From June 2015:
Warning: Thousands of flooded cars could be resold to unsuspecting buyers
Warning: Thousands of flooded cars could be resold to unsuspecting buyers
Biz Beat Blog
Terry Box/Auto Writer
tbox@dallasnews.com
Published: June 5, 2015 1:52 pm
The floods last month in Dallas, Austin and Houston may have damaged as many as 10,000 vehicles, some of which will likely be resold to unsuspecting buyers.
That was the warning Friday from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which said 2,500 cars, trucks and motorcycles have already been towed to a facility in Houston.
Many will be sold at auction – ostensibly for salvaged parts – but some will be repaired and sold by unscrupulous retailers.
“Vehicles may be purchased at bargain prices, cleaned up and then taken out of state,” the insurance group said.
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Hat tip, Jalopnik:
Buyer Beware: 10,000 Flood-Damaged Texas Cars Could Hit The Market
Patrick George
6/06/15 11:25am
Many parts of the Lone Star State are still recovering from last month’s devastating flash floods. The after-effects of the storm will likely be felt for years, and in one way, they could have an impact on the rest of the country: as many as 10,000 flood-damaged cars and trucks could be resold out of state.
The
National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that already, about 2,500 flooded vehicles have been towed to a processing facility in Houston owned by Copart, a company that works with insurers to salvage and resell vehicles. Most of those will be sold for parts.
But there’s still a chance that flooded vehicles could be purchased on the cheap, cleaned up, taken out of state and then given a swapped VIN and new title with no indication they were damaged by floods, the bureau reports. Buyers could unwittingly end up with a badly-damaged used car they were told runs just fine. ... Via
The Dallas Morning News, here are some ways to tell if a used car has flood damage:
(snip)
....
Most insurers report to the bureau whether a vehicle has ever been declared a total loss, salvaged or stolen. You can search by VIN at
VINCheck℠.
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From three weeks ago:
Thousands of Hurricane-Damaged Cars and Trucks Heading Back to Market
National Insurance Crime Bureau VIN Check
National Insurance Crime Bureau VIN Check
About VINCheck (SM)
NICB's VINCheck is a free service provided to the public to assist in determining if a vehicle has been reported as stolen, but not recovered, or has been reported as a salvage vehicle by cooperating NICB member insurance companies. To perform a search, a vehicle identification number (VIN) is required. A maximum of five searches can be conducted within a 24-hour period per IP address.
Also, because this thread just got a reply:
Hat tip, Stuart G
Virginia Officials Warning About Buying Hurricane-Damaged Vehicles
Virginia Officials Warning About Buying Hurricane-Damaged Vehicles
by Katie Pyzyk October 3, 2017 at 11:30 am
The recent spate of major hurricanes making landfall in the U.S. has raised the possibility of flood-damaged vehicles making their way up to the local used car market, Virginia officials warn.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are thought to have been damaged by hurricane-related flooding. That has prompted warnings from Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles and attorney general.
Although Virginia state law requires owners to report water damage when selling their vehicle, not everyone does. The AG and DMV have released guidelines of what to watch for when purchasing a used vehicle.
Their full statement is below.
RICHMOND (October 3, 2017) – Attorney General Mark R. Herring and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are urging customers in the market for a new or used car to be on the lookout for vehicles with water damage in the wake of massive flooding caused by a recent onslaught of hurricanes that has damaged or destroyed countless vehicles.
“All Virginians purchasing a used car directly from another individual should have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic, but that advice is even more pertinent in the wake of massive flooding when the risk of purchasing a water-damaged car increases,” said Attorney General Mark Herring. “Virginians need to be on the lookout for signs of water damage when purchasing a vehicle, and should always trust their instincts – if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
“Nearly one-out-of-three car sales occurs directly between individuals,” DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb said. “The dangers of water-damaged cars can be hidden. Aside from mold and rust, electrical systems could erode and fail over time. Computer sensors could be damaged and safety protections like air bags could fail in a crash.”
State law requires water damage to be reported on a vehicle’s title; however, dishonest sellers can find ways to circumvent these requirements, putting buyers at risk. If a vehicle is branded as non-repairable, the vehicle cannot be titled in Virginia, but a non-repairable car could be titled in another state. If a Virginian purchases that car and tries to title it in Virginia, the vehicle’s history would show it as non-repairable and the customer couldn’t obtain a title.
Virginia Code § 46.2-624 requires insurance companies to report to DMV when they have paid a claim of $3,500 or more on a vehicle due to water damage. Insurers are required to notify DMV of such water damage, even if the owner intends to continue driving the vehicle.
One tool consumers can use to check a vehicle’s history is the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). By centralizing national title records, NMVTIS can help customers take extra precautions to identify flood-damaged, stolen or otherwise unsafe vehicles prior to titling. For more information, visit vehiclehistory.gov.
{snip}
From the comments:
skippy johnson • 3 hours ago
Inspect the lamps in the headlights/taillights--look for fogging or condensation. Make sure that all upholstery/carpet pieces match-- if not, could be a sign they were replaced. Look under the wheel wells and the spare tire for debris/water stains. Turn on all electronics, including the radio-- make sure there's no crackling/static noise or smoke. Also:
https://www.nicb.org/theft_...
National Insurance Crime Bureau VINCheck (SM)
= new reply since forum marked as read
