Sadly, I have already seen vehicles for sale which have obvious salt water damage here in Memphis, TN. Those who are unaware of how to spot such vehicles are open to serious financial distress. Let the buyer beware, these vehicles are coming to a lot near you.

When we evacuated we left one car at the house which was under construction in Pass Christian right on Bayou Portage and the truck at a friend's house. A tree fell on the truck but only did minor damage, the car was under 15 feet of water. I was not prepared as to the extremely sad feelings it brought to the surface when I saw this car sitting there in all the mud and debrie.

Awsome destruction. Hope they had insurance.

In order to check the history of your vehicle, it would be wise to call Experian Automotive and have Auto check run a vehicle history report on the VIN you are looking at. My friend did it and saved him tons of time and money! Ask for an Autocheck at your local car dealership, they can provide you with the history of the car. If you are a car dealer and you want to sign up to run these reports you can call them at 866-686-6972, I looked the number up.

Absolutely, this is "caveat emptor" time for real. Everyone is looking for that "deal" so that they may elevate themselves with that American status symbol-"the AUTOMOBILE" If you are not a mechanic, body repairman or liscensed appraiser, find one before you grab that "DEAL"

THAT IS SO SAD. ITS FUNNY HOW PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SRUFF UNTIL THEY LOSE IT ALL.

The car we left behind in Jackson County (MS) when we evacuated had salt water in the ashtray when we returned. We are 8 miles from the beach.

I can't believe that anyone in the general public would sell their fellow man a "bad" car without telling them the truth, and "they" say used car salesmen are dishonest. Believe me when I say that a buyer would be in a better position buying from a licensed dealer rather than from the general public. They can be comforted by the fact that the dealer stands to loose a great deal by doing something so wrong, not to mention the buyer would have recourse with a dealer. As a car salesman for the past 30 years, I believe that dealers are far more honest than any seller in the general public.

I want to buy one of these wrecks to drive back to New York from Key West. Any ideas where I can buy one cheap.
henry boathead@pipeline.com

Frank! Your voice has never sounded so sweet! I was worried about you and am so glad you are alright. I hope your properties came out ok too. For those of you who don't know him, Frank Hille is one of the best mechanics and THE BEST commercial landlord in Hancock County. He's too modest to admit any of this but he's also one of the most interesting guys you could ever meet. Thinking of you and your family Frank.... Kammy

This one area that the government can do it's job. All DMV's have the car records to check for damage unless someone is paying them to ignore the facts. None of these cars are safe in any way as the electronics are not repairable, airbags etc. They all need to be recycled as in junked, scrapped. This will also help GM and Ford get back on their feet.

Yep, that saying, "If it SOUNDS too good to be true, it likely is!" So, if the car sounds like too good a deal it is likely to be. Unfortunately for those who lost their cars and due to insurance issues and lack of coverage and whatnot, I certainly feel bad for the owners of these now wrecked vehicles that nobody can really get any money for aside from the sale of the scrap metal.

Again, buyer beware and if you are searching for a new/used car at a good price, they are out there but as another said, check with Experian, and the vin number hopefully is not a copy/fraud-as this has been a fairly new thing with auto theft and the copying of VIN numbers. Also, check for painted areas and undercarriage of the vehicle, as well as seams around doors and around inside of the engine compartment for signs of rust or what may have been an attempt to hide rust.

Again, our prayers with those who have lost everything, and their cars too that are now basically worthless. We hope that the future insurance industry can somehow add "floods" and not calling these things "Acts of God" so as to NOT have to pay claims will be taken care of-What I am trying to say is, hopefully the insurance companies will insure your vehicles, regardless (unless of course it is a deliberate act of damage to one's vehicle to get out of paying fees, payments, whatever). After all, when people PAY insurance for their cars, they should have the ability to recover loss of their vehicle, right?

Well, night night all, and may you all have a blessed Thanksgiving Day, you are all in our prayers for the best of today, and in all of your future endeavors.

As a trade publication editor in the construction industry, my tours through New Orleans, Biloxi and Gulfport revealed more than torn infrastructure. I also saw a multitude of ruined vehicles strewn about. Motorhomes included - one nearly perpendicular to the ground. I played photographer along with reporter while travelling the Gulf Coast back in September. If you're interested in some of my photography, it's well worth a glance.

