I am not aware of a legality issues with having the correct mileage set though some States may have such laws.  I work in an automobile dealership and we send new odometers out to have the correct mileage set on occasion.  The other method is as you mentioned, a document and sticker stating the date of replacement and the original mileage.  Some customers choose this as it saves time and money.

Mark in AK
Assistant Parts Manager
Continental Auto LLC

----- Original Message -----
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Date: Friday, July 24, 2009 4:54 pm
Subject: Re: Odo/Trip Counter
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> I've had my odometer conk out twice.  First time a friend helped me replace it, we set it to roughly what the mileage should have been.  (I'd drivenfrom Louisiana to North Carolina with it broken, so I didn't know for sure.)  Second time it was replaced at a repair shop.  They did not reset it to the actual mileage, said that is illegal. They did give me an official statement that documented what the mileage was before they replaced it.  If I should ever do something as dreadful as selling Matilda (only marginallybetter than selling my firstborn, of course), I'd pull out that document, if I can find it, to show the buyer what the mileage actually is.
> (No one would believe that she's only got 22,000 miles on her!)
>
> So if you want to be legal, you might have to put up with a new mileagereading.  If they fix it, rather than replacing it, then
> presumably this isn't an issue.  Try calling your mechanic and asking!
>
>
>
>
> Joy
>