GPS Speedos and Actual Mileage

[Seth Horwitz]

So, my odometer hasn’t turned (to my knowledge and based on receipts) and the title lists these miles as Actual as opposed to True Mileage Unknown like most older 5 digit odometer cars. That said, I want to do both an engine and tranny swap. Truth be told, I have no intention of recovering what I invest into this car, but an Actual mileage car will obviously fetch more than a TMU car when I eventually sell. (Based on my usage of another car I have, I can go well over a decade before this odometer rolls over.)

 

I’ve seen the GPS speed sensor that has a mechanical output to drive the 2002 speedo and odometer, but does that automatically make your car TMU? (Or just a GPS speedo?) Every time I drive through a tunnel, my GPS craps out, so I can only assume that it’d be the same case with the speedo sensor. I’ve seen alternatives that measure driveshaft rotations, digitally, and then convert to a manual cable. One would think that would be more accurate, regardless of how few “real” miles we’re talking about. In this car, twenty miles of tunnels in a year will be A LOT. 

 

I’m sure there will be plenty of “you can pull a fuse on the speedo of most cars and not get caught, so who cares?” but that’s not my thing. Any educated answers would be much appreciated. Thanks. 

 

     Seth

[EPK]

I'm not sure that I understand the question.

If you're pulling the motor and transmission, you're affecting value much more than the type of speedometer used. Further, I feel a GPS speedometer is more accurate than a mechanical speedometer. A mechanical speedometer isn't the most accurate to begin with and any changes to tires, rims, etc can change this as well. If the cable breaks, and it will, how far is it driven before it's replaced?

Twenty miles of tunnels is a lot of tunnels.

Both devices attempt to portray some sense of use obviously. I would think that records and maintenance are most important as well as keeping it stock if it truly is actual miles.

I hope that helps. YMMV

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Conserv]

 

9 hours ago, Seth Horwitz said:

....but an Actual mileage car will obviously fetch more than a TMU car when I eventually sell.....

 

Seth,

 

Your “will obviously fetch more” is not so obvious to me. My opinion is that an ‘02 with an engine and transmission swap — using an engine and transmission not available from the factory in an ‘02 — will be valued not on the mileage of its chassis, but on other factors altogether. It has become a restomod, and its aesthetics, features, condition, completeness, and the quality of its modification will drive its price.

 

I’m assuming it will have, or perhaps already has, an M20. If it’s really well done, it could sell, to the right buyer, at a sizable premium over a stock ‘02 with proven low miles. My advice? Do the conversion really well and stop worrying about the chassis’ mileage.

 

Title and registration mileages are worth....not much. They are generally not audited or checked by...anyone, whatsoever! As a case in point, my 1961 F-350 pickup, purchased new in July 1961 by a family business on my wife’s side, has records from its early years showing it had already passed 70K by 1978. The speedometer, now replaced at least twice to my knowledge — so obviously having no relationship to actual miles — shows 62K today. Its Maine registration shows 49K. Its true mileage, despite known ownership, some records, and its Maine registration, is unknown.

 

Further, both the ‘02’s speedometer/odometer and speedometer cables were problematic from day one. Start looking at ‘02’s listed for sale and you’ll be shocked how many have broken speedometers today. And most ‘02’s have seen this issue at some point.

 

I believe that knowledgeable buyers understand the weakness of old speedometers in general, the ‘02’s speedometer specifically, and the limits of five-digit odometers and, consequently, don’t place great value on odometer readings.

 

My original-owner ‘76 has four full volumes of receipts since new. If I just lose the last three volumes, my 105K-mile car becomes, presto, a documented 36K car....???

 

(Not that I’ve considered this, but it would take me maybe a week to come up with a speedometer head dated February, March, or April 1976 and showing approximately 36K miles....?)

 

So, do a great job on your ‘02’s conversion, enjoy it, and stop worrying about the odometer!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2019 by Conserv

[Seth Horwitz]

This is good stuff and makes sense. Thanks, guys. Photo documentation of the chassis’s strengths, before any paint is reapplied, is probably worth more than whatever the odometer says. I’m used to much newer cars, where a TMU is almost as bad as a salvage title on a car. There are times when those “problem” cars are exactly what you’re looking for, I believe all of those “Eleanor Tribute” Mustangs had such titles, but the market value is definitely lower stock vs. stock. Thanks again. 

     Seth 

[Roverguy]

Agree with the crowd.

 

If you were touting a low mileage orig car it might make a diff, but what's the diff if a car has 90, or 125k?

 

Out of the last 4 classics I've owned all had some odo issue. Either not working, or swapped out.

 

The only one that really mattered much was my 82 911, but I had the orig broken odo and service records to before and after it crapped out. 

 

Finally had Hollywood Speedo add the 2 together to get true mileage of 102k.

 

Never an issue selling.