Take care,

It used to be that we Alaskans regarded used autos in the south as "primo"...unaffected by the road salt used in northern climes. Up here, if cars aren't rusted by salt, then they are beat up from all the accidents on the snow and ice. It's a challenge finding a decent used car. And now we have to worry about salt damaged hurricane "specials".

While Carfax, Autocheck & `Experian MAY catch & report flood damage, it usually takes quite awhile for the damage to be documented & show up on their reports. Often it does not show at all. eBay is the most likely place to see these cars. If there was no insurance there is no record of the flood. No substitute for thorough in person inspection & due diligence. Some things to look for are rust on trim screws in floor, door jams, trunk & under hood.

Hi, I think the states need to make sure these cars are not resold period. I have been in the used car business for 26 years and I am very concerned that some dishonest people are going to resale these cars. I am also in the sued parts business and I do not even want one of these to junk. These cars are not good for anything. I bought a few flood cars to junk (none were resold as a whole car) after a hurricane in North Carolina in the mid 90's. After that I became experianced in flood cars. They are useless the parts are not any good. I lost a lot of money when this happened. I will never buy these hurricane cars even to junk. I feel so sorry for any unaware people who purchase one of the things. They should just be crushed and used as salvage metal. The state goverments should make sure these cars are not allowed back on the market.

I hope someone donates these cars to an automotive training program. That way the car has value in training young technicians and the insurance or person donating gets a write off. The cars are in the training program and never sold!

Seems to me with all the laws of the land ,heck add one more ...no car can be sold without a full discloser on that car and must accompany that car through out its life!!!!!!! bet car dealers would love that law!!!!!

dont look like those cars could be sold ...except to a junkyard

I have seen 2 cars come through the dealership where I am employed as an auto technition.
My dealer principal bought them at auction.
We then do a complete inspection and repair any defects.
These 2 cars had been completly submerged and then cleaned up to hide water damage.
Look for mud and debris signs in areas that are not accessable to pressure washers.Also look up behind the dash for dirt and grass,these areas are ard to clean.if you suspect water, Run.

I think any licensed vehicle dealer caught selling storm damaged vehicles (Old or New) should be fined, and made to give (free) the person they tried to screw, a new 2006 from the factory. A dealer in this case refers to used or new car dealers. No exceptions!!! Dealers buy most of their used cars at auction, and if they don't, they inspect trade-ins for damage before a deal is struck.
Why put all the blame of a purchase on the purchaser. You don't go to a jewelery store expecting to buy fake jewelery.

buyers, really beware...water damaged cars were hauled out of the Florida Keys by the thousands, no mud there to look for

I'm glad to see that Frank was still able to muster up a smile. Our lives are SO much more important than a car. With that being said if you were able to see your car or even go back to see the destruction you were still blessed with your life to continue & just pick up the pieces. Don't ever give up, there's a blessing in every lesson!

Everyone needs to know that the Carfax and Auto check people only have the informaion that the insurance companies give them, so do more than just run a check on any used car. Any reputable dealer will let you have an independent mechanic look at a car before you buy it. If they won't agree to this, it's best to keep looking. Remember, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

There are "minor water damage" cars appearing in the online auction sites already, as far north as Canada. Its a true tragedy that people will take advantage of others after they have lost everything. Use a "carfax" or something similar, before you buy, please!

It's a tragedy that these cars can be resold to unsuspecting buyers.
Tonja, SC

Beware of cars and trucks with salvage or other "non-original" titles. Insuranse companies will pay off owners to gain titles,then ship them all over the country to sell them and recupe part of thier losses.
This goes for heavy trucks and construction equipment as well.

this is CLEARLY a case where the govt should Flag the titles/registrations of all flood-effected vehicles so that prospective buyers will know of the problems in advance. Cars that are Lemons should be destroyed or returned to the manuf., not moved from state to state.

The sad part of this topic for me is the older classic cars of all types that were destroyed by the hundreds in one fell swoop by this storm. In the TV news photos flashing by on screen, I think I recognized what remained of one like I have, a British convertable sports car called a Triumph Spitfire. If you saw it and can find a photo, email me please. I think it was in the Mississippi areas. Some of our British car club members lost cars due to Hurricane Ivan last year, but this storm covered a much larger area.

