View Full Version : Beware of Canadian Trucks
Try this: Divide your engine hours reading into your mileage. This will show your average miles per hour for the life of the truck. A sampling of a number of trucks which I know to be of US origin shows a low of 16mph (truck is used in the oilfeild and idles a lot) to a high of 36mph (truck is used almost exclusively on the highway) with a good average being around 30mph. Now try this on a truck of Canadian origin. Many of these show a mph as low as 2 or 3 with many more in the sub 10mph range. Figure out the reason why. hint-- The mileage is stored on a chip on the instrument cluster, the hours are in the computer module.
2002 D/A ex cab 12789mi 416hrs -- 30.74mph
Turbo Al
08-20-2002, 18:52
The Canadian trucks were also originally set in kilometers not miles.
FrozenAKJoe
08-21-2002, 19:35
How do I figure out the number of hours on a new Silverado? Do you need special tools?
FirstDiesel
08-21-2002, 19:48
Yea, a special tool is needed!! smile.gif Your finger. With the ignition off push and hold the trip odometer reset button. The hours will appear in about 5 seconds.
FrozenAKJoe
08-22-2002, 14:57
Thanks. I didn't know that.
OK you guys -- Someone should have got it by now. Turbo Al gave us a hint. Anyway here is what I believe is going on:
Used Canadian vehicles must have the metric gauge cluster changed to one with english units when they are sold in the US. A Canadian dealer takes a vehicle off lease with say 100,000 kilometers on the clock and replaces the cluster with one showing 20,000 kilometers (a 5min. job). He then imports it and the cluster is changed to an english units cluster. The shop dutifully sets the new cluster to reflect the conversion (20,000k = 12427mi). The shop takes the required photos of both clusters and documents the change and then sends the metric cluster back to the Canadian dealer. The dealer then runs the vehicle through the auction and some unsuspecting buyer ends up with a 62137 mile unit that only shows 12427. Using a 30 mph average the engine houres should read 12427/30 = 414 hours. What you will see with the aforementioned example is 62137/30 = 2071 hours. If you divide that into the aparent miles you get 12427/2071 = 6mph Not too likely. We have seen some of these things coming out at 2-3 mph. It looks like if GM does not wake up they are going to be giving out a lot of free extended warrenty. By the way the dealer can just recycle the low mileage metric cluster on the next vehicle he runs across the border.
hdmax(mike)
08-22-2002, 19:23
I know an Inspector that idles his truck all the time while at work. And when he is driving, it is on job sites and county roads. Very seldom hits 45mph or more. The truck is an 2001 chevy 4x4 cheapie with 23654 miles (as of yesterday) Hours meter reads 3122 That has to be one of the lowest on record. If my math is correct, he is averaging 7.57655 mph.
My truck on the other hand has 1553 miles and 34.8 hours for an average speed of 44.6264 mph.
What are some of the lowest and highest numbers you have seen?
As of today the lowest I have seen is 16mph from a truck used by an oilfeild contractor whic sees a lot of idle time and slow driving over back country roads. The highest is 39mph from a vehicle which does a 60 mile commute every day.
ThumbScott
08-23-2002, 05:51
There is a dealer in Bad Axe Michigan with a CAN truck that looks like it has had the hell beat out of it. I mean rough. It says 40,000 miles on it but there it no way. I told the guy that asked me for my opinion to stay away from that truck. I could not remember how to get the hours to come up to convert to us MPH. They are really trying to sell this truck for $24,500. Way too much. This guy really wants to buy it. I feel really bad that he is so excited to find a used 8.1 allison crew cab that he is not taking into consideration all that is wrong with the truck.
Tires, 2nd set on truck are shot already. Spare is gone also.
Front spoiler with fog lights is hanging with one bolt, lights don't work on front.
Drivers door had been smashed and repaired but still is in need of complete replacement and rework.
Drive shaft is not stock and rubs on cross member under the truck when loaded with 1000 pounds of toung weight.
You name it is wrong.
My advise is GM better get on this situation. They are going to have a lot of guys out there trucks that have problems and bad word of mouth spreads fast. Shame on these guys for rolling back the miles.
Bottom line here guys is be very caution when buying one of these trucks. They are tricked. I guess we all know that someday these guys bring these rolled back CAN trucks will have to face the creator! Hate to be in their shoes. :(
Buyer beware, your best bet would be to buy the truck from a Canadian dealer. There would be no reason for him change the metric instrument cluster to an imperial unit. Therefore you know what your getting.
When I was bringing my 85 K10 up from SC Transport Canada said that I would have to instal a metric speedo. Idiots.... after further investigation it was revieled that on vehicles 15 years and older this was not required.
There are some good deals here, especially when you factor in the exchage rate.
Not sure what it means but I have 5593 miles on truck and hours of 173.4 which gives me 32.25. Canadian truck with average use. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
kerry witherspoon
08-27-2002, 18:15
Well as a buyer i would expect to se a canadian truck in kms ,not miles otherwise something has been changed . Since havent been in u.s for a while ,maybe mph is mandatory so it does have to be changed
Maybe I need to clarify what I was referring to when I started this thread. The only issue is with used Canadian trucks which have been imported into the US and have gone through the manditory conversion from a metric panel to a US standard panel. These things are being imported by the hundreds and are sold at auto auctions here in the US. What I am referring to is the apparent manipulation of mileage that occures when the cluster is changed during the import process.
Swamp Donkey
08-29-2002, 15:49
I am driving a Dmax/allison that is destined for the States. It is an oilfield work truck that will never see pavement. My boss leases it for 6 months then gets another one. Somebody is making money selling all of these Canadain diesels after 6 months. Whoever is getting it may be getting a lemon..........
Kielb, I think you are generalizing on the Canadian thing.I believe whether Canadian or US , there is always some tampering in the used car market.In service dates and warranty work will dispute incorrect low milage clusters,regardless of where the unit was registered.#1 look under the truck,it will tell the whole story.
I import for a living,and value my licesence.The fines and jail time for tampering are extreme.The DOT can impound and confiscate any vehicle that they see fit.There are alot of rules for guys who do it legit.
And for the guys who just drive em across the border and sell them to a customer with out importing them,MAY THE LAW DEAL WITH YOU! :eek:
Later Tom
Like they say: There are only two types of vehicles at the auction, those that have been tampered with and those that will be.
I wish I could remember the name of the book. I was listening to an auther on a radio talkshow telling some of the horror stories about unsafe vehicles being exported to other provinces and states.
Reply to Brokers - No intent to "generalize" What I said in my original post was that many imported trucks show evidence of altered mileage. You are quit right that an evaluation of overall condition will reveal the truth. That is what prompted a look at engine hours. Some of the low mileage vehicles which were/are going through the auctions look like they have a lot more miles on them than they show. ie. worn/torn seats, beat up undersides, worn out tires, etc. etc. On the other hand, I know of many imported vehicles in this area that are quite legitimate.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.