IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET TO BUY A NEW OR USED CAR – PAY ATTENTION!
Hurricane Sandy destroyed or damaged THOUSANDS of cars. The market is now “flooded” with these “fixed-up/cleaned-up” cars. After these vehicles were declared totaled, the cars can be sold off as salvage. In many cases, these cars can be fixed up and cleaned up and resold on the market. Be very careful… these cars can be a ticking time bomb. Many companies will not even insure a vehicle with a salvage title. You may be in for a rude awakening when you go to register and insure your vehicle.
What to look for and how to spot damage:
- Sniff around the interior of the vehicle – including the trunk to see if it smells musty or moldy. If you smell excessive air fresheners or cleaners, it is a tip-off as well.
- Look for rust. Check the door hinges and hood brackets for rust.
- Look under the hood for water lines or stains. Check the cloth material underneath the hood itself for water marks.
- Peel back the carpet and look for rust or debris
- Take it for a test drive. If it doesn’t feel right or is sluggish walk away.
- Have it inspected by a service technician.
- Check the vehicle history report – carfax.com or vehiclehistory.gov
- Hurricane Sandy vehicles are showing up throughout the country. Be cautious of extra good deals and be careful who you deal with. You don’t want to get stuck with a submarine!