Check CARFAX for a Used Vehicle History Report. They can tell you if the vehicle was registered in a county deemed FEMA Flood Disaster, plus they can give you additional history. CARFAX has been in busy for 20 years and has more sources for vehicle history than any competitors. www.carfax.com

THANKS TO ALL who've passed this sales cautionary along. The resale of water and salt damaged vehicles was fully predictable .... (It's happened after other flooding disasters) .... and will flourish UNLESS the warning message becomes common knowledge both near and far. Here in the Northwest, one might reasonably believe that a used car purchase would be unaffected by Katrina, but NO! I've already heard of three instances in which people have purchased salt damaged autos brought in from Louisiana and Mississippi. And how did they get here? That's right. They were either towed or trailered.

You should see all the cars that New Orleans and area had destroyed! They are trucking them out by the dozens. The water lines are still visible; however, you just know some idiot that wants to make an easy buck off some poor person that needs a vehicle is going to clean them up and sell them.

Everyone be cautious! If Autocheck is not what you want to do....do a Carfax report! Save yourself the greif and cost of buying one of these cars!

I feel so sorry for these people and even more for the people who would try and sale a car with that much damage.Its so unfair to the buyers.Please do a history check people.

Keep in mind when an insurance company declares a vehicle a total loss it is sold to a auto salvage company. It is unlikely Katrina Vehicles with end up on a dealers lots. I would be more concerned about buying used parts computers out of cars damaged by water.

I advise anyone looking at a used car to have the dealership you are dealing with provide you with a carfax report on the vehicle. Also, look in the trunk under the carpeting for water lines.

How does one tell if a car has had water damage. I know the obvious, stains in the trunk and undercarriage etc, but wat are the other signs..c'mon car brainiacs fill us in

How can we expect the goverment to control sales of flood damaged vehicles when they can't even control themselves (FEMA)? Someone should dedicate a web page to list known "Bad" car dealerships and start from that angle.

Take the car to a technician you trust! Pay to have them pull a door panel! Spending a little money to have it checked out first by an authorized technician can save you a lot of $ down the road. Don't take the dealers word for it!

Just a list of things to look for on flooded vehicles. Rusting screws in interior trim pieces off the floor, sediment in small areas (around seat belts, seat frames etc. Sediment or dirt underdash (often removing glove box, ashtray gives quick access behind dash). Most carpet can be pulled back in vehicles interior, look for rusting mildew and a lot of dirt.
As a dealer none of us want these vehicles on lots, its just bad for everyone involved. Unfortunately there are a lot of people looking for a quick buck and they will slip in, protect yourself.

WHEN BUYING A USED VEHICLE MAKE FOR SURE YOUR CHECKING FOR ALL DAMAGE, WHEN WE RECEIVE A TRADED IN VEHICLE WE ALWAYS SEARCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR FLOOD DAMAGE. THESE VEHICLES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. STAY AWAY FROM THE SMALL FLY BY NIGHT DEALERS THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE FOR THESE VEHICLES TO BE SOLD TO AN UNAWARE PUBLIC.

wow that is all i have to say this makes me feel bad driving a bentley and a bmw!

Where are folks buying all these flood cars to resell ?

Who is hauling all these cars away and where are they taking them ?

What's going on with the wrecking yard industry down in the effected areas ??

The cars that have been deeply submerged could never be sold hole. They will not run. So many parts will have been exposed to salt causing rust and damage. Body damage from flying debris and floating debris will total it. The cars that just got the ankles wet will be an issue with rusty brake systems and suspension. Parted out cars will be the main issue. Corrosion of those parts will range from obvious to questionable.

Those that have two bolts holding the rear seat in - remove the bolts and the seat and look for mud and sediment under the rear seat. That is where I found evidence of flood damage in Chevrolet that I bought one time. Whoever cleaned the car missed that area.

Most of the cars from Jackson County, MS are/were hauled off by the insurance companies to Mobile, AL and auctioned off. Over in Hancock County, MS there is a large field near one of my co-workers home where cars are being auctioned off for "salvage" and he reported that there are all types of trucks and trailers leaving daily with tags from all over the USA and Canada with these vehicles on them. You not only need to beware when buying used vehicles but also when getting "used" parts from any salvage yard, especially today with the internet and many of them being somewhat "partnered" in used-parts networks.

