Question to reset or not to reset odometer

[Den41Buick]

I am in the process of a complete rebuild on my cars engine. The current odometer reading is 83K. Not even sure if that is accurate anyway. Should I or should I not reset the odometer to zero based on the fact that for practical purposes, I will be putting a new engine in the car. Not sure what I should do. If I were to sell the car, I would certainly disclose that fact. I know there will be a lot of opinions, but what is best practices? Thanks

[Restorer32]

It is NOT illegal to reset an odometer. It IS illegal if done with the intent to defraud. If you reset it you have a legal responsibility to divulge that info if you ever sell the vehicle.

[Restorer32]

It is also NOT illegal to remove or reattach VIN tags unless done with the intent to defraud. You can also remove that tag on your newly purchased mattress if you'd like

[Matt Harwood]

Please don't reset it. Keep it wherever it is, regardless of whether you can authenticate it. It gets frustrating for future buyers trying to discern anything about the car's history when you reset it. At least at 83,xxx it's probably authentic, but setting it back to 0 and starting over, in 5 years it'll read 5023 or something, and now everyone will wonder is it 105,000 or was it broken or was it reset or what happened? There will always be an asterisk next to it. I've found that cars with reset odometers are frequently harder to sell, even though most folks know not to trust ANY reading on an old car's odometer. The reset seems to set off alarm bells in buyers for some reason.

Besides, if all you're doing is rebuilding the engine, the rest of the car still has 83,000 miles on it. Unless it's a total frame-off restoration to perfection, I don't think just an engine rebuild justifies going back to 0 if the rest of the car is 83,000 miles.

You're also erasing part of the car's history which is something we strive to preserve here, no? People will see that the car has obviously been restored, so there's no need to try to make it "new" by going back to 0.

My vote is to leave it where it is.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

Complete restoration reset it. Onsey twosy fix up leave it alone. Save your receipts if you want to document the rebuild..............Bob

[mike brady]

I don't believe that the above response regarding legality is a completely accurate statement. In the Province I live in it is not legal and regulations vary in other Provinces in Canada.

If any of the US states are moving towards the type of records kept by the Ontario Registrar of Motor Vehicles, you can expect to identify the odometer reading every time you re-new your plates. With this type of record keeping, an odometer roll back will certainly raise a few flags (at minimum). This may not be an issue for most frame off restorations, particularly not those that are not plated / not driven.

If there is any remote chance you will sell this vehicle, you should first research the regulations of the state / province of the buyer. Since this is impossible, you might be better off keeping complete records.

[jrbartlett]

Don't reset it. I have several cars with reset speedos, and I wish the prior owners had left them alone so I'd know more about what I have. When I'm looking at cars on a show field and the speedo has clearly been reset, the feeling I get is disappointment over a bit of information about the car's history that is missing.

[joe_padavano]

I don't believe that the above response regarding legality is a completely accurate statement. In the Province I live in it is not legal and regulations vary in other Provinces in Canada.

I cannot speak to Canadian laws, but logic would dictate that if it is illegal to reset an odometer, then it is illegal to replace a broken speedo/odo. Clearly one can make repairs, and every state in the US has a provision on the title documents where the one must certify that the mileage is correct or so state if it is not.

I realize that the words "logic" and "laws" don't necessarily go together...

[Restorer32]

I would not reset it but my point was it is not illegal to do so unless there is intent to defraud.

[Curti]

I reset the odometer to zero when I do a complete nut and bolt body off restoration where EVERY mechanical & electrical component has been restored and the car is as it sat on the dealer showroom floor after dealer prep. There are always before, during and after restoration pictures. You are just rebuilding the engine, leave the odometer alone.

[capngrog]

It may be "legal" to reset an odometer to 0 if a car is old enough to be considered "mileage exempt". In Florida, if transferring title to a non exempt vehicle, the seller must swear that the odometer reflects either the actual mileage of the vehicle, the mileage shown is in excess of the mechanical limits of the odometer, or the mileage shown is not the actual mileage.

