If a car is considered to be TMU (True Mileage Unknown), should one stay away from the hassle? Also, is there anyway that that could be cleared, because the car itself has a clear title yet there's that tag of it being TMU.

20

Asked by Ger Apr 04, 2012 at 03:26 AM about the 2005 Acura RSX Type-S FWD

Question type: General

I was looking at this 05 RSX Type-S which I found on here. I'll link it for ease of seeing that it's TMU,
but the odometer when I called and asked did read 62k.

http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?
sourceContext=carGurusHomePage_false_0&newSearchFromOverviewPage=true&embedType=NONE&e
ntitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d3&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity2&uncached=false&showI
nactive=false&newCarsOnly=false&useInventoryService=true&name=entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntit
y"ableOnly=false&includeAllModelsOption=false&carsWithRegressionOnly=false&ign-makerId-
entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=m4&heading=All+Years&ign-modelId-
entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d3&includeUnknownTrimOption=false&ign-carId-
entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=All+Years&ign-car2Id-
entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=Similar&zip=53218&distance=MILES_500#listing=35995939

So I was just curious about that TMU. How bad/good is that?

7 Answers

24,745

I would stay away from that one. You could end up buying yourself a lot of problems. When someone signs the title to a vehicle TMU they COULD be covering up something. If you run a carfax on this one you might be able to figure out the mileage. I would be very cautious on this one. Once a car title has this flag you can't remove it.

4 people found this helpful.
20

Really? Well the dealer supposedly has a carfax on it, so I'll have to talk to them and see what's on that carfax and what not. Thanks for the input. Appreciate it.

2 people found this helpful.
24,745

Kinda curious to see what is on the carfax for this. I've never seen a carfax on a TMU. If you get a chance post what you found. Thanks

3 people found this helpful.
210

When people say stay away , they are just generalizing the whole situation. there is always a reason why a car goes into the dmv data bank as tmu. I currently have a situation that I just figured out. I am selling a 2009 Yukon , the car on the odometer has 123 k . The car is in top shape , motor runs very healthy ( car guy so I know motors pretty well ). Long story short , The car was being registered at the dmv every year. The mileage was fine and each year new registration is issued. The mileage is also being documented as the registration is being paid. The car then went to a speedy-lube oil change station , one of those basic drive thru's oil change spots. They recorded the car into the system , the system that is registered as a state certified station. The guy entered the car at exactly 117,000 miles. The very next day , in the same city , ten minutes from distance of one another. The carfax is telling me the car drove 641 miles in one day , within that small town. that was the error that triggered the tmu , the oil change station failing to enter the exact numeric mileage sent a red flag. When the owner went the next day to register his car at the dmv , the odometer read 117,641. The day before the oil change station said it had 117,000. Now it's TMU.. If the lady at the front desk ask's , did you drive 600 miles in one day , and the owner says no. That become TMU and no one really thinks of it. The owner of the car doesn't know that he now has a branded car that is impossible to correct. if you ever use those type of franchise services , make sure they enter the entire mileage , exact numbers shown in the cluster. I have been a whole sale dealer for 20 years , the dmv clerks that work within the private auctions have explained it to me many times. a good percentage of tmu's are due to clerical error. Bad hand writing , something entered on the keyboard incorrectly , etc.

21 people found this helpful.
50

I find it hard to believe this car went to TMU...maybe he did drive 641 miles in one day? It is certainly possible. Doesnt make sense when the mileage is greater. As far as I know, its usually when the mileage is less. For example: the technician at jiffy lube writes down 117,641, the next day the guy drives to DMV to register the car and the mileage is 87,641. obviously a rollback situation. This will trigger a TMU for sure. BTW, i've been a used car dealer for over 35 years and have a A+ rating with BBB.

5 people found this helpful.
10

I have a vehicle with a title that shows an odometer date of 00/00/0000 and odometer reading of ________ this is blank.

1 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

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