miles rolled back?

I have a 98 GP GT with about 76K miles on it. I bought it over a year ago( from a used car dealer )with about 65K on the 3.8. I was told that when I take off that there is a puff of smoke that comes from the tail pipe. The last time I changed oil it seemed to have burned some. Is there any way short of tearing the motor apart to tell if the miles have been rolled back? I had a 3.8 in a 99 Lumina with close to 100K on it that didn't burn any oil, so this seems odd to me given that this motor seems to only have 76K on it. Thanks in advance for any and all sugestions and comments.

No, how could that tell you anything other than whether it was properly maintained, run a Carfax, which should have been done at time of purchase. A puff of white smoke can be normal vapor in cool weather, or a possible coolant leak into the engine, are you loosing coolant?

Maxwedge is right. If the smoke is white check for a coolant leak. If it is blue it could be rings or valve seals. Try some high mileage oil or a can of Restore on your next oil change. Also look for water in the oil. These engines are notorious for leaking lower intake gaskets. Carfax is the way to go although it is too late now. However, if you prove that the dealer rolled the mileage back that is a federal crime and you can report him for fraud! At least you will get a little personal satisfaction!!

When looking at the odometer, if you can see silver lines between the numbers (instead of black), that is a sure sign of odometer tampering. Also be sure the numbers on the odometer are all straight across. If any of the numbers stays sightly higher or lower than the rest, that's a good sign of tampering also. If you remove the dash bezel, you can also look at the screws that hold the cluster in. The factory coats these screws with an anti-tamper marking compound, which some shoddy small dealers wouldn't bother trying to re-apply. If it appears this seal is broken, pull the cluster out and make sure the numbers on the back match your vin, as the clusters are marked with the VIN of the vehicle they were originally installed in. If the sealant is intact, don't bother, as you will make it appear tampered with if you remove it.

Not only is odometer tampering a violation of Federal law (49 U.S.C. § 32703) but most states' consumer protection laws. Under Deceptive Trade Practices most jurisdictions will allow criminal charges primarily against car dealers to be filed and commence a civil lawsuit awarding damages which may be up to triple damages. Odometer fraud is hard to prove but if you have or get evidence the odometer was tampered with then preserve your legal rights and take action. Lawyers love DTPA lawsuits and most will take them on a contingency agreement.

Here are some tips from Wisconsin DOT:

Talk to the former owner
Wisconsin dealers are required to provide prospective buyers with the names and address of a vehicle’s former owner upon request. If the title shows that the vehicle was previously titled out of state, seriously consider checking further before you buy. For more information about vehicle history call Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Dealer Section at (608) 266-1425 or e-mail at [email protected].

Odometer accuracy check online
Carfax, a company that offers vehicle history reports, will run an odometer accuracy check free of charge. The check will indicate whether or not your vehicle has ever been subject to odometer fraud.

All that is needed to run the check is the 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN), found on the dashboard and title document.

If the check shows a potential odometer discrepancy, contact the WisDOT Odometer Fraud Unit for assistance at (608) 267-0482.

For more information or help
The WisDOT Dealer Section licenses and regulates the motor vehicle industry, and resolves disputes about dealership sales and warranty repairs. They also investigate complaints about odometer tampering involving dealerships and private sellers.

If you suspect your vehicle’s odometer has been tampered with, or you would like more information about odometer regulations:

E-mail: [email protected]
Call: (608) 266-1425
FAX: (608) 267-0323
Write to the address below:
Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Dealer Section
4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Room 201
P.O. Box 7909
Madison, WI 53707-7909

To file a complaint
Complete and mail in WisDOT’s Dealer Complaint Form MV2338 . Attach readable copies or originals of documentation related to your vehicle purchase or lease, such as: purchase contract, disclosure label, title/registration application, finance contract, warranty documents, odometer statement or repair bills. The information you provide will be used in WisDOT mediation and enforcement efforts, and may be shared with the party complained against. Under Wisconsin’s Open Records Law, your complaint will be available for public review upon request.

Thanks for all the feedback and comments. I did the carfax thing. That eased my mind alot right there. I found out it was a leased car for the better part of 4 years which means that it most likely had a milage limit that never came close to ( about 7K a year ). Thanks to all you guys for the heads up on what other things it may be ( if anything). This place is just awesome when it comes finding out how to fix it. ( I did the resistor AND the ignition wire harness replacement with no problem with the help of you guys ) A big thanks to you guys!