Posted on 09/17/2005 7:50:54 AM PDT by Graybeard58
Good advice...but it reads like an ad for Carfax ... typical of a lazy reporter copying a press release.
Always, always, always check the VIN with Car Fax before buying a used car. It may look perfect on the outside but if it has been underwater there is a very good chance the electrical system is shot. And if water got into the exhaust, the catalytic converter and muffler are probably shot as well and the inside of the engine may very well have be corroded.
There is an enormous amount of jonque out there. The steel mines could almost be closed down for several months, while the stock of automotive scrap is used up.
LOTS of reclaimable plastics, aluminum and lead-acid batteries to be salvaged. I see great potential for an electric-power foundry or two to go into operation.
I just returned from ten days of shooting photos in the affected areas and can tell you firsthand of the hundreds of cars sitting in yards with all two or four doors, the trunk and the hood open to speed the drying out process. I was amazed at how little visible damage these vehicles had, but they had been fully submerged in some cases. Give me a minute to figure out how and I will post a link to a photo of one such vehicle. Meanwhile, interested parties can peruse the pictures I took during that time at: http://www.jwparker.com . You'll have to click on a thumbnail in the second row of images for the storm shots. The site is used to display my various shoots and not just for the storm, so you'll have to excuse the other sections.
Steel mines?
A major clue and easy to check is the fact the vehicle will be missing it's owners manual. Also flip up the back seat and look for the work order. If it's rotted out, one may deduce that the vehicle was in the soak, wash and spin cycle.
I'll bet you can get a good deal on well-marinated school buses, too.
peyton randolph wrote:
Good advice...but it reads like an ad for Carfax ... typical of a lazy reporter copying a press release.
---Good point, People need to be aware "Carfax" is not to be trusted for accuracy either. I've run into cars that have obviously been damaged and repaired (major accidents) and Carfax does not report it for what ever reason (maybe the owner fixed the car if they had enough money to fix without giong through the insurance, title being laundered, etc.
Definately have the car your going to purchase checked out by a mechanic that works on that particular brand everyday.
Having experts check out a potential car has saved me hassles.
I thought your insurance company did a title check?
I purchased such a vehicle in 1994: a 1990 Nissan Sentra with 22,000 miles. I drove it for 6 years, sold it to a friend. He drove it for 3 years, at which point it needed some work. He sold it to a guy who fixes up cars. He replaced the clutch and rebuilt the transmission. It's still going, now it has over 100,000 on the clock.
The vehicle was sold to me by a dealer who explained the rebuilt title and the type of flood damage.
I see no problem with selling these flooded cars as long as the buyer is aware of what he is getting.
Bargains for those who can rebuild and clean them.
"Good point, People need to be aware "Carfax" is not to be trusted for accuracy either."
I've read similar reports about Carfax. Another service is Autocheck.com, but don't know if they're any better.
'There was nothing wrong with that caah but a couple of finganail scratches on the door handles, and a slight musty smell.'
A lot of Corinthian cows will pay for this disaster with their lives. We'd better alert PETA.
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