So, yes, it's legal to reset an odometer, but "some paperwork may be required".

Cheers,

Grog

Edited February 6, 2015 by capngrog
wrote "illegal" when I meant "legal" (see edit history)

[Guest AlCapone]

I also live in Ontario. I am involved in a dispute with the province. I purchased a 30 Model A that was set back to Zero when the new motor was installed. The province states that the title I have is not valid because their records show that the car with that title has many more miles on it. They are saying it is not one in the same vehicle. So far I have spent $2000 in legal fees to attempt to resolve the issue. So should you reset the speedometer............absolutely not ! Wayne

[CarlLaFong]

Only an idiocracy would ignore VIN/serial numbers in favor of an odometer reading to determine a vehicle's authenticity

[capngrog]

Only an idiocracy would ignore VIN/serial numbers in favor of an odometer reading to determine a vehicle's authenticity

LOL!!!!

All too often this equation holds true: IDIOCRACY = GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION.

Cheers,

Grog

[ply33]

I cannot speak to Canadian laws, but logic would dictate that if it is illegal to reset an odometer, then it is illegal to replace a broken speedo/odo. Clearly one can make repairs, and every state in the US has a provision on the title documents where the one must certify that the mileage is correct or so state if it is not.

I realize that the words "logic" and "laws" don't necessarily go together...

In the 1990s in California I had a dealer replace a speedometer on what was then a relatively new car equipped with an electronic speedometer. The only real issue was that the dealer had to note the mileage on the existing speedometer and then order that the replacement read the same. So you can replace/repair a speedometer, the new/repaired one just has to read the same as the old/unrepaired one. Granted that was a number of years ago but I haven't heard of dramatic changes in the law since then.

On my old car, it was disassembled with the odometer reading 98,000 miles so when I got it back together I left it where it was figuring that it would roll over to zero about the time the engine was fully broken in.

[Guest AlCapone]

Only an idiocracy would ignore VIN/serial numbers in favor of an odometer reading to determine a vehicle's authenticity

In Ontario you must purchase a used car kit that gives the history of the vehicles including names, addresses of previous owners and mileage and price paid. Rather than An idocracy they are just so far ahead of the others you don't understand the purpose. the system is in force to prevent fraud and it works ! I understand it but I don't like that I am being somewhat persecuted when my seller was not attempting to fraud anyone. Wayne

[vermontboy]

And it will probably be coming in some form to your state in the future. It is already becoming harder and harder to sell a car across state lines unless the paperwork is up to snuff. Note the increase in threads on the topic. Even your favorite clerk down to the DMV is being given less authority to address ownership questions than they used to have.

[alsancle]

I never reset my odometers. Why would you?

[bhambulldog]

Please don't reset it. Keep it wherever it is, regardless of whether you can authenticate it. It gets frustrating for future buyers trying to discern anything about the car's history when you reset it. At least at 83,xxx it's probably authentic, but setting it back to 0 and starting over, in 5 years it'll read 5023 or something, and now everyone will wonder is it 105,000 or was it broken or was it reset or what happened? There will always be an asterisk next to it. I've found that cars with reset odometers are frequently harder to sell, even though most folks know not to trust ANY reading on an old car's odometer. The reset seems to set off alarm bells in buyers for some reason.

Besides, if all you're doing is rebuilding the engine, the rest of the car still has 83,000 miles on it. Unless it's a total frame-off restoration to perfection, I don't think just an engine rebuild justifies going back to 0 if the rest of the car is 83,000 miles.

You're also erasing part of the car's history which is something we strive to preserve here, no? People will see that the car has obviously been restored, so there's no need to try to make it "new" by going back to 0.

My vote is to leave it where it is.

Complete restoration reset it. Onsey twosy fix up leave it alone. Save your receipts if you want to document the rebuild..............Bob

I couldn't say it better !

[capngrog]

Rather than An idocracy they are just so far ahead of the others you don't understand the purpose.

