---

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 4, 1992                   TAG: 9202040383
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

---

CAR SPEEDOMETERS BADLY CALIBRATED

THERE IS A problem involving both American and Japanese cars that I have not heard anyone speak about, and that is faultily calibrated speedometers. I drive many different cars, and every time I run through radar, I wonder what speed I actually am going.

On a recent trip from Richmond airport to Roanoke, three vehicles registered three different speeds and miles traveled. A 1992 Taurus wagon showed 189 miles, a 1991 Mercury Topaz 195 miles and a 1992 Buick Century 201 miles. These vehicles traveled together point to point.

I believe the car makers are calibrating faster to show better economy in gas mileage. If you show more miles driven, then naturally you get more miles per gallon. I've seen odometers vary five and six miles in 100 miles. When your odometer is wrong, then the speedometer is wrong.

The federal government likes to tell car makers what specifications to use; well, they should certainly make this a priority. I don't believe a policeman would be very sympathetic just because my speedometer is incorrect. ROGER CLARK SALEM

---