[ChicagoRy]

I've consented to a search and was not searched once.

I also denied a search and was searched before.

And I had my car searched twice, then waited for a dog to come at the Canadian border a few years back, dog found nothing RCP or whatever guy was very upset with the border guy about this. They had probably cause (I think) so I was never asked whether or not I will let them search. I was asked about a million times where the drugs were and obviously said there were none (there weren't any for the record).

I think the best way to sum up to good advice in this thread about searching cars is not to consent to a search but be aware that if an officer wants to he can and (some) will anyways. And not just because they see an empty beer bottle.