Autoblog

Fisker reportedly drops $33MM lawsuit over Sandy damaged cars

Dan Roth — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Fisker, Luxury

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy hitting the east coast, Fisker Automotive and insurer XL Insurance wound up in a legal battle over 338 Karma models destroyed in the storm. The cars were sitting in Port Newark, New Jersey when the enormous storm struck, washing away $33 million worth of viable automobiles. Fisker sued XL Insurance in New York State Supreme Court after the company denied coverage for the loss.

Both sides reportedly reached an agreement to drop the legal action on Thursday without publicly stating a reason for the truce. In lieu of an actual reason, here's some conjecture: the cars may be worth more to Fisker as an uncompensated loss, as pending legal battles make the beleaguered niche automaker much less attractive to potential investors or suitors.

Fisker reportedly drops $33MM lawsuit over Sandy damaged cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Estimate for Sandy-damaged vehicles surpasses 250,000

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

Filed under: Car Buying, Safety

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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Hagerty profiles Sandy survivors and their classic cars

George Kennedy — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Videos

One of the harsh realities encountered by some in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is the damage done to their beloved classic cars. Such a story may not make it to CNN, so Hagerty Insurance set about chronicling the efforts by several owners to preserve their classics during the storm.

One owner from Staten Island lost a 1977 Ford F-250 Custom pickup. He tried desperately to save his truck, attempting to start it as the waters rose around the vehicle. At one point, he says the water started pouring into the truck. It eventually became impossible to open the doors, and had to crawl out the window. For him and others electrical, brakes and other systems failed when the brackish water rose around the cars.

Some may label the pining over a lost classic insensitive, given the larger issue of rebuilding and reclaiming these costal areas. However, these cars are as much a part of their memories as baby pictures or family heirlooms. There are personal connections with these vintage automobiles that may have been lost forever.

This video just goes to show the powerful bond that some owners have with their treasured classics.

Continue reading Hagerty profiles Sandy survivors and their classic cars

Hagerty profiles Sandy survivors and their classic cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYPD buys mobile surveillance vans to watch Sandy-hit neighborhoods

Jeffrey N. Ross — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Ford, Police/Emergency

To keep an eye on some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, the New York City police department has acquired a small fleet of innovative surveillance vans. Built by TerraHawk, LLC of Dallas, Texas, the NYPD is using four Mobile Utility Surveillance Tower (MUST) vans to patrol some areas of the city that lost power. Animal New York says that the vehicles are being used in Staten Island, Far Rockaway, Coney Island, and Howard Beach.

The idea of mobile surveillance is nothing new, since we've all seen those little trailers in mall parking lots around the holiday shopping season, but TerraHawk has created an all-in-one vehicle that can be deployed to an area quickly. Driving around, the MUST looks like a raised-roof, four-wheel-drive Ford E-Series, but when needed, a tower extends from the rear of the van using scissor lifts to a height of 25 feet. Raising the pod takes less than two minutes, and it can be used in areas with winds of up to 40 miles per hour. For added stability, built-in jacks are used at each corner of the 9,600-pound van.

When parked, the MUST uses an efficient lithium-ion battery pack rather than a generator, which would burn fuel and create exhaust emissions.

How much does one of these eye-in-the-sky trucks cost? Well, in base form (without any on-board technology, ballistics protection or four-wheel drive), they start anywhere from $150,000 to $175,000. The units purchased by the NYPD are powered by Ford's 6.8-liter V10.

Scroll down to read more about the TerraHawk MUST in an official press release.

Continue reading NYPD buys mobile surveillance vans to watch Sandy-hit neighborhoods

NYPD buys mobile surveillance vans to watch Sandy-hit neighborhoods originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Nov 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYC chef busted for hoarding gas after restaurant fire injures 3

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

After the flooding and power outages, one of the biggest impacts Superstorm Sandy has had in the Northeast remains a rash of gasoline shortages. To get around the problem, Fei Teng, a 42-year-old sushi chef at a Manhattan restaurant called 1066 ENO, was reportedly hoarding gas in the restaurant's basement using soy sauce buckets. How do we know this? According to the New York Daily News, another restaurant employee accidently spilled most of the fuel onto the floor, which subsequently somehow ignited.

Three employees were injured during the resultant blaze, with a chef receiving first- and second-degree burns to his body and face, while a busboy and waitress received more serious second- and third-degree burns on their legs. The report is from Saturday, which indicated that the employees were still in the hospital and that the restaurant was still closed. There was no word as to whether Teng will face any charges, but this bizarre disaster is further proof that you should only use properly labeled gas cans for storage - and keep them in well-ventilated areas.

NYC chef busted for hoarding gas after restaurant fire injures 3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hurricane Sandy destroys 16 Fisker Karmas at port with water and fire

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Fisker, Electric

Even before Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the US, there was no doubt the storm would wreak havoc for automakers (especially luxury brands) in the Northeast, but it looks like Fisker may have taken the biggest, most spectacular hit.

According to Jalopnik, 16 Fisker Karma models waiting to be shipped off to dealers at Port Newark were flooded during the storm surge, and while it isn't clear how it happened, some of the cars ended up catching on fire.

This isn't the first (or second) time a Fisker Karma has caught fire, but it is a different scenario that led to the fires. While the first two instances may have been related to a hot engine compartment, the storm-damaged Karmas were sitting in a lot full of other cars when they were flooded with sea water. Since none of the vehicles were being charged and it's unlikely that any had recently been driven, the best guess of a cause for these fires is some sort of short caused by the batteries coming in contact with salt water.

Fisker has released an official statement about the fires (read it below) saying the company will investigate the situation, but as of yet, there is no additional information.

Continue reading Hurricane Sandy destroys 16 Fisker Karmas at port with water and fire

Hurricane Sandy destroys 16 Fisker Karmas at port with water and fire originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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