Katrina Lemons

Holes in Monitoring System Let Lemons Get Resold
Morning Edition, January 31, 2006 · Thousands of vehicles that sat in
the murky waters left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita are starting to
show up on the used-car market.
Most states require that flooded cars be labeled as such on the title.
But scam artists have found loopholes in the system. They re-register
cars in states with looser title laws -- sometimes two or three states
-- until the warning that the car was flooded is gone. This fraudulent
practice is known as "title washing."
In 1992, Congress passed a law designed to stop the practice of title
washing, but it was never fully implemented. The National Motor Vehicle
Title Information System (NMVTIS) was designed to offer car history
reports, as well as other information not available from commercial
companies -- such as valuable data derived from insurance claims.
Advocates say the program would save both consumers and the government
money -- money that might otherwise be spent investigating title fraud.
But NMVTIS has been crippled. Consumer advocates say one big reason is
opposition from commercial interests that profit from title washing.
More at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5173717

"spartusfullvue" > wrote in message
oups.com...
Holes in Monitoring System Let Lemons Get Resold
Morning Edition, January 31, 2006 · Thousands of vehicles that sat in
the murky waters left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita are starting to
show up on the used-car market.
Most states require that flooded cars be labeled as such on the title.
But scam artists have found loopholes in the system. They re-register
cars in states with looser title laws -- sometimes two or three states
-- until the warning that the car was flooded is gone. This fraudulent
practice is known as "title washing."

(my reply)
And people ask me why I just spent more on car repairs than my (usually)
reliable car is worth. THIS is why. I bought it new. If I ever get rid of
it, I will replace it with a NEW car. -Dave

spartusfullvue wrote:
> Holes in Monitoring System Let Lemons Get Resold
> Morning Edition, January 31, 2006 · Thousands of vehicles that sat in
> the murky waters left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita are starting to
> show up on the used-car market.
> Most states require that flooded cars be labeled as such on the title.
> But scam artists have found loopholes in the system. They re-register
> cars in states with looser title laws -- sometimes two or three states
> -- until the warning that the car was flooded is gone. This fraudulent
> practice is known as "title washing."
> In 1992, Congress passed a law designed to stop the practice of title
> washing, but it was never fully implemented. The National Motor Vehicle
> Title Information System (NMVTIS) was designed to offer car history
> reports, as well as other information not available from commercial
> companies -- such as valuable data derived from insurance claims.
> Advocates say the program would save both consumers and the government
> money -- money that might otherwise be spent investigating title fraud.
> But NMVTIS has been crippled. Consumer advocates say one big reason is
> opposition from commercial interests that profit from title washing.
> More at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5173717

That's been a problem after every big storm. The numbers of cars
coming out of the south are just much more than ever before. While the
NMVTIS if it became fully operational might provide some information,
this problem really won't go away until the process of titling cars is
done on a national basis. And that ain't gonna happen because the
states have a vested interest in maintaining their own titling systems.

Mike T. wrote:
>
> (my reply)
> And people ask me why I just spent more on car repairs than my (usually)
> reliable car is worth. THIS is why. I bought it new. If I ever get rid of
> it, I will replace it with a NEW car. -Dave

That's a poor reason to buy new cars. Instead of buying a new $50,000
car you can buy a beater for $1000 and if turns out to be POS, just get
rid of it. Personally i've bought junkers all my life and have had
practically no problems with any of them. Any car will last forever if
you just drive slowly.

Laura Bush murdered her boy friend wrote:
> Mike T. wrote:
> >
> > (my reply)
> > And people ask me why I just spent more on car repairs than my (usually)
> > reliable car is worth. THIS is why. I bought it new. If I ever get rid of
> > it, I will replace it with a NEW car. -Dave
>
> That's a poor reason to buy new cars. Instead of buying a new $50,000
> car you can buy a beater for $1000 and if turns out to be POS, just get
> rid of it. Personally i've bought junkers all my life and have had
> practically no problems with any of them. Any car will last forever if
> you just drive slowly.