LOL!

Where have I heard that before?

Entertained,

Grog

[1939_Buick]

I also live in Ontario. I am involved in a dispute with the province. I purchased a 30 Model A that was set back to Zero when the new motor was installed. The province states that the title I have is not valid because their records show that the car with that title has many more miles on it. They are saying it is not one in the same vehicle. So far I have spent $2000 in legal fees to attempt to resolve the issue. So should you reset the speedometer............absolutely not ! Wayne

It would be good if (err hmm) the previous owner or his family "found" the "original" odometer People keep all sorts of old parts in garages!

My father had a 1965 car on which the odometer stuck at 49,999 miles. After about 4 years it started again by itself. Speedo worked OK. (Still have car)

[studeboy]

Such issues are covered by state not federal law in the US so of course each state is different. It is the mix of 50 different laws that is the kettle of worms.

[Curti]

I never reset my odometers. Why would you?

Because, many times the numbers on the old odometer wheels are faded, flaked paint and otherwise ugly.

In Wisconsin cars 25 years or older are exempt from odometer readings.

[Guest Skyking]

I say when a car reaches a certain age it shouldn't matter. The car in question is a 1941. Really, is that mileage that appears now legit? Who's to even say....... All states should do as Rhode Island does.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Skyking (see edit history)

[DAVES89]

It would be good if (err hmm) the previous owner or his family "found" the "original" odometer People keep all sorts of old parts in garages!

My father had a 1965 car on which the odometer stuck at 49,999 miles. After about 4 years it started again by itself. Speedo worked OK. (Still have car)

I had a 1992 Roadmaster that every so often would start going backwards taking miles off. Then correct it self and work as normal. I called it the "Christine" car. Speedo always worked.

[joe_padavano]

I say when a car reaches a certain age it shouldn't matter. The car in question is a 1941. Really, is that mileage that appears now legit? Who's to even say....... All states should do as Rhode Island does.

^^^THIS!

Any legislative body that thinks odometer readings are infallible really is an idiocracy. And frankly, posts about resetting digital odometers really don't apply to a 70 year old mechanical odometer. Back in the day, the dealership would sell brand new speedometer assemblies with the odo at zero. Running the speedo with an electric drill to set the mileage to original was a complete waste of time. Again, every state in the U.S. has a place on the title for the owner to indicate if the indicated mileage is correct or not. That's all that is required.

[Matt Harwood]

I don't think anyone is taking the number to be accurate 100% of the time, but a reset makes it 100% impossible for it to be accurate. And it also removes any kind of "archeology" that can be done to determine the car's age and history. We can all say we "believe" the mileage on our cars to be accurate, but what if the odometer said 9000 miles? Is it the second time around? Did it break in 1943 and stay there for decades? Is it from another car? That "clue" is now so far out of whack as to be completely useless to future owners.

Nobody's saying that the current mileage shown on the odometer is accurate, only that it's MORE accurate and gives better clues about the car's history than resetting it back to zero.

My opinion is that it is ALWAYS a mistake to reset an odometer, not for legal reasons or because I believe the mileage is correct, but because it's erasing one of the few pieces of evidence on a car's life that we have. I had the speedometer restored on my 1941 Buick and asked the guy who did it to put the odometer back where it was. It's got new numbers so it's bright and clean, but it still says 60-something thousand miles. Is that correct? I have no idea. But it's a better piece of evidence in the car's history than 0 would be.

[Bhigdog]

When I do a restoration pretty much everything is restored including switches, motors, pumps, instruments, etc etc etc. In such a case a "0" reading is far more reflective of the "car's life" than whatever the odometer said before it's rebirth. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. In reality it doesn't mean a pinch of s**t what number is on an old cars meter..............Bob

Edited February 6, 2015 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[Guest Skyking]

In reality it doesn't mean a pinch of s**t what number is on an old cars meter..............Bob

Exactly!!!! This isn't rocket science.....