Is it possible to recalibrate my speedo so that it reads LOW. That is, I want to ensure I am actually going faster than my speedometer says I'm going. (I had a "bad encounter" yesterday .)

Back in the "old days" I could go to the dealer and purchase a gear that connected to the speedo that went into the transmission--different size gears = different speedo readings for a given actual speed. I suspect, however, the Mini speedo is electronic. But, I know the car comes with several wheel sizes which must require speedo calibration (right?).

Does anyone know how to change the calibration on the speed?

Help! --jdwf6

 

I have found the speedo in both of my MINIs to read about 2MPH over the actual speed of the car. For example, when the speedo needle reads 30MPH the car in reality is going 28MPH so on and so forth. I have been able to verify this discrepancy many times already (Fortunately never been stoped by cops) when the local police puts those big speed radar readouts with the posted speed limit on top and your "Actual speed". There is one of those by my house on a street frequented by cops and both cars when going exactly at 30MPH, the cop radar reads out 28 MPH.

The '02 Cooper has stock 15" tires and wheels (8-spokes) and the '04 MCS has stock 16" Runflats with factory V-spokes.

Hope this helps.


And yes, the MINI's speedo is electronic.

 

run a taller tire - i.e. 215/45-17

You've got my curiosity - WHY do you need to go faster than the speedo says, and what was this bad encounter?

 

To make a long story short....I need to have a bonafide excuse for going 80 in the hopes I can have a speeding ticket reduced, at least below the reckless driving level (my 'bad encounter'). I know this may be illegal...please don't shoot me.

 

Yeah, I would say doing this after the fact is probably not advised.


My personal advice would be to call a lawyer that specializes in speeding tickets. They can usally get things reduced to a more palatable level but of course do cost money.

 

My MINI speedo,in kms,reads faster than I'm really going,by about 2 kph at 60 kph.Local citizens group had a radar set up to show people how fast they were going,as they drove past a spot where kids cross the road to go to a beach.They told me it was very accurate,so I had them point it at me afew times as I drove back and forth a few times.Plus I have read on this site where it is the law that speedo's read high.
If you do the crime,be ready to pay the fine

 

It is well known that BMW speedos always read higher than your actual speed. (Reads 82 when you actually go 80) This is the direct result of a German law that prohibits speedometers from reading lower than actual speed. I'm sure the judge knows it, so your excuse probably won't work.

So I'd go with, "other cars were passing me, I was the slowest , the cop must have clocked the cars that were passing me......" (if that was the case, as I am not suggesting that you lie in court) and hope the cop doesn't show up.

 

What state r u in? Here in Fla we hire a lawyer for about $150 and it goes away.

 

I really don't think this is a bonafide excuse. Tweaking the system so that you can have an excuse in my opinion is wrong. Face up to your punishment. Keep it under the speed limit, unless you are willing to face the consequences. Finding ways so that you can lie in court in my opinion is utterly wrong and devoid of character.

 

Bonafide excuse:

Your honor, I could not have been going 80 miles per hour because I hadn't even been driving for an hour!

 

I asked about the speedo discrepancy at my dealer. They told that there is an actual formula to calculate the difference.

The speedo reads high by 10% - 2.5 mph.

A reading of 75 mph should be an actual speed of 75 - (7.5-2.5) = 70 mph. Theoretically 25 mph should be acurate if the formula is correct. It should be pretty easy to confirm with some kind of SatNav. Has anybody tried this?

 

My Garmin StreetPilo III GPS indicates that my speedometer reads about 3mph above actual speed at about 75mph.

 

That's interesting. Either the formula is incorrect or you are running a non-stock tire size.

I'm running Falken Azzini 215-45-ZR16 and it would be nice to calibrate the speedo/odometer to suit.

 

I'm running OEM tire size and my MY04 tach speedo indicates 72 when the OBDII indicates 70. ....so the car seems to know actual speed versus displayed speed. How decieving

 

Since nobody else has mentioned this re: your bonafide excuse...


It's probably not the BEST idea to have said "bonafide excuse" specifically enumerated on a public forum. You're likely to need another "bonafide excuse" if/when someone finds your post...

 

Good point OmToast!

I think the previously mentioned attorney for $150 would be better than fabricating a "bonafide excuse".

If someone is going to lie in court, you might as well pay someone else to do it

 

A reckless driving citation for going 80? In my experience, reckless driving is determined by how much over the posted limit you were going. So, one would be hard-pressed to get one of these on the interstate (in a 65 mph posted zone)...but on the other hand, if you were on a residential street going 80 (where the posted limit would be somewhere betweeen 30 and 40 mph), then yes of course that would qualify as reckless.

But my point actually is that if you were going 80 (or even 78) in a 40 mph zone, there's no way that you'll be able to argue speedo error. Speedos aren't off by that much, and no court would buy that as an excuse. Save yourself the trouble of trying make the argument...you'll just look foolish (and that's a sure way to get the fine upheld).

So, try the more conventional (and fully legal) way of arguing the fine... simply tell the court that you're sorry, you were temporarily distracted, and that you're an otherwise law-abiding citizen who is very sorry for having this temporary and accidental lapse in judgement. Odds are (unless you have an otherwise poor driving record...which is something you haven't yet mentioned), the court will take pity on you and reduce the fine to something less than "reckless." You'll still pay something, and maybe get some points, but it won't be as damaging to your checkbook or license as a full-on reckless driving citation. And then, as has been posted, remember not to do the crime if you can't pay the (or at least a) fine.

Good luck! :smile:

 

Best of luck, but I don't think that excuse would qualify. You could always disconnect your speedo (Gee officer, my speedo said I was going zero!), but reality is that you're responsible for how fast you are going, not how fast your speedo says you are going.

 

Indeed, all of you are right. I've let a momentary lapse of common sense (and a sense of right) lead me down the slippery slope of considering "excuses" rather than being up front with my error. Thanks for slapping me back to reality!:smile:

If I get my MINI taken away (hyperbole!), you'll hear me crying from there.

thanks...