Trying to buy a crossfire SRT6. Person selling says car only has 2k miles on it, but replaced tires a few weeks ago because they were 4 years old and had cracks. Why would anyone do that if they were going to sell the car?

How easy is it to disconnect a digital odometer?

How beleiveable is it that a car that was purchased in 07 only has 2k miles. Any way mechanically to see if there are substantially more miles on it than that?

I have no reason to suspect that this person is not being honest. Just cautious.

 

I purchased mine in 2007 with less then 100 miles on the odometer

Get the VIN number and call a Chrysler dealer (or Chrysler if anyone is still there) and ask what the in-service date is. Chrysler auctioned off the last of the SRT6's in 2007.

Perhaps this is one and was hardly driven. About the new tires - I don't know.

How much is he asking?

 

It's pretty hard to tell a person a car was babied and only driven to church by a little old lady when the tires have been cooked off!
also I would rather be told the truth that it is a blast to drive than lied to that the tires were weather checked so bad you chose to change them.
The majority of these cars (the SRT) were not sold to be everyday drivers. At 50 grand they were more for bragging rights than filling with kids to go to soccar practice. Mine has been stored for the last 4 months and it will be there for another month even though I am chomping at the bit to drive it.
Ask him why he threw the tires out instead of keeping them in case of emergency, they don't give away 255-35-19 y rated tires ya know.
If you like the car and it's a fair price remember it sold for as I stated 50 grand, BUY IT.
Mike

 

I bought mine in September 2007 with 18 miles on the odometer. That mileage doesn't sound too unreasonable. I don't think it is possible to disconnect the odometer.

 

About the mileage thing...

I bought mine from a board member a few months ago (05 SRT-6 of course) with 2k mi on the clock.
Low mileage SRT-6's are actually not rare even though it's 2009 - go to the "high mileage" thread in this forum and you'll see a lot of them below 10k miles.

Regarding rolling back the odometer. I suppose it's possible, but if anyone is bringing electronic complexity and security to the table, Mercedes Benz is one of them.

Maybe the guy thought the car wouldn't sell if the tires were rotted. I can tell you my car shows signs of sitting outside under the sun (condition of surface of plastic bits), but the original pilot sports are in top notch shape. What did he replace them with? Cheap tires or good stuff?

I also wanted to add after reading a previous post - when I buy a motorcycle I check for signs of abuse such as molten rubber on the inside of the fender. I think that might be the only way to explain if the car was run hard that the guy "abused" the car and toasted a set of pilot sports by doing burnouts.

 

I am going to check it out on Saturday. So if you purchased yours in September 07 , have you already replaced the tires because they are 4 years old?

 

Mileage is very possibly correct,

As for the tires, they could have been older, five or six years, who knows.

Depending on storage conditions, they may well have started to crack, and generally deteriorate.

Do as Brian suggested, and get inservice date, or get a car fax. Use the vin number.

You can do it online @ carfax.

 

Look on the forum a couple of members have a vin check at no cost .

 

At16k miles, the back tires need replacement. They are the PS2s and do not show signs of aging. I will check the build date on the tires, but I think they are only 4 years old.

 

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=32074

 

No, they're in great condition and perform flawlessly. Mine were manufactured 31st week of 2004.

If you're interested, here's a link that tells you how to read the age of a tire...

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=11

 

A 4 year old car with 2,000 miles is quite possible and valid.
It is also possible that the tires were "square" from storage. Particularly if the 2,000 miles were from the early life and not recent.

The ride on an SRT is stiff. Flat spots on the tires would be noticable. I would suggest that the seller might have been concerned about that during a test drive.

After all, he is trying to sell the car.

If he was just replacing burned off tires, why all four?

Do a CarFax.


roadster with a stick

 

Check the Vin with Chrysler to see the actual Sale date, and any serviced logged miles.

Also Tires WILL crack because of lack of driving, and low air pressure. So replacing the tires seems normal for a car that's been sitting around.

Have fun with the car!

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK FOR RUST UNDER BOTH DOORS WEATHER STRIPPING!!!

 

I agree w/ Franc above.
The rear tires on these cars are very easy to smoke, in fact, it can be tough NOT to but as to the real reason he replaced the fronts well...........
The tires on these cars ain't cheap. If I'm selling it I would be less than inclined to replace all 4!

 

Where do you live/ Weather deffinitely has an affcet on rubber. I had to replace my PS2's after 16K miles. Just the rear's.. I wonder why??

 

You have been looking for a car for a very long time. Actually, I think you told me you were going to buy mine, then you backed out because you found another deal. No biggie, but it seems like you have a bit of a trust issue. You know, there actually are honest people out there who aren't trying to screw you over. I agree that you must be cautious, but if you find a car that looks good, runs good, and seems like a good deal, just get it. If it has a warranty, or the seller is offering a warranty, all the more reason to pick it up.

Tjere are plenty of cars that sat in warehouses for years or on lots, so the low mileage isn't abnormal. The tires do crack, mine had some cracking actually because they were at least 4 years old, but probably much older as they most likely sat on a shelf some where prior to ending up on my car. Disconnecting the speedo? Really, you have chosen to buy a used vehicle. There is risk inherent in that endeavor. It looks to me as if a used performance car is not for you as there are just too many "what-ifs" to worry about. What if it was an SRT Experience track car? What if it was drag raced? What if it was test driven hard? What if it was a lease vehicle? What if the owner never changed the oil? What if they used non-synthetic oil? What if someone drove it too hard? Honestly, these are performance cars. Most likely, unless it is brand new, someone put their foot in it a few times. They aren't fragile, expensive super cars really. The engines are hand-built and nearly bullet proof. Everything else can be fixed realatively easily and inexpensively. You aren't spending a fortune on one either most likely given the prices. My motorcycle cost more than an SRT6 does. Just find one you like, test drive it, inspect it thoroughly, and buy it! If it is too stressful, go get a new car like the Solstice GXP coupe or something that you don't have to worry about.

Just my $.02

 

I bought mine from a dealer in 07 with 78 miles on the odo. They had replaced the battery andthe tires. Go figure.

 

Tires do not last forever. There is an expiration date on tires. Just because the tire only has 2k on it does not mean it is not out dated.

 

These are all good and sound advise based on the limited info given. I was scouring Ebay for SRT6 vin numbers to add to member Crossfirefun's database and I think I stumbled upon the car Harrison20 is thinking of buying. There are some important modifications made to the car that should have been mentioned......resonator removed, IC pump replaced, boost gage installed, A/F ratio gage and sensor installed, new tires.....etc. This changes the picture significantly and I anticipate members will either advise to stay away from a dragstrip car and some will point out the advantages of having these modifications as extras included with the car. The buyer (Harrison20) will have to make the ultimate decision based on what he plans to do with the car.
The vin number on this car is already in Crossfirefun's database so this might be a member's car for sale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chrys...fCarsQ5fTrucks

 

Sadly, a lot of these cars are garage queens, so the low miles are very believable. Folks, drive your damn cars!