1
NEWS
Fair Trading goes gunning for shonky dealers
NSW department has promised jail terms for motor car traders turning back odometersFair Trading, the government department tasked with upholding the rights of consumers in New South Wales, has fired a shot across the bows of disreputable dealers.
A Yagoona man has been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment in November, and further ordered to pay $52,616 in fines and compensation for tampering with odometers and falsifying service manuals. The unlicensed dealer was charged and convicted in Parramatta Local Court for selling recent model SUVs to three unsuspecting buyers. Compensation to the three buyers amounted to $35,766.
From the three vehicles sold – totalling $134,000 – the dealer made a profit of $40,766, Fair Trading claims. The conviction is the first time Fair Trading has secured a custodial sentence against an unlicensed motor dealer known to have tampered with vehicle odometers. It is unlikely to be the last, however.
In addition to winding back the odometer on five vehicles he had purchased – a 2006 Toyota Prado, 2006 Mitsubishi Triton, 2006 Toyota Hilux, 2005 Toyota Hilux and a 2006 Toyota Landcruiser – he created and falsified log books. Following the purchase of each vehicle, the dealer transferred registration into his own name or the names of others, swapped registration plates to deceive prospective buyers, and upgraded entry-level vehicles for the appearance of premium-grade models.
When it came time to sell the vehicles on-line, the dealer used different names, locations, accounts, mobile phones and email addresses to shift attention away from his practices. An associate took care of advertising and selling the vehicles.
The dealer presented a case based on his circumstances, but the custodial sentence reflected his "lack of remorse and level of premeditation."
"I commend the officers who ran a very important investigation and prosecution to get this outcome," said Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe, as quoted in a press release.
Dodgy cars can be avoided through the simple measure of buying a CarFacts report for $29. This service, available from carsales.com.au, keeps tabs on finance owed, odometer discrepancies or other elements of the vehicle's history – such as vehicle theft or write-off. More information is available at the site.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Tags
Share this article
Written byCarsales Staff
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayDisclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.