After Sandy, be Careful in the Used-Car Market
11-02-12, 10:34 AM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
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After Sandy, be Careful in the Used-Car Market
For any of you interested in looking at or purchasing a used car in the near future, be especially careful....even more so than usual. Big coastal storms like Sandy that cause both fresh and salt-water flooding (and even, in some cases, inland) inevitably produce a glut of water/flood-damaged vehicles that unscrupulous persons or dealerships try to unload or sell off any way they can....even if they have already been compensated by their own insurance companies. I usually don't advise buying any car sight unseen or without an inspection/test-drive, but even more so in cases like this or over E-Bay.
In addition to the usual things to look for in the inspection and test-drive, look underneath the body as much as possible for evdence of salt-water rust on metal components, inside at (or, if possible, under) the carpets for mold/mildew/odors, inside the trunk for the same kind of damage to the trunk linings/mats/carpets, and under the hood for damage and corrosion to electrical wiring and hardware. CarFax reports, at this time, may or may not indicate whether the car was affected by Sandy's flooding.....I wouldn't necesarily trust them.
Of course, at new-car dealerships in or close to flooded-out and storm-affected areas, this advice would also apply to inspections of new cars sitting on the lot as well. Though the specifics of the laws vary by state, in general, dealerships cannot sell a flood-damaged car as brand-new, though some unscrupulous ones may try, because they obviously lose money on a flood-damaged car even with no miles or title-history on it. Those vehicles, of course, must be sold (if they can still pass state inspections and legally be sold at all) at reduced prices.
Most of us, of course, on CL are honest enough persons that we would be truthful about the history of our vehicles, but, unfortunately, that is not the case with many people.
In addition to the usual things to look for in the inspection and test-drive, look underneath the body as much as possible for evdence of salt-water rust on metal components, inside at (or, if possible, under) the carpets for mold/mildew/odors, inside the trunk for the same kind of damage to the trunk linings/mats/carpets, and under the hood for damage and corrosion to electrical wiring and hardware. CarFax reports, at this time, may or may not indicate whether the car was affected by Sandy's flooding.....I wouldn't necesarily trust them.
Of course, at new-car dealerships in or close to flooded-out and storm-affected areas, this advice would also apply to inspections of new cars sitting on the lot as well. Though the specifics of the laws vary by state, in general, dealerships cannot sell a flood-damaged car as brand-new, though some unscrupulous ones may try, because they obviously lose money on a flood-damaged car even with no miles or title-history on it. Those vehicles, of course, must be sold (if they can still pass state inspections and legally be sold at all) at reduced prices.
Most of us, of course, on CL are honest enough persons that we would be truthful about the history of our vehicles, but, unfortunately, that is not the case with many people.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-02-12 at 10:51 AM.
11-05-12, 07:27 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
And even without actual flooding, a lot of vehicles regularly kept in coastal areas are subject to at least some corrosion from the humid salt-air itself. That would apply if storms hit the area or not.
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