Local

Checking accident history may not be enough when buying a used car

ATLANTA — Three out of every four cars sold in Georgia are used. 
 
Channel 2 consumer investigator Jim Strickland learned at a local body shop that checking the accident history isn't enough.        
 
"I've been in the business over 12 years and this is the first time it happened.  I've never had that problem before," said Akram Abdelmasih. 
 
His dealership, North Georgia Auto Brokers in Snellville, sold a car that was completely rusted through.
 
Abdelmasih hired a body shop to weld in steel plating.  They'll clean and undercoat the remaining surface rust.
 
"Actually, Mr. Akram was very forthcoming when it came to what needed to be done," said car owner Paula Gillespie.
 
"I'm pretty sure she will be happy because she didn't have money for a rental car.  I covered that from my side and I'll fix the car 100 percent," said Abdelmasih.
 
The Carfax vehicle history report shows no flood damage, but it does show origins in Ohio, where salt on winter roads proves highly corrosive.
 
Body shop owner Chico Ramjhattan of CR Auto Collision showed Strickland an SUV from New York state.  It too was rusted through.
 
Ramjhattan advises potential buyers to pay attention to a car's former location, not just the accident history.
 
"Reason being is if the car came from the North, 90 percent of the time it's going to have rust," he said.