Beware of Hurricane Damaged Vehicles!
by: Matthew C. Keegan
Nearly a half million cars were destroyed by two of this past season?s biggest hurricanes, Katrina and Rita. Some of these cars may not have received much apparent damage but they were totaled nevertheless because of water, mud, and debris which flooded engine bays and the interior. Damaged cars are supposed to make their way to the junkyard for scrap, unfortunately some unscrupulous parties are gaining a hold of the vehicle titles and turning around and selling damaged cars to the public. Should you be concerned? Absolutely! Read on to learn more about this problem and what you can do to avoid being stuck with a vehicle that is certain to be a lemon.
Let me just say this: it is not illegal for weekend mechanics to buy a salvaged vehicle, repair it, and sell it to you. What they must disclose to you is this: you are buying a salvaged vehicle. This is where most of the problems begin: the dishonest purveyors are not sharing this information.
Only 22 states require that the titles of flood damaged vehicles [which were totaled by insurers] be stamped with that information. So, if you live in any one of the 28 other states, be extremely cautious about buying any used car [check your local laws to see which group you belong to].
One organization is doing its part to help fight the problem. The National Insurance Crime Bureau [NICB] this past summer and fall sent teams to flood damaged areas in affected states to work with local police authorities. What the teams did was try to catalog all of the flood damaged vehicles and enter that information in a database, which is accessible online. Because of their diligence, nearly 200,000 car identification numbers are now available for car buyers to search at www.nicb.org
Car shoppers should always invest in obtaining a car history report from an independent company, such as Car Fax, as a back up source to verify information about a vehicle. Although the information supplied by these types of companies isn?t always 100% accurate, it can usually reveal whether a car has been salvaged, rebuilt, is a lemon, or has been flood damaged. Some guarantee their information so check the individual contract/agreement before you use their services to see what recourse you would have in the event a lemon sneaks by them and you purchase one.
So, how can we know for sure that there will be problems? Well, if Hurricane Floyd is a measuring stick then the potential for fraud is huge. In 1999, nearly 80,000 cars were damaged by Floyd and taken off of the roads due to storm damage. About half of that number were repaired and resold, many to unsuspecting consumers.
You don?t have to be a victim, so get informed. If a car is priced well below book value that can be a big clue that a problem exists, however don?t rely on price, instead do some research first before buying your next used car.
About The Author
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Race Pages: [http://www.racepages.com/catalytic], a supplier of quality Honda catalytic converters: [http://www.racepages.com/oxygen] and Toyota oxygen sensors: [http://www.racepages.com/parts/starter.html] at discount prices.
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Vehicle Extended Warranty - Protect Your Purchase
Vehicle Extended Warranty - Protect Your Purchase
by: R. Palkra
A couple weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I was running late. My morning coffee didn?t wake me up like it should have, and I was dragging. As a result, I was going to be late for church, and as a teacher, that wasn?t going to be good!
I finally got my stuff together and ran outside to my car. It was raining. As I put the key in the ignition, I knew something wasn?t right. I turned the key?nothing. The car wouldn?t start. I hoped the problem was only with the battery, so I rolled the car onto the street, pulled my wife?s car out, and jumped the battery. It worked!
After church was over, I took my car to a garage, where I found out the problem was the battery, and I replaced it.
But what if the problem wasn?t the battery? What if it was some kind of engine failure? The car was only five years old, but there could be an engine problem at any time. Before I found out definitively...
Vehicle Extended Warranty - Protect Your Purchase
Car rental > Vehicle Extended Warranty - Protect Your Purchase
Great Tips for Choosing a Conference Room Projector
Great Tips for Choosing a Conference Room Projector
by: Jim Gelder
When it comes to choosing a conference room projector, you probably want to run and hide!
That?s because most of us don?t know much about projectors to begin with and don?t know the first thing about how to select one that?s appropriate for a conference room?or any room for that matter.
Thankfully, there?s the Internet.
Within minutes, you can have all the information on choosing a conference room projector that you could ever want.
Sorting through all that information, though, can seem overwhelming.
So it?s good to have some questions in mind as you do the research necessary to find the perfect projector for your conference room.
Some questions you want to ask are:
? How difficult is operating the projector?
? Is the projector portable or will it need to have a permanent mounting?
Which type fits my conference room...
Car rental > Great Tips for Choosing a Conference Room Projector
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
by: Austin Davis
Is a flood car coming to a town near you?
Hurricanes have done major devastation to the southern coastline, and the clean up project will likely take years to return things to some what normal. What I am concerned about is the potentially HUGE number of vehicles that will soon come on the market to be sold as used cars. The problem is not that the vehicle is used, but that it is potentially a casualty of the hurricanes and high water. These used cars are generally known in the business as ?flood cars.?
Now I know what you are thinking, ?I don?t live in these Southern areas, so I am not at risk of unknowingly purchasing one of these flood cars.? Sorry, but you are dead wrong?actually the farther away you live from the hurricane damage, the greater you are at risk for being scammed into buying one of these cars.
Why are you more at risk? Think about it. The flood damage...
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Car rental > Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
by: Austin Davis
Is a flood car coming to a town near you?
Hurricanes have done major devastation to the southern coastline, and the clean up project will likely take years to return things to some what normal. What I am concerned about is the potentially HUGE number of vehicles that will soon come on the market to be sold as used cars. The problem is not that the vehicle is used, but that it is potentially a casualty of the hurricanes and high water. These used cars are generally known in the business as ?flood cars.?
Now I know what you are thinking, ?I don?t live in these Southern areas, so I am not at risk of unknowingly purchasing one of these flood cars.? Sorry, but you are dead wrong?actually the farther away you live from the hurricane damage, the greater you are at risk for being scammed into buying one of these cars.
Why are you more at risk? Think about it. The flood damage...
Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Car rental > Beware of a Flood Damaged Used Car In Your Town
Internet Marketing: Get Your Tax Money Back
Internet Marketing: Get Your Tax Money Back
by: Daniel Detlaf
Tax deductions for business expenses aren?t just for large corporations. As an Internet marketer or online entrepreneur it is important to know what you can and cannot deduct to save money on your taxes.
People new to business taxes tend to fall into one of two groups. The first group are those people who simply don?t believe they can be eligible for tax deductions. The second group are those who believe anything they touch while conducting business can be written off as a business expense. Both ideas will cost you money; the former in lost tax money, the latter in IRS fines.
In general, the kinds of things that can be deducted deal with the ongoing operation of your business: rental costs, utility expenses, and travel expenses. Not, for example, a new car. Items that add permanent value to your business (i.e. assets) are capitalized, not deducted. Interests on mortgages or...
Internet Marketing: Get Your Tax Money Back
Car rental > Internet Marketing: Get Your Tax Money Back