A spike in cases of odometer tampering in used cars has led the NSW government to create a free online tool for buyers to check vehicles' previous readings.
The feature will be rolled out on both the Service NSW app and website from Monday as part of existing registration information.
Would-be purchasers will be able to search the last three annual odometer readings for vehicles registered in the state.
Fair Trading officials issued 103 penalty notices in 2021 and 2022 for tampering with odometers ... a big jump from the 38 incidents over the previous two years.
Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong says government is cracking down on dodgy dealers as well as shady private sales.
"Most cases investigated involve sellers working through online platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, usually using fake profiles and often through third parties," he said on Sunday.
"Buyers have to be careful and this initiative will mean they have better access to good information that lets them make the best decisions.”
Roads Minister John Graham noted the tactic of winding back a vehicle's odometer didn't pay off for 80's teen movie protagonist Ferris Bueller and said he didn't want to see it in NSW either.
“Odometer tampering is illegal and a ploy used by unscrupulous sellers to misrepresent a vehicle's value and condition," he said.
"This practice can leave victims out of pocket, which is why making this information freely accessible is great news for buyers in the used vehicle market."
One of the worst instances of tampering recorded was a seller rewinding 400,000km from a Subaru SUV.
The offender then tried to sell the car for $32,000 ... an $11,000 increase on its previous price.
Customer Service Minister Jihad Dib said the new service could save people shopping for a used car thousands of dollars.
"Adding these free odometer readings to the website and Service NSW app is just another example of ensuring important information is available to people across NSW at the click of a button," he said.
Peter Dunphy from Transport for NSW told reporters on Sunday the initiative is something that will save people money.
"It is something that we really do want to make sure that we are cracking down on ensuring that all new drivers are able to get access to the safest and the most accurate information on their vehicle," he said.
NSW Fair Trading issued $113,000 in fines over a two-year period for the offence.
Kits to wind back odometers on cars can be bought easily online, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.
Mr Dib said the government is looking into the legality of the devices.
"There have obviously been 103 instances of people who have been effectively caught out doing the wrong thing.
"We'll look at whatever we can to ensure that we're protecting consumers in NSW," he said.
