Mileage Determination

[sharper410]

So subsequent to me buying my Boxster, I found out that the mileage reading on the odometer is not accurate and was at some point "rolled back". The local dealer also confirmed it was previously brought in with catastrophic engine failure with the recommended fix being replacement. So I'm 99% sure the engine was replaced with one out of a wrecked Boxster and was wondering if there is a way to determine if the dash was replaced at the same time and maybe reflects the actual mileage on the engine. I have an Autel code reader and it reads a different VIN in the instrument panel. Are there any other codes in the DME, instrument cluster, or elsewhere that can link the engine to the odometer?

The car runs great with the only fault codes being in the airbag system and am just trying to fill in blanks in the cars history should I ever decide to pass it along to a new owner.

[obthomas]

If your cluster is reporting a different VIN then it has most likely been replaced. There are too many scanners and eeprom hacks available to trust anything in the cluster these days. I would get a Car Fax and study the time line of repairs and registrations and other events to judge the cars actual mileage. If the engine was replaced it may even show up with mileage. Again todays hacking tools make the cluster the last thing you can rely on.

[sharper410]

Carfax is how I found out there was a problem. I know about what the mileage on the chassis is based on the reported data in there. I'm trying to figure out if the replacement engine and gauge cluster came out of the same car and therefore reflects the actual miles on the engine.