If there's a banana in the tailpipe, it's just Eddie Murphy.
Posted on 09/19/2017 9:50:29 AM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt
"After major hurricanes like Irma and Harvey, consumers looking to buy a used car need to beware of flood-damaged vehicles.
It's estimated more than a half-million will hit the market in coming months.( emphasis mine)
"There is a racket out there where people will buy these cars cheap from the auction, re-do them, and then try to pass them off as a reliable clean car,"
Toyota of Tampa Bay Service Director Gregg Willard said.
"As a dealer, I'm very worried, so as a consumer, you should definitely be worried."
Signs of Trouble Inside
"Trust your nose," Willard said. "If you smell mold or mildew in the car, it needs an extra look to see what's causing it."
If you smell mold or mildew, it's time to look for places unscrupulous resellers won't spend the money to fix.
"Things I like to do, I'll pull up the floor mats and rub my hand, cause there's padding underneath the carpeting. Is it wet? Is it damp?" Willard said demonstrating.
"If I feel moisture here, I'll start pulling up the plastic panels down the side and look for water marks or stains there."
It's also important to look under the seats for any brown stains or water stains on the foam padding.
Willard suggested holding a small mirror up under the seats to help you see better.
"That's very important, because it's one of the last places they think to clean," he said.
New carpeting in an older car is another telltale sign of flood damage.
It costs about $1,500 to replace carpeting in a car, so it's unlikely someone will do that, unless there is water damage."
(Excerpt) Read more at baynews9.com ...
"They're wanting to turn these cars so quick and get them out to the consumer before they can get caught," Willard warned.
"I expect to see these cars hitting our market in the next 15 to 30 days!"
With Hurricane Harvey, and Hurricane Irma, and the resulting flooding, you can expect the used auto industry to be flooded (pun intended) with damaged vehicles.
In this envireonment, consumers who need reliable transportation should be wize and wary !
Additional automobile consumer information on avoiding used auto problems arising from flooded vehicles is available at the news site.
My 2012 Tacoma might be out there.
It was sunk in an unexpected flash flood and me with it.
Movies and TV do no justice to the real thing about being trapped like that.
Anyway....the used car market was already depressed, this will only make it worse.
Be suspicious about any used car....regardless of where you live.
Mold will grow in the AC vents. They sell a lot of cans of stuff to spray in the vents.
Fixed it for them. Just think what might have been wrong for somebody to decide that $1500 worth of carpet needed to be added... to a used car.
Sounds like you made it - ;)
Sorry about your vehicle. That must have been quite the experience. Sounds like you are very fortunate to be alive.
If there is a lobster in the tailpipe, it is not there as part of a sales promotion.
Can you imagine the loss cars from Fl/Tx are going to take from all this? no one will touch a used car from either of those places right now..
> important to look under the seats for any brown stains
nice
I’ve seen that there were a half million flooded vehicles in Houston.
That maybe on the low side...
If the lobster is behind the wheel, check if he’s wearing swim trunks or has an inflatable rubber-ducky around his waist.
Trust me that I was screaming with all I had to God and Jesus for help.
It finally arrived.
I still have once in a while flashback.
Thank God you made it.
Sorry you went through that but glad you made it THROUGH that.
” no one will touch a used car from either of those places right now..”
They will be shipped out-of-state.
We ran into one in Texas from NYC. Moldy smell and electrical problems but it was THE car my wife wanted.
Finally convinced my wife not to get it when she saw that it had been auctioned in PA and was from NYC just after they were flooded!
Im sure, but they will most likely been titled in Fl/Tx at some point...
gonna be some heavy insurance losses i think...
It can be anywhere. A friend bought a used rental company van. They delivered it by hauler from California to his house in Maryland. The few was only $300 or so.
BTW, it was a good purchase for them.
I have a contact to buy cars at cost plus a small fee from the big wholesale auction houses. I’m almost ready to replace my wife’s minivan but I’m afraid to use this guy, even though I can save thousands.
Check all electric window switches to see if they work and door locks too.
Look carefully at headlights and taillights for evidence of water.
And mud means flood, look everywhere for it, they'll scrub the obvious places but can't get it all.
You have that right !
Now, add another a half of a million that were lost in Florida flooded waters,
where there is still flooding, and rivers won't be cresting until later this Thursday.
CARFAX is your friend !
If there's a banana in the tailpipe, it's just Eddie Murphy.
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