I knew a guy that would buy two ex-police cruisers at the auction.
Same make and model, one for driving and one for parts.

spartusfullvue wrote: <brevity snip>
> Holes in Monitoring System Let Lemons Get Resold
-----
The government can't protect people w/no common sense.

Flood damage is almost always obvious, pretty tough and expensive to
hide anyway. Especially damage from sea water. It's practically
impossible to hide that smell.

All consumer advocates recommend having a used vehicle inspected by an
impartial mechanic before purchase. Anybody here not familiar with
that advice?

Caveat Emptor.
-----

- gpsman

In article .com>,
says...


>That's a poor reason to buy new cars. Instead of buying a new $50,000
>car you can buy a beater for $1000 and if turns out to be POS, just get
>rid of it. Personally i've bought junkers all my life and have had
>practically no problems with any of them.

all the cars you have driven have all had the same defective part, the nut
behind the wheel.
--------------
Alex

Budd Good wrote:

> gpsman > wrote:
> <snip>
> > All consumer advocates recommend having a used vehicle inspected by an
> > impartial mechanic before purchase. Anybody here not familiar with
> > that advice?
>
> Of course I've heard that advice before, but it's never really seemed
> realistic to me. I don't know any mechanics personally. So how do I
> get a used car inspected before purchase? I imagine the dealer isn't
> going to let me drive it off the lot and take it to a mechanic to help
> me decide whether or not to buy it. DO people go down to their local
> neighborhood service center and offer money to have one of the mechanics
> accompany them to a dealership to look at cars? I don't know anyone
> who's ever done that before. I've heard the standard advice to have a
> mechanic inspect a used vehicle before purchase countless times, but it's
> always been rather annoying since I could never figure out how this
> would actually work. Is the assumption that everyone has a buddy who's a
> mechanic? Absent any other way to tell whether a prospective vehicle is
> a lemon (I know next to nothing about cars and lack the interest to
> learn), I'm always inclined to only purchase new vehicles.

In the Uk you can can an inspection performed by an engineer from one of the
ato clubs e.g.....

http://www.rac.co.uk/web/carbuying/examinations/

No serious seller will refuse such an inspection.

Graham

Budd Good wrote:
> gpsman > wrote:
> <snip>
> > All consumer advocates recommend having a used vehicle inspected by an
> > impartial mechanic before purchase. Anybody here not familiar with
> > that advice?
>
> Of course I've heard that advice before, but it's never really seemed
> realistic to me. I don't know any mechanics personally. So how do I
> get a used car inspected before purchase? I imagine the dealer isn't
> going to let me drive it off the lot and take it to a mechanic to help
> me decide whether or not to buy it. DO people go down to their local
> neighborhood service center and offer money to have one of the mechanics
> accompany them to a dealership to look at cars? I don't know anyone
> who's ever done that before. I've heard the standard advice to have a
> mechanic inspect a used vehicle before purchase countless times, but it's
> always been rather annoying since I could never figure out how this
> would actually work. Is the assumption that everyone has a buddy who's a
> mechanic? Absent any other way to tell whether a prospective vehicle is
> a lemon (I know next to nothing about cars and lack the interest to
> learn), I'm always inclined to only purchase new vehicles.
>
> B

Budd Good wrote:
> gpsman > wrote:
> <snip>
> > All consumer advocates recommend having a used vehicle inspected by an
> > impartial mechanic before purchase. Anybody here not familiar with
> > that advice?
>
> Of course I've heard that advice before, but it's never really seemed
> realistic to me.

And yet, I have actually managed to do exactly that with every one of
my used car purchases.

> I've heard the standard advice to have a
> mechanic inspect a used vehicle before purchase countless times, but it's
> always been rather annoying since I could never figure out how this
> would actually work.

Are you really this stupid? Holy crap.

E.P.