Probably the best used car I've ever owned. Shortly after receiving my L300, the injector pump started to leak. I had to have it pulled and rebuilt. I figured that since my mechanic was in there, I'd do the timing belt, water pump and all the other maintenance stuff that would eventually be required. The records showed that the timing belt was done not that many kilometers ago. But how many years ago is another story.

I think your best bet is not to assume anything and ensure everything's up to snuff. I'm quite certain I've saved money in costly repairs simply by ensuring most of the regular maintenance stuff has already been taken care of. For the last 4 years, I've done little more than changing the oil and enjoying driving my van.

Just my humble opinion. I'm on the mechanically declined side of the fence here, and I appreciate any piece of mind I can get from being realistic and prepared. My van is now 25 years old, and I'm quite amazed at how well it still performs. I'd like to keep it for another 25 years if I can!!
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FalcoColumbarius
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Odometer Mileage

Post by FalcoColumbarius »

There are a number of threads regarding this topic, worth looking up with the search engine.

Fundamentally, these wagons were very popular in Japan and were often regarded as status symbols, even ~ but generally driven on weekends and holidays ~ so the lower kilometreage that one may come across is often correct, should you get it from Japan. If you got it from Canada and it had a super low kilometreage ~ I'd be suspicious. Mine was at "61,000 Kms", when I got her in 2008.

Falco.
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F0urEvrCaR22
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Vehicle: 1993 L300 Exceed Star Wagon Turbo D
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Odometer Mileage

Post by F0urEvrCaR22 »

Falco,

Thanks for the Delica Culture Lesson. I've checked around the vehicle quite a bit now, and I believe the k's are accurate. Again, thanks :-D
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