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[nemesisb12]

Hi.

 

I am in the process of buying a 2007 ford fusion SEL with the 3.0L V6 engine from a dealer in Quebec with low mileage (58000km) and at a reasonable low price ($11000 Canadian). The test drive went well.

 

I have run a carproof check on the car and did a CAA (equivalent to AAA in US) inspection, but there are some things that worry me:

 

1) The carproof report provides no odometer information aside from what was reported at the auction where the dealer bought it from. No insurance or collision claims. The rest of the report is good. Could the car have been in a collision/accident/salvage/flooding and not reported, and the odometer turned back? Here’s a summary of the report:

 

Date Location Source Type Category Odometer Country

03/06/2007 Independent Source VEHICLE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED TO DEALER Information

03/23/2007 Independent Source VEHICLE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED TO DEALER Information

06/29/2007 MATANE QC Motor Vehicle Dept. CANADIAN RENEWAL Canadian Renewal Canada

06/01/2010 QC Motor Vehicle Dept. CANADIAN RENEWAL Canadian Renewal Canada

02/17/2011 QC Motor Vehicle Dept. CANADIAN RENEWAL Canadian Renewal Canada

07/21/2011 QC Motor Vehicle Dept. CANADIAN RENEWAL Canadian Renewal Canada

09/06/2011 CANADA Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION Odometer Reading 58,220 K Canada

 

2) There is some amount of rust under the car (see pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/67635888@N07/sets/72157627857077966/ ). I only found out after running the carproof that the car came from Matane, a region of eastern Quebec where winters are even harsher than Montreal (heavy salts on roads during winter).

 

The rust mainly affects the following parts, with the exterior body and most of the underbody being pretty clean (pictures here):

 

a. the front cross-member has rust forming at the solder joints and other surface rust, but no peeling rust. The mechanic told me that the amount of rust is more than expected but it is still structurally sound.

b. the transmission line located underneath at the front of the vehicle where it clips to the car’s body is rusting, although the other line passing underneath it was rust-free

c. some surface rust is starting to form on the contour of the gas tank, probably from salty water splashing onto it while driving

d. bubbling paint/rust spot about 1 square inch on the trunk door under the chrome trim and some slight paint chipping around the key hole of the trunk hood.

 

Unfortunately, I had already signed a contract with the dealer before the inspection so there’s a good chance he won’t let me back out of the deal without losing some money (at least 5% of the price).

 

Please share your opinions on this. I don’t know if this amount of rust is acceptable on a car that is about 4.5 years old, although it was never treated for rust-prevention. I’m worried that I’ll be stuck with a car that will turn out to be problematic and eaten away by rust within the next five years, even if I rustproof it every year I own it from now on.

 

Thanks in advance.

[dennisw]

Looks like it went under water at least up to the floor board. I would look under the dash for rust or better yet I would not get purchase this car for half what they want. I don't think this is from road salt damage.