- JLR Brooklyn accepted a Huracan Evo Spider trade later found with falsified mileage.
- The odometer displayed 2,100 km while ECU data revealed over 23,000 km recorded.
- A hidden device manipulated readings, forcing the dealer to replace the odometer unit.
It seems even supercars aren’t immune to a little creative storytelling when it comes to their mileage. In June, N. Teelan traded in his 2023 Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spider for a $190,000 credit at JLR Brooklyn, using the funds to buy a 2025 Range Rover.
However, unbeknownst to the dealership, the Lambo’s odometer had been rolled back, suggesting it had been driven just 2,100 km (1,304 miles) when the true mileage was actually more than 10 times that. The dealership is now suing Teelan.
A recent federal lawsuit claims that JLR Brooklyn resold the Huracan without realizing the odometer had been tampered with. The issue only came to light when the new owner brought the car in for servicing at a Lamborghini dealership in Texas, where technicians discovered the discrepancy
Read: Man Uses ChatGPT To Find His Lamborghini Two Years After It Was Stolen
According to a service report from the dealership, a technician scanned the car and found that while the odometer was reading just 2,100 km (1,304 miles), the mileage stored in the ECU was actually 23,365 km or 13,213 miles.
The lawsuit alleges that a blocking device had been installed, causing the odometer to display an inaccurately low mileage figure. The odometer had to be replaced for $6,300, and JLR Brooklyn was forced to refund the full purchase price to the buyer and had to incur all transportation expenses.
The Dealer Responds
Now, they are seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Teelan and the Montana company he owns, Cross Feen, claiming he has violated the Federal Odometer Act, and is also guilty of fraud and breach of contract.
The suit contends that because of the Huracan’s true mileage, its value has been “significantly depreciated and will obviously fetch far less money than anticipated” if it is sold again.
Odometer tampering isn’t exactly a groundbreaking scheme, and these days, it’s easier than ever to spot. Both private buyers and dealers can use an OBD2 scanner to check a vehicle’s stored mileage data against what’s shown on the dash.
In hindsight, JLR Brooklyn might have saved itself the trouble by running that quick scan before taking the Huracan in on trade, let alone sending it back out to a new owner.
