Car Clocking Scam - Warning

I am not really sure how to deal with this matter - perhaps some advice. I sold my 996 Speed Yellow with 143k on the clock only to see it for sale on www.blingrides.co.uk with only 46k on the clock! So everyone look out there is some madness going on - to take 100k of the vehicle is beyond belief. I informed the police and they were not interested and trading standards are next. I called the garage and they said it was sold and that they would inform the new owner but were gobsmaked - I don't know to believe them but I want to make sure no one here ends up buying it for 10k more than its worth!

That is not good. I noticed on the add that it states full service history if this is the case it can not link up with the milleage on the car if it has stamped history. Who did you sell the car to because they must be the one who clocked it? I guess this is the same car the reg is the same as you had on the car? Trading standards are quiet hot on this sort of thing so they are the people to talk to i have dealt with them in the past and they seam very on it. I am glad that you are doing somthing about it as they should not get away with this. Phil

I checking with garage that bought it and they sold it on through an 'asian guy' in their words and the garage who now list it say they aquired it via a part exchange from an 'asian guy' . Their words not mine! What I can't understand is how the hell they think they can get away with it. As soon as it goes to an OPC the truth will out'. It was in good condition but it would be hard to pass it off with that few miles. The garages know each other so I really can't see how they car not have known. It just beggars belief. I guess the history must be totally false. It made me check mine fully (already had had an OPC check and Porsche warranty but since I bought it from the garage that took mine...) thankfully it is 100% correct but it did stress me out for a while.

Keep on at the Trading Standards people and do not let them just sit back. I think that you can also post a warning of some sort with the ISP - to warn them that a fradu is being carried out on a web site supported by them - although i do not know how this is done.

Is this garage a memeber of any 'trade' association? If so then you can report this to them and see if that association has any 'teeth'. The complacency of teh garage seems unbelievable.

There is somthing very dodgy going on. The OPC would be able to tell as it lists up the ammount of hours the engine is running etc. The history must now be completly bent, they may have got a new book and had it all stamped up to look like a 46.000 car. As far as i am concerned clocking motors like that is as bad as stealing, but they can not be half sharp as the car they have done it to is in speed yellow, if they had done it to a silver car and put a cheap private plate on it 6months after use it may have got lost and not picked up on. Phil

I have been discussing here with my work colleagues and we think we have worked out what is going on. The car is not clocked at all and if you were to turn up and view it it would say the correct miles. They would then make some excuse that it was a typo and that they would offer to reduce the price but they would then have you there and 'sell' it to you. Bear in mimd the car was in very good condition and they had told me they had refurbished the wheels etc. So the 'punter' would be there being sold to with a really nice car in front of him (and wearing "Rose Tinted Glasses" )a nd being offered a car with a substantial reduction in the price whereas otherwise they would not attract many people otherwise. It makes more sense like that. As you say there are not that many speed yellow C4's around. What we need is someone who lives nereby to go and have a look.....I am certain this must be the case and perhaps some one can tell me if this is a selling technique used.

i know that when buying my 996 the cars that i went to look at were not what the traders said they were always miles out but only by 1000 or so and number of owners well the only way to get the truth was by getting a log book faxed to me also the same with service history to me a full one has to be serviced on time not 1000/2000 + over due, i found this a problem to. But to say it has100.000 out after saying driving 2 hours to look at the car takes the, you no what. I would have thought if you rang them and told them you owned the car if this was the case they would then have said that it was an error may be not. They have a nice web-site but that menas nothing, a silly point but the red 996 cab that they are selling is still dirty in-side before taking the picture, not very proffesional so i would bet you could well be right? Phil

Grant, I work about 5 miles from them, and will try and get out tomorrow or Thursday lunchtime. Mark

They sound well dodgy, not only a dodgy name like "Bling Rides" but only a mobile contact number!

Thanks Mark. I will look forward to hearing how you get on. This is when the power of the club and this forum really pays dividends. Cheers

Just for the record... if any of you ever faces a situation like this, go to a Porsche dealer and ask them to read the total operating hours using PSTester. For every 1000h working hours you should read between 45000 to 55000 kms (divide by 1.61 to get Mi)... ;-)

Grant, Popped out today to check and the car was not there !! Sorry nothing to report. Mark

Francisco That is only an indication, under the assumption of an average speed of 45-55 km/h or 28-34 miles/h.