Autoblog

Estimate for Sandy-damaged vehicles surpasses 250,000

Michael Harley — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:29:00 EST

Four months after superstorm Sandy blew through the East Coast wreaking havoc in its path, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has announced its revised estimates for the number of vehicles damaged in the storm's wake. The new total now stands at a staggering 250,500 vehicles (for perspective, about 15,000 of the vehicles are shown parked on a runway in the images from New York above).

Even though New York (150,000 vehicles damaged) and New Jersey (60,000) account for the bulk of the losses, the storms fury reached as far as West Virginia (1,000), Maine (500) and Vermont (500). The NICB is also quick to point out that its figures only represent insured losses - countless other uninsured vehicles were unquestionably damaged or destroyed during the storm.

A warning has also been issued by the NICB, as many Sandy damaged vehicles may have been reconditioned and placed on the market by now - and not just on the East Coast. While it is not illegal to sell flood-damaged or salvaged vehicles, sellers must disclose the information to buyers. Stopping short of suggesting that there are deceitful parties peddling less-than-perfect vehicles, the NICB offers a free VINCheck to help research if a vehicle has been reported stolen or salvage. As they say, buyer beware and do your homework before purchasing any used vehicle.

Continue reading Estimate for Sandy-damaged vehicles surpasses 250,000

Estimate for Sandy-damaged vehicles surpasses 250,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even more images of the airport full of 15,000 flood-damaged Sandy cars

Chris Paukert — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Safety

The damage from a major natural disaster can be harrowing - loss to life and limb combined with property damage, environmental, economic and psychological impact make picking up the pieces difficult. But long after the crisis ebbs, the damage lingers, becoming ever more pernicious and difficult to discern. Mold inside walls, unseen weakened structures... they all get covered up with fresh coats of paint. So, too, it is with the automobiles affected.

We first told you about these cars yesterday, but now professional photographer Doug Kuntz has agreed to share his incredible aerial images with Autoblog so we can pass them on to you, the reader. Going one better, Kuntz has given us more than twice as many images than what you saw on the Weather.com link yesterday.

The runways full of cars seen above are the four-wheeled remnants of Hurricane Sandy - but they aren't all headed to the scrap heap. These vehicles are but part of the over $63 billion in damage brought by the late October storm, but insurers are hoping to recover some of their own damages by auctioning some of them off, parting others out, and scrapping the rest. The runways of Calverton Executive Airport on Long Island shown above are now home to 15,000 such vehicles - a sliver of an estimated 230,000 cars and trucks damaged or written-off by Sandy.

Some of the cars shown in these images will join thousands of others that will filter their way back into the used car market in some form or another. New York law dictates that complete vehicles must have their titles stamped as "flood" to alert buyers, but it's not uncommon for that to not happen, whether born of intent to deceive or simple neglect.

Snapper Kuntz urged Autoblog to warn you, the reader, of the danger of purchasing flood-damaged cars like these, including damaged electrical and safety systems. In Sandy's case, he didn't just see these vehicles from the air:

"I saw some of these cars parked on the streets of Rockaway with the bags deployed. I talked with tow truck drivers and mechanics who moved these cars, and have worked on Katrina wrecked cars. The tow truck drivers confirmed the airbag deployments, and the mechanics agreed about the problems taking time to show, and be very expensive to fix, and in some cases, not worth the cost."

Kuntz, who referred to such vehicles as "ticking time bombs," believes strongly that all the affected vehicles should be scrapped, and he agreed to share these images with us as long as we relayed his valuable warning. We join him in urging caution when wading into the used car market at all times, but particularly following major disasters like Sandy. It can take weeks, months or even years for flood-damaged cars to reveal themselves, so get your prospective buys properly inspected. And if there's any doubt in your mind, well, just check out the gallery above for 15,000 good reasons why walking away is usually the smart move.

Even more images of the airport full of 15,000 flood-damaged Sandy cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CA dealers must affix new warning sticker to salvaged vehicles

Chris Shunk — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

California has passed new a new law that further regulates the car-buying process, and the changes appear to be mostly positive. Automotive News reports that, beginning next July, dealers will need to slap a red warning sticker on any vehicle with a salvage title. That means any vehicle that has been legally deemed flood-damaged, junked or salvaged will receive the ominous label.

The new law will also mandate the use of electronic vehicle registration for new and used vehicle sales. This system will reportedly result in faster registrations, and a license plate will arrive in six weeks, which sounds good compared to the six months under the current system.

The dealers of California will need to pony up as a result of the new law, but in the end, the customer always foots the bill. The new legislation allows dealers to up documentation charges from $45 for leases and $55 for sales to $80 for both. That sounds like a lot, but AN points out that California car buyers will still pay less for documentation than all but one other state in the Union.

CA dealers must affix new warning sticker to salvaged vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Kids arrested for using SUV to waterski on Tennessee floodwaters

Chris Shunk — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Click above to watch the video after the jump

The flooding in Tennessee has been nothing short of catastrophic, with 19 deaths and billions of dollars in damage. And Tennessee residents don't only have a monumental clean-up on their hands. There are plenty of closed roads, stores and schools out there, which means residents will have a difficult time driving and shopping, and kids will be bored.

A video recently posted on YouTube shows what could possibly the very worst way to spend your time in the home of the (flooded) Grand Ole Opry. A trio of youngins thought it would be fun to water ski on the flooded parking lot of what looks like an abandoned dealership. The three youths tied a rope to the tail of a Nissan Pathfinder, hit the gas and showcased some very solid skiing skills. Unfortunately for them, the cops were watching the whole time, and after a short run on the flood water the driver and skier were cuffed.

Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself. The fuzz may be overreacting to a bunch of kids having fun, but the reality is that the kids' stunt was pretty dangerous and likely not worth the risk of adding to an already high death toll. We're pretty sure the owners of the property wouldn't want to take on that kind of insurance risk, either. Feel free to voice your open opinion in the Comments.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Kids arrested for using SUV to waterski on Tennessee floodwaters

Video: Kids arrested for using SUV to waterski on Tennessee floodwaters originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House bill aims to red-flag totaled and flood-damaged vehicles

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:36:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Safety

With the horror of Katrina behind us and the rebuilding underway, there is another threat remaining from this devastating natural disaster. Hundreds of thousands of cars and trucks that had been submerged under several feet of water have now dried out and are, in many cases, finding their way onto the used car market. For buyers, these cars may seem like any other used car offering once they've been cleaned up, but the threat of future problems is great with a machine that was never intended to be underwater. Many of these vehicles are being offered in faraway states with no seeming connection to the flooding, so unsuspecting customers need to be extra alert to spot possible damage. Because of differing state motor vehicle title laws, these problem cars are even harder to spot.

And that's where the Damaged Vehicle Information Act comes in. According to The Auto Channel, its aim is "to ensure that totaled and flood-damaged vehicles are flagged forever so that consumers and auto retailers can make more informed decisions about the safety and fair market value of used cars." This NADA-supported House bill wouldn't require any additional infrastructure, just a permanent red flag affixed to the vehicle's record. Insurance companies would have to make available information about a totaled vehicle's VIN, the reason for it being written off, mileage when it happened and whether the airbags deployed. A similar Senate bill was also introduced and is working its way through committee. Obviously this isn't just about Katrina cars. Every year as many as five million cars are totaled and many find their way back to dealer lots and showrooms.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

House bill aims to red-flag totaled and flood-damaged vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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