Dealer clocks big fine

A GOLD Coast woman has been fined for winding back odometer readings on used cars while she acted as an unlicensed motor dealer.

Emilia Lloyd was charged after making false and misleading representations about the distance vehicles travelled.

She was convicted in the Southport Magistrates Court and fined $20,000.

Between July 2016 and June 2017, Ms Lloyd bought 35 used cars from a Brisbane vehicle auction house, under the identity of her daughter who was a former licensed motor dealer.

It was found that she had “misrepresented” the odometer readings on vehicles she had sold to six people, including one vehicle which had its odometer wound back by 150,000 kilometres.

An investigation was launched after a complaint was made by a potential buyer who conducted his own history checks and discovered an anomaly in the reading.

The court also heard Ms Lloyd persuaded several acquaintances to sign registration documents stating that she “could not have too many vehicles registered in her business name at the same time” and which she then sold on as private sales.

Fair Trading Acting Executive Director Craig Turner said not only do people misrepresenting vehicle odometers breach their obligations under the Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014, but they also risk consumers’ safety.

“Vehicles which aren’t serviced or maintained as required by their true odometer reading may pose a serious safety risk,” Mr Turner said.