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In response to a significant rise in odometer tampering cases, NSW has introduced a new service offering free public access to a vehicle's past odometer readings. This move, effective from Monday, aims to provide added assurance to used vehicle buyers about the actual mileage of cars, trucks, and motorbikes. Notably, this initiative follows a sharp increase in odometer fraud, including a notable incident where a Subaru XV's mileage was reduced by 400,000km, boosting its sale price by $11,000. The service, accessible via the 'check a vehicle registration' feature on the Service NSW website and app, allows buyers to view the previous three annual odometer readings of any NSW-registered vehicle, assisting them in spotting any discrepancies and steering clear of dishonest sellers.
This new feature is part of a broader effort by Transport for NSW, NSW Fair Trading, and Service NSW to combat odometer tampering. In 2021 and 2022, NSW Fair Trading issued fines totaling $113,000 and 103 penalty notices, a significant increase from the 38 penalties in the preceding two years. The 'check a vehicle registration' function, which already provides basic vehicle details like make, registration, and insurance, saw over 32 million hits last year. The addition of free odometer readings is designed to safeguard consumers from potential fraud, potentially saving them thousands of dollars. For those who suspect odometer tampering, NSW Fair Trading can be alerted via the Service NSW website, where customers can also obtain a comprehensive vehicle history report, including information on written-off and stolen vehicles, and the newly included recorded odometer readings.
Click this link to check your rego in NSW and if buying a car in NSW always do a $2 PPSR check
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