ODOMETER TAMPERER RECEIVES $30,000 FINE

A Brisbane motor dealer has been fined $30,000 for winding back vehicle odometers.

Wayne John Cooper, 38 of Bardon, proprietor of the now defunct Coops Motor World, was found guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court of 25 offences under the Fair Trading Act 1989.

Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech said Cooper faced 12 months’ jail if he failed to pay the fine.

“Cooper’s company Chamino Pty Ltd repeatedly ripped-off customers, selling tampered vehicles with an average windback of 95,000 km. In one case the odometer of a vehicle was wound back 219,000 km,” Mrs Keech said.

“Cooper was the licensed director of the company and was found to be responsible for the offences.”

Cooper’s conduct was exposed by Office of Fair Trading inspectors investigating a complaint.

“The complainant bought a vehicle with an odometer reading of 133,000 km. The next day the customer noticed a service entry for 152,000 km in the log book. When the customer contacted the service station that performed the service, he was advised the last service was at 214,000 km,” Mrs Keech said.

“Fair Trading inspectors seized stock books from Coops Motor World and the wholesalers that supplied the cars. Comparisons of odometer readings in the books revealed the extent of the long-running scam.”

Mrs Keech said Magistrate John Lock said there were significant discrepancies in respect to the windbacks and there was no doubt Cooper and his company gained a profit over and above what they could have made had the vehicle odometers not been tampered with.

“Magistrate Lock said the prosecution should serve as a deterrent to anyone considering engaging in this sort of activity,” Mrs Keech said.

“False odometer readings not only mislead customers about the car’s condition and value, but can also be dangerous.

“The further a vehicle travels, the more prone it is to safety defects.

"People who buy a car should feel confident about their purchase, and the odometer reading is a major factor in determining whether it is a good buy.”

Mrs Keech suggested consumers take steps to protect themselves when buying a used vehicle.

"If you are in the market for a used car, be on guard against odometer tampering and check logbooks and other documentation carefully,” she said.

“Also don’t rely solely on the odometer reading as an indication of the vehicle's quality. Arrange an independent and thorough mechanical inspection to make sure you are not getting a lemon.

“Any consumer considering purchasing a vehicle should also get a REVS check from the Office of Fair Trading, which will tell you if there is clear title on the car.

“I also encourage consumers to consider getting a V-check from Queensland Transport, which not only includes REVS information, but provides additional vehicle identification information, its written-off status and registration history.

“Consider buying a vehicle from a licensed motor dealer over a private sale. By law, motor dealers must provide greater consumer protections such as a statutory warranty, one day cooling-off period and guarantee of clear title.”

For more information on buying a car contact the Office of Fair Trading on 13 13 04 to request a free copy of the Glovebox Guide or visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.

Inquiries: David Smith 3225 1005 or Olivia Nemeth (OFT) 3119 0067