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Manabu Hirohata Head Agent
Odometer Inspection
Odometer Rollback Impossible?
Japanese exporters often claim that odometer rollback is impossible at a Japanese Dealer Car Auction because of the odometer inspections performed by the auction house's inspectors.
Not knowing of an existing loophole, did you not also blindly trust these claims?
When a vehicle is inspected by an auction house, the odometer readings of all vehicles are compared with the Japanese National Auction Association (NAK) odometer reading administration system database.
If an inspector finds an odometer discrepancy, it will be stated on an auction sheet using a "*", "$", "#" mark to the right of the vehicle's stated kilometers.
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The auction inspector does not crack open the dashboard to check for odometer tampering.
They only check for any discrepancies between a vehicle's odometer reading and the Japanese National Auction Assosiation (NAK) odometer reading administration system database.
The NAK odometer reading administration system does have a loophole. This system does not have a record for a vehicle which is available at auction for the first time.
So this newly offered vehicle will be able to pass through this check even if the vehicle's odometer reading has been rollbacked.
Also, it is possible for someone to rollback an odometer reading up to the past recorded reading.
For example, the last recorded odometer reading is 50,000km. The odometer can be rollbacked to 50,001km and will pass through this system when this vehicle is later available again at auction.
It is crime in Japan to rollback an odometer but it is impossible to completely eliminate odometer tampering from the used car market.
Making miles disappear helps increase a vehicle's value to a seller but can mean increased maintenance and repair costs to a buyer.
AUTO HOUSE auction agent service has safty nets to prevent our customers from purchasing odometer tampered vehicles.
The NAK odometer reading administration system does have a loophole. This system does not have a record for a vehicle which is available at auction for the first time.
So this newly offered vehicle will be able to pass through this check even if the vehicle's odometer reading has been rollbacked.
Also, it is possible for someone to rollback an odometer reading up to the past recorded reading.