I WORK AS A MECHANIC IN ST.PETERSBURG FL. AND I HAVE NOT READ ALL OF THESE LISTINGS BUT THIS TRULEY CAUGHT MY EYE. I HAVE SEEN 2 CARS ALLREADY COME INTO THE SHOP I WORK AT FROM EITHER USED CAR SALES OR WHOLESALE BUYERS. I CAN TELL ANYONE THAT READS SOME OF THESE BLOGS OR COMENTS THAT THIS IS THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO BUY. WITH TECHNOLIGY THE WAY IT IS TODAY WATER INTRUSION IS THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A COR OR TRUCK!!! NO MATTER HOW WELL ITS CLEANED AND DETAILED IT WILL BE A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HOW YOU SHOULD OF WALKED PAST THIS DEAL. UNFORTUNATLY TITLE SEARCHES AND CAR FACTS DO NOT SHOW EVERYTHING BUYER BEWARE THAT IF YOU THINK YOU GOT A GREAT DEAL JUST REMEMBER YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!! THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AND IN ALL REALITY THERE IS BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW AND FOR WHAT IVE SEEN BE SURE YOU GET YOUR ONCE IN A LIFE TIME DEAL CHECKED OUT BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC. IF ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR CHEEP NEW CAR TELL YOUR TECHNICIAN TO PULL SOME CARPET BACK OR LOOK INSIDE THE DASH BEFORE YOU COMMET TO YOUR NEW UNBELEIVIBLE NEW CHEAP RIDE. A CONCEARNED TECHNICIAN IN ST. PETERSBURG FL.LUKE CARES

It isn't just cars, appliances and number of other
items will be showing up for sale. Some people will
buy anything without looking at it twice. Be supicious of all bargains!

Got a good idea. Instead of having the cars resale and having people getting ripped out. Have them put back into the salt water (Gulf) as reefs for the Gulf coast.

If the price sounds too good to be true then RUN. Regretfully, I bought a used Mercedes on Ebay only to discover after the fact that the car was a Katrina car. It cost me an extra 10 thousand to fix.

What a mess. Most of those vehicles can be recycled into other goods that can be used by the public. There are vehicle recycling programs throughout North America.
Seeing the other debris around is very upsetting. Someone once lived in what is now that pile of rubble. People need to help more to fix this "mess" up and to give people their homes back.
Unfortunatly, not everyone thinks the way I do. I'd do more to help, but I'm a student and do not have a way to get to this area that's still in ruin.

Wow! Thank you Jesus for lives preserved and for hope for tomorrow. Now this tells us how our precious possessions today can easily become a pile of junk tomorrow. How we need to learn to stack our treasures in heaven and not here on earth.
May God give us wisdom in all of these things, Amen.

Now these calls for Thanksgiving!

I have a thought that I haven't seen expressed anywhere before. During the flood, I've heard MANY comments that people couldn't leave the area because they were too poor to have cars. If this is so, please explain to me where all these, as I read it, thousands of "flood cars" are coming from. I don't mean to be harsh on anyone who was wiped out but I do think something is not quite right here.

"How did it get there??" speaks volumes. This terrible tragety is only magnified more by the stories of the survivors. As one of millions who could only watch on TV as this ocurred, I realize that not enough has been done for these people, thanks in part to funds being diverted to other countries. Here in Canada, we learned recently of an aboriginal community, basically in the middle of nowhere, placed there by our federal government, and their drinking water is tainted by e-coli and their living conditions are horrible! When will governments take care of their own? I realize the tragities abroad are bad, but what about the people who's taxes are paying for these "democratic solutions" overseas.

We were sorry when it happened,
While we kind of forget,
People are getting on with rebuilding for years to come.

Deeply Interesting reminders

As I have read through all of these posts, I have seen several people advise getting Carfax reports before you buy a car. I hate to burst your bubble, but most of the time, Carfax or Equifax reports are not worth the paper they are printed on. They depend on dealers & auto repair shops to report accident or mechanical repairs & the sad truth is that very few of the auto repair businesses actually take time to accurately report repairs that they make to a vehicle. I have personally ran the vin number on at least 6 vehicles that I knew had major accident or mechanical reconstruction & have never found any of it reported on a Carfax report. The bottom line is that you really need to pay attention when you buy a car & if you are fortunate enough to know a good mechanic that you trust, let them look a vehicle over before you spend your hard earned money.

So glad tp know you are ok Frank, been a while since I have seen you, I live in Australia now, but my children are still where you are and are safe, Happy Thanksgiving, (Rinnie)

I watch every day in the 9th Ward as trucks bring hundreds of flattened cars through the area for processng. The state of LA just had an article in the Picayune newspaper about their own efforts to curtail the resale issue. I don't have the article in front of me, but those interested should contact the Times-Picayune here in the New Orleans area to inquire about the details of it.

