Beware - Potential Granturismo purchasers.

[UlstermanAbroad]

Simple FYI to anyone browsing eBay currently.
A person in Gillingham has a 2008 blue Granturismo 4.2 for sale.
eBay account ID is russevans.
In his listing, he's listed the last service carried out by The Workshop, Buntingford.
This is the same business that used to be called F1 Cars, amongst many other business names.
The owner was prosecuted for clocking cars in the recent past and the case was reported locally.The offender then changed his name, to seek to distance the business from the prosecution. I would treat with extreme caution, any car that has been through this business.
The above came to my attention, when doing due diligence on a vehicle I was interested in a couple of years ago.

 

[conaero]

Thanks for the heads up.

You can simply have the mileage checked on SD by getting the gearbox Ecu that stores the mileage in KM’s. divide by 1.6 and if it doesn’t match the displayed mileage....walk away!

 

[dgmx5]

I saw that. As it is in my neck of the woods I wondered why it had gone there rather than a reputable Kent indie. Maybe because Voicey does not offer a clocking service.

 

[Andyk]

Power of the forum.

 

[UlstermanAbroad]

Apologies. I ought to have said. According to posts on social media, consumer forums etc., that I discovered, clocking would seem to be the tip of the iceberg.

 

[lifes2short]

anyone still doing clocking must be living in the stone age and a bit dim, a few clicks on mot history check on line and you see all the mileage history, fail reports etc

 

[Gp79]

anyone still doing clocking must be living in the stone age and a bit dim, a few clicks on mot history check on line and you see all the mileage history, fail reports etc

Top end cars would be clocked before each MOT or service so it would have only done a handful of miles since the last MOT/service, then would still look correct if only looking at the paperwork.
Lots of old very low mile ferrari about...

 

[lifes2short]

Top end cars would be clocked before each MOT or service so it would have only done a handful of miles since the last MOT/service, then would still look correct if only looking at the paperwork.
Lots of old very low mile ferrari about...

ah, so it's dodgy owners clocking and not dealers, although I have caught the odd few out when considering buying a car, not totally up to speed with modern motor tech but doesn't the ECU store stuff like clocking in the memory if you hook it up to a proper garage diagnostics machine anyway, I know my M3 can tell my main dealer all sorts of stuff including what I've had for breakfast, lunch and dinner

 

[mattjevans]

Or just buy a used rare Ferrari

https://www.aol.co.uk/2018/02/28/fe...-to-adjust-mileage-on-used-cars/?guccounter=1

 

[lifes2short]

" odometer rollback procedure" almost makes it sound legal, that is fooking outrageous

 

[Chrisb2015]

It is legal. It’s only an issue when done to mislead and or knowingly misrepresent

 

[lifes2short]

It is legal. It’s only an issue when done to mislead and or knowingly misrepresent

at the risk of sounding dim, what other possible reason could there be to clock a car other than to mislead a buyer

 

[rockits]

Top end cars would be clocked before each MOT or service so it would have only done a handful of miles since the last MOT/service, then would still look correct if only looking at the paperwork.
Lots of old very low mile ferrari about...

Indeed....I've heard of stories of Ferrari's on low mileage lease deals that get a hair cut every month. It is worth paying a geek on a laptop 50 or 100 a month to do so as the savings are much greater.

Technology can be a wonderful thing and can also as the world is finding breed lots of criminal activity.

 

[rockits]

BTW I don't count myself in that geek on a laptop category!

 

[lifes2short]

BTW I don't count myself in that geek on a laptop category!

are you sure, could be a good earner, on a serious note, doesn't the ecu/computer on these cars store this type of thing and can it not be retrieved/downloaded at any time when hooked up to professional/trade diagnostic equipment? or have Ferrari covered that angle

 

[rockits]

are you sure, could be a good earner, on a serious note, doesn't the ecu/computer on these cars store this type of thing and can it not be retrieved/downloaded at any time when hooked up to professional/trade diagnostic equipment? or have Ferrari covered that angle

So I've heard.

There are generally always ways around things often. Unless it is stored hard coded or encrypted somewhere it is at risk of being changed.

I am guessing of course with no actual knowledge of this. Just taking an educated experienced view of someone in a tech industry of 25 years.

If Maserati have to resort to sifting through public forums to find out if a car has been on a track I doubt the systems on the act are that high tech. Also a reason for not having a car ’connected’ as it were.

I wonder how many people know their car is 'connected' and have agreed to this. Also do they know what information is being collected about them, their car and their journies. Another ticking time bomb!

 

[lifes2short]

interesting, so what's "connected" all about

 

[rockits]

Your car being connected to the Internet or outside world or management centre sending/receiving data to/from your car live or at polled intervals.

 

[Zep]

As Matt mentioned above, the GTS TCU records distance in a given gear. So yes, it can be figured out. Various VAG cars are the same.

My company car is a “Connected” BMW. I imagine BMW have a database of my journeys, speeds and all that malarkey. I haven’t had a tap on the shoulder, yet....

 

[lifes2short]

oh did'nt know that, so that's why my bmw main dealer knows so much about my speed, journeys etc, that is big bro stuff