Like many Canadians dealing with the uncertainty of tariffs from the U.S. and rising prices, Steve Andrews from Burnaby, B.C., was on a tight budget when he decided to buy a used vehicle.
With a young family in tow, Andrews saw a registered Burnaby used vehicle dealership had a 2012 Subaru listed for a good price of $13,000 — with only around 98,000 kilometres to boot. "They said it was in very good condition, that there were no real problems," Andrews told CBC Go Public. "Everything seemed to be right about it."
But six weeks after he purchased it, the vehicle started having mechanical problems. Andrews took it to a mechanic who was suspicious about the low mileage. He advised Andrews to call a different Subaru dealership where a recall issue was repaired in 2020.
After the dealership reviewed their records, Andrews was notified the vehicle he purchased actually had 112,000 kilometres, not the 98,000 kilometres he was told. He brought the car back to the used dealer, DD Auto, who refunded him after seeing his report. They indicated the dealership had no idea of the odometer fraud and explained they were scammed themselves, though they did not give any more details.
"It was pretty shocking," Andrews said. "I was definitely angry."
Pointing fingers
A reporter from CBC called the manager of DD Auto, Charlie Zhao, to discuss what happened to Andrews. Zhao was dismissive of the investigation, stating that Andrews had been fully refunded and that a recent CARFAX report didn’t show any red flags.
"I don’t know why you need [to do] this investigation," Zhao told CBC, adding, "Things happen."
Zhao additionally claimed that the car Andrews purchased was removed from the dealership’s website once they were informed of the fraud. However, Go Public found that the vehicle was listed on the dealership’s site three weeks later. A producer of the show that visited the dealership disguised as a customer had a salesperson suggest to them the car’s mileage was low because the previous owner may not have driven it often.
When pressed, Zhao revealed that he mentioned the fraud in a morning meeting and perhaps the salesperson who tried to sell the car to the producer was not present in the meeting.
Zhao also said that DD Auto was selling the vehicle on consignment from another dealership, Easy Road Auto, based out of Richmond, B.C. Zhao claimed that Easy Road Auto purchased the car from a private seller with the odometer showing around 98,000 kilometres.
To connect the dots, CBC repeatedly reached out to Easy Road Auto and they eventually submitted a transfer form, showing the mileage of the vehicle at under 98,000 kilometres — but it was not dated, had no sale price and was not signed by the seller.
To make matters more complicated, CBC tracked down the original owner who told them that when they sold the car to Easy Road Auto, the mileage was, “around 150,000 kilometres."
A representative from Easy Road Auto said it takes the issue “very seriously” and has “conducted a thorough internal investigation.” However, no details about the investigation were provided to the media outlet. They also stated that it is typical for only the salesperson who purchases the vehicle from a private seller to be in contact with them. According to the spokesperson, that employee has “went back to her home country” and can no longer be contracted.
Currently, CBC Go Public has not seen the Subaru in question at the DD Auto since, and Zhao confirmed with the organization that it will not be sold to anyone. Instead, it will likely be rented out to a company.
With all this finger pointing and back and forth, this brings up a critical question: Who’s at fault?
Where the buck stops
To find out where the responsibility lies for the fraudulent odometer, a CBC reporter reached out to Shari Prymak of Car Help Canada, a non-profit that assists consumers buying used and new vehicles.
Prymak made it clear it isn’t illegal for a dealership to sell a vehicle with an inaccurate odometer, so long as they disclose it. "Dealerships are required to disclose certain material facts, [such as] whether a vehicle has been involved in a serious collision, whether it has a rebuilt or salvage title and whether it has a rolled back odometer, " Prymak said.
He added that dealerships are required to inform their salespeople and staff about the vehicles they are selling.
Prymak also clarified that the dealership showing the car to customers is responsible for finding out how the odometer fraud occurred and who is at fault, "because ultimately they will be held accountable.”
"A professional dealership that knows what to look for will often be able to identify if something is wrong."
Under the Weights and Measures Act, altering an odometer or replacing it without proper disclosure is an offence. Odometer fraud is also an offence under provincial legislation. In fact, the Vehicle Sales Authority of B.C. told CBC in a statement that a dealer found to have violated provincial laws could have its license revoked or suspended.
Odometer fraud rising according to experts
Andrews’ case is unfortunate and could have been a devastating financial hit if he didn’t get a refund. Unfortunately, his case isn’t the only one.
A spokesperson for the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC), told CBC in a statement it believes odometer fraud "is on the rise," citing "many recent investigations" involving odometer tampering of some kind.
With digital technology being ubiquitous, changing an odometer is much easier than before, as analog odometers required manually adjustments. Now, digital odometers can be reprogrammed easily with an inexpensive device that plugs into a vehicle’s computing port.
"A click of a button" is all it takes, says Josh Ingle, an odometer expert, mechanic and owner of Atlanta Speedometer. "You don’t have to have any know-how, you just need to know how to select a vehicle on a screen," he told CBC.
How you can protect yourself
The tension between finding a deal from a private seller on social media or a used dealership instead of a major brand name is a palpable one. Q1 2025 showed a continued increase in demand for used vehicles, according to AutoTrader, with inventory facing bottlenecks. How can you stay diligent while still being fair to your budget?
For starters, Prymak recommends taking due caution when transacting with private sellers that aren’t regulated under provincial legislation and regulations. It’s up to you as the buyer to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into.
“Check the ownership of the vehicle and also ask to see a driver’s licence and make sure that the two match," he said. "Because if the seller is not the owner of the vehicle, they could potentially be a curbsider — someone selling used cars illegally for a quick profit."
Doing proper due diligence also includes checking vehicle history reports, inspecting the vehicle closely and consulting with a local car mechanic, Prymak recommended.
For the Andrews family, they chose to move away from smaller dealerships and instead went with a larger company, settling for a 2020 Toyota RAV4 with only 40,000 kilometres. They also made sure to obtain sufficient documentation showing its full mileage and maintenance history this time around.
Andrews recognized that he paid a bit more for the vehicle overall, but his peace of mind was worth it.
Andrews’ story highlights a core tenant of personal finance wisdom. The cost of something is more than just the price tag — make sure you know exactly what you’ll pay before pulling out your wallet.
Sources
1. CBC: Dealership told him low mileage was due to single owner — but it was actually odometer fraud, by Erica Johnson and Ana Komnenic (May 12, 2025)
2. Government of Canada: Weights and Measures Act
3. AutoTrader: Price Index: Q1 2025
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