Unfortunately we don't all live by the creed do unto others as you would have done unto yourself if that were the case all of those cars would be junked and the insurance would provide the service we pay them year after year to provide to us. How many years do a good many of us pay into insurance without ever making a claim. Remember don't do to others what you don't want to have done to you! KARMA has a way of coming back and biting you in the @$$.

Any classic cars for sale? Those are always worth something, especially if it has good parts or fresh water damage. Lets export these babies to south and central america, they will fix em and run em till they die :)

In 2001 tripical storm Allison hit Texas and also damaged 100's of cars. The State of Texas established a website that listed each and every car and truck that was damaged to the extent that the insurance compaby totalled it, which is a very high percentage. It is not perfect but by establishing this site even the crooks that were able to "wash" the title could not get around the database.
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/flood/flddamg.htm

And those buying cars on E-bay, can't you double check on those to make sure they're not a flood/hurricane vehicle. If you buy something that is and pay for it, can't you get your money back from E-bay. Seems like to me the product should be sold 100% satisfactorily w/no fraud involved.

Beautiful words Pastor Akin, and well put. A safeguard to avoiding one of these cars is to simply postpone your purchase for a year. By that time, the salt water damage to the electricals will be readily apparant.

I FIND AFTER READING THIS AGAIN THAT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD SOME VERY GOOD SUGGESTIONS SUCH AS A LINK TO ANY CARS SOLD OR RELEASED FROM THE STORM STUCK AREAS. ALTHOUGH MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE STRUGGLED THROUGH THIS TRAGIDY PASSING THE BUCK TO OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS NOT AN OPTION!!! WE ALL TO THE MOST PART PAY INSURRANCE FOR OUR CARS AND TRUCKS OR WHAT EVER WE DRIVE BUT WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES RELESE THESE VEHICALS MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A CLAIMER THAT WHO EVER BUYS THE VEHICAL THAT THEY WOULD BE PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WILL-BEING OF THE SAME UNIT THAT THEY DISCARDED AND MADE MONEY ON THEM SELVES. YOU DONT HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THEY JUST TOTAL A CAR OR TRUCK AND JUST SEND IT TO THE SALVAGE YARD DO YOU!!!!!??????? GET REAL. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT 70-90 PERCENT OF WHAT IS PICKED UP FOR SALVAGE OR RECLAIMING THAT SOMEBODY IS GETTING A KICK BACK. I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 27 YEARS AND TRULEY KNOW HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED.ITS A SHAME THAT PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS LIKE THIS BUT LETS FACE IT USED CAR SALESMEN JOKES CAME FROM SOMEWHERE. DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED FAIRLY WHEN YOU BUY A NEW VEHICAL AT TODAYS PRICES LET ALONE ONE THAT MAY VERY WELL SEND YOU TO THE POOR HOUSE TRYING TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD AFTER YOU BOUGHT IT.A GENTALMEN IN THIS SIGHT TALKED ABOUT BUYING A MERCADES AND THEN SPENDING 10000 DOLLARS ON IT AFTER HE FOUND OUT IT WAS A KATRINA CAR.WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! DID HE REALLY GET A DEAL OR WHAT.ITS TIME THE LITTLE PEOPLE SPEAK UP ABOUT WHAT IS BEING ALLOWED TO HAPPEN TO THE TIPICAL AMERICAN AND TO US AS TAX PAYERS. THEY CAN TELL US WHO TO SEE AS A DOCTOR OR HOW MUCH THEY WILL PAY FOR CERTAIN PROCIDIERS BUT THEYLL STICK IT TO WHEN WHEN EVER THEY CAN. OR IS THIS WHOLE THING MY SICK SORT OF THINKING??? I DONT THINK SO

Wow, Frank! I think your story generated the most postings of all on this site. With so many years of car experience and knowledge of the coast, no one could have said it better than you.

Call Experian Automotive for an Autocheck vehicle history report or check out their website:
www.autocheck.com or call 888.409.2204.

I'd just like to find my truck that stayed dry in Katrina in Bay St. Louis only to be stolen from my drive way - it even had a full tank of gas! Any suggestions - imagine, a Katrina truck with no water damage.

We are looking for a water damaged Ford Excursion. WE totaled our Excursion and have the motor, interior, etc. Just looking for a body. Any ideas?

