Minghui Jin, of Lightsview, spared conviction for winding car odometer back 150,000km and twice selling it for $12,000 profit

He wiped more than 150,000km off a car’s odometer to net almost $12,000 profit, but a magistrate says that’s no reason to convict this man of fraud.

A dodgy Facebook Marketplace seller who wiped more than 150,000km off a car’s odometer and tried to sell it for $11,500 profit – twice – has faced court, and been spared a conviction.

Minghui Jin, 35, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday, having pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with an odometer.

Jin, of Lightsview, also pleaded guilty to one count of dishonestly dealing with documents – the offences carry maximum penalties of 10 years’ jail and a $10,000 fine.

The charges, laid by the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, arose from a Holden Commodore with NSW registration.

Minghui Jin leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court where he was sentenced for twice selling a car with a wound-back odometer. Picture: Sean Fewster

The court heard that, when last examined by authorities in November 2022, the vehicle had an odometer reading of 221,589km.

Jin purchased the car at Wagga Wagga on February 3, 2023, for $15,000 – seven days later, he advertised it for sale, with logbook, on Facebook Marketplace for $27,500.

On February 13, 2023, an Adelaide man purchased the car for $26,500 – at the time, its odometer reading had been wound back to 67,559km.

The court heard the man paid $673.56 to transfer the car’s registration before taking it to Peter Page Hyundai for servicing.

Staff at the business used the car’s VIN to locate its service history and discovered its true odometer reading – the buyer cancelled the sale and returned the vehicle.

Jin then tried to sell the car to another person via Facebook Marketplace for $25,000 – not knowing a freeze had been placed on its registration.

He subsequently provided investigators with the vehicle’s purported logbook, which falsely claimed it had been used as a hire car and had done only 67,949km.

In court documents, the Commissioner alleged Jin made admissions to the offending, saying “it’s wrong” and “it’s really stupid, I know”.

Jin was spared a conviction but ordered to perform community service. Picture: Sean Fewster

In sentencing on Wednesday, Magistrate David McLeod said Jin’s conduct was serious.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, the nature of the offending was such that it involved planning and effort to deceive other parties … it was misleading,” he said.

“The deception of two potential purchasers is supportive of the characterisation of this offending as blatantly dishonest, sophisticated and premeditated.”

However, he said Jin’s actions did not warrant the effect a conviction would have on his job prospects and lifestyle.

Jin, he noted, was originally from China – and a conviction might “affect his capability to” travel to his homeland.

Mr McLeod declined to record a conviction, released Jin on a $1000 bond and ordered he perform 150 hours of community service within 12 months.

Outside court, Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels said the court’s decision would be “carefully reviewed” to “see if there may be any grounds for appeal”.

“Odometer tampering can often be difficult to detect, and this individual went to great lengths to disguise the extent of wear and tear on this car,” she said.

“It’s predatory behaviour targeting consumers who are acting in good faith and is utterly reprehensible.”