but there no way to know the detail of history of the car. I look at the certify document they give to me, no rust et al even listed on the checklist.
A picture would be nice to see.
I have a 2011 Cruze that’s been through two winters in Minnesota, and it looks fine underneath. I’m thinking this may be a “Sandy” car as well.
The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs has created a searchable database of all vehicles that were issued salvage titles in NJ after Hurricane Sandy. While this only includes the 20,000 or so vehicles from NJ in that category, it is possible that such a registry exists in other states, and I suggest that the OP look for similar resources in his own state and adjacent states.
Take a look at:
http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/floodedcars/
While I have no idea whether or not the practice is still going on in Ohio, there was a news story not many years back (before Sandy though) about several incidents of title washing going on there; all done under insurance company auspices. There were investigations and fines handed down I believe over vehicles which had been declared flood losses and subsequently ended up with clean titles.
Considering the huge amount of money involved in things like this maybe the practice is still going on and any legal expenses and fines are just considered a cost of doing business.
Let me put it this way, you go to a used car lot, and you think the guy in the plaid pants is telling you the truth that the car was only driven to and from church on Sunday. An offer too good to refuse.
regarding “Sandy” car, at least from paper work, the title is clear. If this car was from Hurricane sandy flooded car. Is it legal to not disclose? I am in Kansas state. The car is not cheap, dealer listed as 39K
^
Have you done as I suggested, and searched for a database on salvage-titled cars in Kansas and in adjoining states?
If the car was titled as a “salvage” vehicle, but the title was later “washed” through multi-state title transfers, the paperwork that you have could be almost worthless in terms of knowing whether or not this car was in a flood.
Disreputable sellers will flip a flood damaged car several times and eventually have hide the salvage title. Your SUV may or may not have had a salvage I title. If you search the databases available, including the one I mentioned on the second page of this thread, you can get a better idea. It could’ve the smartest 5 bucks you ever spent.
There so many database list which one should I pick? I search vin unable to find listed in the these database will try again
Here is a snapshoot
Thank you
Disreputable sellers will flip a flood damaged car several times and eventually have hide the salvage title. Your SUV may or may not have had a salvage I title. If you search the databases available, including the one I mentioned on the second page of this thread, you can get a better idea. It could’ve the smartest 5 bucks you ever spent.<<<<
dealer is hendrick lexus. I am not sure it is worth it for these dealers to do shady deal.
Looks pretty darn good to me! You might want to hit those pivot points with a rust-inhibitor.
SO just buy some rust inhibitor and spray on it?
Yeah, the only thing I’d care about is that it looks like the paint’s bubbled around both pivot points. I’d hit it with a good rust inhibitor…not undercoating, more like a viscous, non-polar fluid that will coat the part and prevent oxygen and water from actually reaching the base metal.
The rust-colored bolts don’t concern me; the whitish corrosion is aluminum, and cast aluminum generally surface-corrodes easily but seldom corrodes to the point of structural compromise; the exhauast is acceptable–most modern exhausts are made from cheap, magnetic stainless that will not rust through, but will become discolored.
I live in the rust belt (outside Pittsburgh), and this looks like a car that’s seen one or two winters. A car-specific forum would be useful regarding problem areas to look out for, and tips learned from experience.
Hendricks Lexus may have bought the car and never known that it was a flood car if the title was laundered. But after looking at your pictures, it appears that most of the rust is topical. If you are still concerned about flood damage, look in hidden area for mud. Open any compartments in the rear and look into the fender for mud. Same for the strategy well for the spare tire if there is one.
Not that there is anything wrong but NEVER buy a car you haven’t inspected underneath. It is not unusual to see rusty looking areas as most of the exposed metal on flat surfaces along with nuts and bolts will rust up in just one year of exposure to salt on cars that have had little body care. That does not mean it won’t last. It just means that you feel the 2 year old car should not look that bad. Go around the lot and inspect other 2 to three year old cars for comparable rust just to ease your mind.
If you still feel there is a difference, I would take it to a body shop and have it gone over thoroughly. If you are so inclined, just “paint” biodegradable boiled linseed oil over the flat metal areas that look rusty and apply wheel bearing grease to nuts and bolts, hardware and metal components that are exposed with a foam brush. But remember this, it’s the rust you don’t see in the welds of the body panels and in frame support members welded in the body which are hard to see in unibody cars that matters the most. Inspect all drain holes in doors and sills. . That would be a good indicator of any severe problem.
good suggestion. I find a insurance card in this card, the insurer is located in Jamaica, NY. BTW how can they launder a car’s title?
A disreputable buyer sells it to another or titles it himself in another state. Do this a few times and it becomes difficult for a DMV to track…