NHTSA Complaint #10513987 — 2000 LEXUS RX300

PURCHASED CAR FROM GUY AND FOUND OUT TWO DAYS LATER PAPER WORK IN THE GLOVE BOX THAT CONTAINED A CARFAX SHOWING AN ODOMETER ROLLBACK. 2009 IT HAD 155,000 AND IN 2012 IT HAS 110,000. DUE TO MILEAGE DISCREPANCY WE TRIED TO SELL ON LOCAL SITE BUT WHEN EXPLAINED THE MILEAGE SITUATION NEVER HEARD BACK FROM POTENTIAL BUYER. ENDED UP TRADING IT IN AND TAKING A LOSS- WE PAID 4500.00 AND BECAUSE THE MILEAGE IS "UNKNOWN" WE COULD ONLY GET 2,250 FOR THE TRADE IN, PLUS PAYING THE TAXES ON THIS. I TRULY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NOT REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES REGARDLESS OF AGE TO DISCLOSE THE MILEAGE. IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN, MAYBE THIS ODOMETER ROLLBACK WOULDN'T HAPPEN AS OFTEN AND IF IT DID, YOU COULD ACTUALLY PROVE WHO DID IT. I CAN'T PROVE HE DID IT, BUT I'M SURE HE KNEW ABOUT IT BEFORE SELLING CONSIDERING HE HAD A CARFAX IN A LEXUS FOLDER WITH A LETTER FROM DEALER IN CA LOOKING TO REPLENISH THEIR USED INVENTORY & THE CARFAX IN THE GLOVE BOX WAS PRINTED ON THE SAME DAY IT SHOWS ON THE CARFAX THE CAR WAS AT THAT DEALER. HE INSIST HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS, BUT WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A FOLDER IN THE GLOVE BOX THAT HAS THIS LETTER, AND WHY WOULD THE DEALER NEED TO RUN A CARFAX TO FIX HIS "KEY" AS THEY STATE HE DID. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS AN ISSUE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AND I WAS "GOOGLING" HOW TO REPORT IT. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS, FLUID LEVELS, DRIVING IT TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T OVERHEAT AND ALL OF THAT- I NEVER THOUGHT OF THE ODOMETER BEING TAMPERED WITH. ALSO, IF YOU DO A SEARCH WITH THE VIN USING ONLY THE STATE REGISTRATION SITE- EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT FINE BECAUSE THE MILEAGE IS NOT REPORTED OVER 100,000, IT'S "EXEMPT"- THIS IS CRAZY- WHY WOULD THEY EVEN HAVE SITES THAT USE THIS METHOD FOR CONSUMERS IF THE INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE WHEN IT'S REGISTERED? *TR