How do Marion drivers know if an odometer is telling the truth?

Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect Iowa consumers against mileage fraud. It says a Iowa seller must certify the mileage reported is the actual mileage.

To have your odometer checked in Marion, Iowa, stop by Blair's Ferry Automotive:

Blair's Ferry Automotive
1565 Blairs Ferry Rd.
Marion, Iowa 52302

If it isn't, the seller must say why; for example, maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced.

If the seller tells you the mileage isn't accurate, there's not much chance of putting a good number to it. And there's the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it isn't. What can Marion vehicle owners do?

You can go to www.CarFax.com, where, for a small fee, they'll give you a comprehensive vehicle history search on your vehicle, showing local Marion, Iowa, ownership history, accident reports, total-loss events, manufacturer buybacks, Lemon reports and warranty status.

You can get a mileage history by checking with the local Iowa DMV (or wherever you happen to be) and other verified sources looking for inconsistencies in the mileage reported when the car was bought and sold. If there are signs of odometer rollback, now you'll know.

If so, proceed with caution. Or, negotiate a lower price. Or just walk away. There's always another vehicle.

Blair's Ferry Automotive
1565 Blairs Ferry Rd.
Marion, Iowa 52302
319-447-6310
http://www.blairsferryautomotive.com