Used Car Buyers Be aware!

[Mr. Lamb Fries]

I just read the thread about the on line auctions and thought this was another issue that needed to be brought to everyone's attention.

Do your homework if you plan on buying a used car in the next year or two. Ive heard There are about 300,000 cars that were flooded because of the hurricanes this summer. Once the insurance companies sort everything out, the cars will be cleaned, some parts will be replaced, the interiors will be reapolstered, and they will be shipped all over the US to be put up for auction and sold at lots. Some states have laws requiring the seller to disclose the history of this but other states do not. Check the VIN and the cars history. I am sure the VIN's will be swapped out on some...so double/tripple check everything! These cars will most likely be lemons and cause and endless amount of hassles & headaches.

This happens all the time but not in this volume...SO BE CAREFUL!!!

 

[mustang_steve]

actually, if there are any flooded 97 240sx sitting around, I'd buy one as is.

Only because I want to strip it down to the bare chassis, and build it back up to my specs.

....however I lack a garage, so I can keep on dreaming

 

[claudermilk]

One of my car mags had a short column on the Karina-flooded cars (and a nice aerial shot of a trashed Dodge dealsership lot--ouch). Apparently the insureance companies are putting a together a database of VINs of cars registered in the area to try and get a handle on this. Of course that doesn't take in all the out-of-area cars that were there but it's a start.

In any case, good advice. Be very aware of the car's history. They mentioned to check in hard-to-reach areas that are not so easy to clean the mud out of (primarily in the engine bay & under dash).

 

[Mort Corey]

I wouldn't necessarily put my faith in an insurance company notifying anyone of a salvaged status on a vehicle. IIRC, recently State Farm got some pretty hefty fines for taking "totaled" vehicles and re-selling them, yet failing to disclose their salvaged status to the buyers.

These cars from the gulf coast may give a whole new meaning to the term fleet vehicle.

Mort