Help, how many miles has my car done ???

General Discussion Forums MX-5 Chat
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 Hi folks, i have a mystery and i need your help to solve it Big Smile

I bought my Eunos showing 105,800 km’s or 65596 miles, this is what it was advertised as. As it had all paperwork inc all mots didnt think much of it. Soon realised though both the odometer and trip meter are recording miles, eek. The speedo by the way just shows MPH, 0-180, no km’s markings.

 

I have the Jap service book and it shows service stamps, as below

56740 km’s 12-6-11 (date ?? not sure)

45209 km’s 11-6-8

31591 km’s 10-6-20

15045 km’s 9-7-17

1631 km’s 8-7-21

I have the original import slip and it shows the mileage adjustment.(no mention of how)

 

Imported 14/07/01 66983kms corrected to 41623 miles

1st MOT - 17/07/01 66988KM (41623MILES), written on MOT

2nd MOT - 21/08/02 71363, no km’s or miles written

3rd MOT - 20/0/03 75594, no kms or miles written

4th MOT - 18/0/04 78878, no km’s or miles written

5th MOT - 12/08/05 83950, no km’s or miles written

6th MOT - 14/08/06 87645 Miles (new mot style)

7th MOT - 09/08/07 91165 Miles

8th MOT - 15/08/08 95264 Miles

9th MOT - 12/08/09 99664 Miles

10th MOT - 12/08/10 103605 Miles

 

So this is all the info i have to go on, anyone got any rational explanations ? as to true mileage or will i never know. Just to say either way i’m not too bothered but more intrigued…either way i’ll just use it and enjoy it but i do wonder when i come to sell what i will suggest is the mileage…

 

 

3

 

As it reads in miles (I’m assuming using one of those little km/miles converter gearboxes for the speedo cable) if it now reads 105,800 then your car has done 105,800 miles.

Sorry if this seems like bad news. If it helps at all this isn’t a high mileage for an MX5.

Edit to add - if you bought it recently off a dealer you might get somewhere if you go back and shout at them for a while.

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Has the speedometer ever been changed ? (Not that that would answer the problem of finding out the true mileage.) But unless there was a gearing put into an “MPH” speedometer deliberately to alter it to kilometres (which surely would have been noted somewhere - and it’s not something I’ve ever heard of), the reading has got to be in miles. So I reckon there was a bit of shady business about the mileage in the initil stages to encourage a sale . . . . say no more. Even so, it’s not an ernormous mileage and there’s plenty left to enjoy, so enjoy !

5

 Ok so after reading this article, i’m confident i have the answer, gotta love a mystery

http://www.eunos-roadster.co.uk/?p=79

The clock was the clue for me, option 2 is whats been done, just been under the car and sure enough there is a small cable converter midline in the speedo cable and a sticker over the km/h.

So my theory is this, car came into country with KMH speedo and KMH odo showing 66983 km’s. Importer has applied a MPH sticker over km/h and fitted a converter so it now clocks and reads in miles.

All miles since import are true miles but…the car didnt have 66983 miles when it started it really had 41623. (or 66983kms) so 41623 + 38817 (105800-66983)( in ten years since import) = 80440 miles !!

I hope you follow my maths …so although the seller sold it has having 105800kms (or 65500 miles) in reality it had done 80440. It was a private sale and i believe the guy who sold it knew nothing of this past life as he only owned it 2 months.

Another way, the 1st 66983 “miles” shown on the odometer at time of sale showing 105800, were in fact km’s not miles. Clear as mud but all makes sense now.

Thank goodness i have the import document and jap service book or of course none of this would be proveable…(is that a word ?)

 

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What a fascinating story - I wonder how many other people it actually applies to without them ever knowing ! I withdraw my remark about shady business unreservedly.

The next question is how to put your mileometer right - there may be people in back-street garages who can help . . . ? I think I might leave it as it is - your story and documented history adds an unusual interest as well as credibility to the car and all its owners!

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Hmm

 

My Eunos iv just bought looked exatly the same with the MPH sticker…however mine was clearly still working in KMH! so i just fitted a dial conversion. Weird!

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 Crossed my mind, would be nice to see 80k rather than 105k, but like you say i’m 100% sure of the history now, got all the docs to back it up, so it’ll stay as it is. Been on my mind for months this puzzle , so grateful to previous owners for keeping full documentation without it i’d never have learned the truth. Always did wonder why my speedo showed 180 mph top speed !!!Big Smile