- Odometer tampering convictions for licensed salesperson and his friend
- Pair pocketed large profits after wiping combined 410,000km from two vehicles
- Used car buyers reminded about importance of log-books
A pair of car sellers who rolled back the odometers on two vehicles by more than 200,000 kilometres each have been convicted and fined a total of $51,000 by the Joondalup Magistrates Court.
Zoran Zozoli, a licensed motor vehicle sales representative from Alexander Heights, and Nikola Jarkovacki from Rivervale, were charged with altering and misrepresenting a vehicle's odometer reading, in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Zozoli pleaded guilty and received a $21,000 fine, while Jarkovacki was convicted in his absence and fined $30,000 plus costs.
The court heard Zozoli purchased an Isuzu D-Max that had travelled 350,686 kilometres in late 2021. He caused the alteration of the odometer reading to 138,000km by replacing the vehicle's dashboard and instrument cluster. Two months later, Zozoli sold the vehicle without log-books for double what he paid, making a profit of $12,500.
Around the same time, Zozoli's friend, Nikola Jarkovacki, bought a Jeep Cherokee with an odometer reading of 251,642km. Within five months, he had replaced the licence plate and tampered with the odometer to show a reading of only 46,739km. He then sold it, without log-books and signed a Form S070 Seller's Declaration to Dealer containing the altered odometer reading - at a $24,500 profit.
In sentencing, Magistrate Scutt commented that the large fines issued in this case were intended to be punitive and surpass any financial gains made by Zozoli and Jarkovacki.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake condemned the pair's actions.
"This conduct is especially egregious coming from a licensed salesperson, as such actions erode consumer confidence in the industry and undermine the credibility of the licensing system," Ms Blake said.
"Odometer tampering is a dangerous practice that puts the community at risk while lining the pockets of those who engage in it at the expense of consumers they are ripping off.
"Selling vehicles without logbooks can be a deliberate tactic to hide the true mileage of a vehicle, so it is important consumers are alert to this and reconsider going through with the deal if a seller can't provide this important documentation.
"When inspecting log-books, check the history for records of odometer readings to ensure they are correct and consistent. If you have any suspicions about a stamp or input, you can contact the mechanic in question to ask if the vehicle has actually been there for a service.
"To further protect yourself, consider arranging a thorough inspection by a qualified mechanic, who may able to spot discrepancies between the vehicle's condition and the odometer reading - such as a worn interior but low mileage - which can be a sign of tampering."
A Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) check can reveal whether a car has been stolen, has money owing on it or has been a repairable write-off, and sometimes may include an odometer reading check.
Suspected odometer tampering should be reported to Consumer Protection via the website