I represent a company interested in buying Corvettes that were new at the time of Katrina that were on dealer lots or in storage. My client is a thirty-year old specialty restoration firm that is interested in disassembling the vehicles and restoring them to concours condition using production line quality control. The technical problems can be solved in conjuction with GM.

All vehicles must be in restorable condition or have salvage titles for parts only. Principals only: dealers, insurance companies, GM representatives or other owners. May be able to purchase 50 to 100 vehicles subject to inspection. Refer this information as appropriate. 2005 or 2006 Corvettes only with less than 2,000 miles will be considered.

Send information to emartinezhmb@aol.com. All vehicles will have photos taken of the restoration and there will be full disclosure of all relevant information to the buyers.

Hi I work for a car dealer ship in fort wayne indiana and one of the owners bought a truck from the auction. The other owner and I seem to think it might be a flood truck, because its a indiana title, but it has a TN address on it and usually your not aloud to do that. How do we check to see if it is a flood car for free?

I have two Lincoln cars that have been in storage in Biloxi, MS for many years. One, a 1972 Mark IV, has only 37,230 original miles. The other one is a 1966 four-door. The warehouse they are in got 7 feet of Katrina water. Can anybody use these cars for parts?

I've had better luck buying salvage cars and fixing them rather than trusting the used car salesperson to tell the truth. They all were fixed by me with used parts. These included crashed, flooded, burnt, vandalized and rolled over damage. Just because you don't have the time to fix it yourself, don't deny others who want to save money and drive a late model car for less than half of retail. Everyone who lost a vehicle knows what a pain it is to deal with the insurance company to be made whole. Passing more laws will only make insurance premiums higher. Those in the media that make a large share of the income from automobile ads are the ones who are squawking the loudest. I have a saltwater car right now that I've driven over 100,000 miles. Beware of all used car salespersons.

Are all the cars with flood marks bad. I have a 2004 accord ex coupe fully loaded. perfect running condition in ever aspect with navigation and only 23k on it. It has a flood mark from around the jacksonville mississippi area. When the dealer got the car it had a broken back glass 2 1/4 windows and drivers side glass, and looked like it had been in a hail storm due to a few little dings on the rear deck lid and driver side quater panel. But they are very small kind of like a wood pecker pecked on it. They want 14k for the car.. The dealer said it ran fine when they got it they just replaced the windows and it has been driven to and from the lot for the past 3 weeks 80 miles one way. I know everyone is warning against these cars but has anyone had any that run fine and dont have problems?

A friend just bought a "new" car last night at a dealer here in NC. It's a 2005 with only 125 miles on it. The body looks good but today in the light we saw that the wheels have a lot of rust. I also noticed rust on a bolt on the hatch. How can we find out where this car was originally shipped? Concerned it may have come from a Katrina dealer. VIN number came up with no history

To all those that want a good deal from Katrina cars. Don't do it, there is no such thing as a good deal on a Katrina car. It might run good for a short period of time but then the problems will start and they will never stop. To the lady that wanted a body off a Katrina car, what do you think that the salt water will do to the metal body of the car, yes it will rust away, slowly but surely. Plain and simple don't buy a Katrina car and think that you can make it work because it will not happen. I'm a insurance adjuster and I totaled out close to 200 cars and I would not want one of them, I have seen what salt water does to a car and it isn't a pretty sight at all. If you will take time and look at a car for signs of rust and dirt where it shouldn't be,that would be the safest thing, don't depend on car fax and the other compaines that do that sort of checking to be dependable way to check a car out. SIMPLY PUT HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT AFTER ALL HE IS LOOKING AT THE CAR, NOT SOME COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT DEPENDS ON HUMANS TO INPUT INFORMATION !!!!

Some dealers are honest. I have been looking to buy some katrina flood cars and sell as parts cars only. I do not misslead people when selling a car. Check my ebay auction user id: tidecarguy : I disclose everything and even offer inspections before final sale with free carfax. Money made form these cars could be donated to help the people of LA. Anyone wanting to sell a katrina cars, truck, etc. for body parts only contact me. I wil donate Part of profit to help victims of storm.

Are you people off your nut?

I would love to get my hands on a flood car.... they are dirt cheap and can be easily rebuilt to get a good 4-6 years out of..... not bad at all from a financial standpoint.

and as for the possibility of breakdowns... drive down any highway and you will see someone broke down.... even in a non flood car.

get real people.

I would like to no what a person does who has bought 1 0f these cars 5 months ago from a local car dealer and just now found out it was a flood car, am I stuck with it or what? does any one know if I have any choices?

