> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I'm considering buying a late 70s Dodge van which the seller indicates
> has a little over 110,000 kms on it. THat's what the odometer reads.

So you think the van might actually have 1,110,000 kms? Seems unlikely. That
is almost 700,000 miles. I know those old Dodge vans were reliable, but
almost a million miles???????????

> However, this van has a 5 digit odometer, so I'm concerned that it may
> have gone around more than once. THe VIN of this van is not the modern
> 17 character version, so I can't run a carfax on it to get an
> indication of mileage. There aren't any service records that come with
> the van.
> So: how would you go about trying to determine if the mileage is indeed
> what is being reported? Some things I thought of:
> - check windshield pitting (will have a lot of small pits on high
> mileage vehicles; I know because I own a couple of vehicles with over
> 200,000 miles)

Vehicles with upright windshields get pitted very quickly. The amount of
pitting is highly dependent on where the van is driven, the typical speeds,
etc. My pick-up truck had lots of small pits in less than 25,000 miles.

> - check condition of brake and gas pedal rubber (again, will be more
> worn if vehicle has a lot of miles on it)
> - I suppose engine compression and leakdown test would be an indicator
> of engine wear
> - wear and tear on driver's seat


Ed