Do not buy Katrina flood cars, it's dangerous. There were various toxins in the water, and if you cut yourself on any car part flodded by Katrina, you could get sepsus. A Firefighter in Mississippi passed away 6 days after a small cut on his finger. Read James E. Guyette's article about it.

Finally! Someone speaks of the toxic dangers that these cars present to owners and service people (Anonymous, May 23). Here's a link to the James E. Guyette article referred to in that message. http://www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=310515

hi there , i am from dubai uae .We in dubai love ur flood damaged cars .there are thousand being offloaded daily at the ports here .there is a big market for imported flood damaged or rebuilds here and we have no title restrictions , once the car passes a technical test at the local traffic dept its a clean car , and the traffic dept is not very touchy about rust or flood damage as long is it is in running condition is good to go.Altough they are a bit touchy about chasis frame repair , but if it is not totally rusted out it's cool.I personally have bought and sold many flood damaged cars here imported from usa and they run perfectly and its not very expensive to repair and maitain cars here and parts are cheap too.I am currently restoring a 2000 jeep wrangler which has extensive roll over and flood damage but i got for a deal around 5500$ in ur money with aleast 5000$ in extra off-road goodies fitted , Totall cost to have it fully restored and running again is around less than 8000$ .A normal with no extras same model costs around 13000$ and thats just the basic with nothing on it .So all i have to say is if u dont want them .Keep sending them over here :)

Im looking for a flooded or totaled lexus gs300 98-03 hit me at elegale@cox.net

I'm looking for full size flood damaged classic luxury cars from the 50's and 60's to use as decorations on my property. Please contact me about any cars like this. Thanks!

I am looking for 1950-1972 clasic and muscle cars and small construction equipment that were flooded in New Orleans, Chevrolettte prefered.They must still be in La. around Baton Rouge or surronding area .
Looking to use parts to complete some models I am now working on and for ones that can be torn down and restored. Must be reasonably priced .

These cars have made their way to Dubai,UAE in the middle east.Small used car dealers are importing these flood affected cars from the US and selling it lower than the market value,people think its a good buy, i was interested in buying one but when i found out it was water affected decided against it lucky me.Aj Riaz Dubai.

helo everyone - xstremely sorry 4 those who lost a love'd & there vehicle's in the flood (florida,katrina).my name is spydr and i'm from Ontario,Canada- i'm look'n 2 buy a car and not worried about water or mud damage - all i want is the shell - How and who can i talk 2 our find out where i can find a -1978 thru 1983 MERCURY ZEPHYR WAGON - this wagon i search 4 does not need 2 b running or don't care if it has no motor,interior,wheels -prefer that class is intact,body has no dent's !! ?? PLEASE IF ANY BODY CAN DIRECT ME 2 SOME ONE WHO IS SELL'N OR OWN'S A SRAP YARD IN YOR AREA SO I CAN CALL !!

I purchased a Lincoln and it was beautiful, triple white, and one day I took my Mom with me to a Rose Show and on the way home I rode over a bump and suddenly the car was filled with dust and dirt. The bump had caused a clump of dirt to dislodge and hit the fan in the air conditioner and blew all over us. At home I got a hose out and put it into the frame of the car and the drive way was covered with sand that washed out of it. I knew the car had been flooded. Two weeks later I drove over the dips in the intersection by the house and the drivers side front wheel ball joint broke loose and the wheel caved inward and the frame fell on the wheel and was lucky no one was hurt. The insurance recorded it as a collision, I collided the pavement. Actually, they are correct. So, beware, I sold the car as soon as it was fixed and the dealer I traded it to junked it, they said the windows stopped working and the motor started smoking when started. I did feel bad that I didn't tell them.

Hi to who it may concern i would like to find out about how to go about getting in touch with the proper people as to get this cars just for salvage no title needed just a paper from the person to release these cars to be salvaged they can contaic me at big15digit15@hotmail.com I thank you very mvch

I just want to buy a Katrina Car to completly take apart and build a Race Car out of it.

In reading these postings, I am noticing that some people want the shells of these cars. Do they not realize that the waters from Katrina were contaminated with all kinds of nasty stuff??? We lost a 1999 Ford Taurus, water up to the roof of the car parked in our garage. There is no way I would've tried to clean it and keep the shell, the smell was unbelievable and the germs!!! Can't even begin to imagine.