Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
LAURA T. COFFEYIt can be scary out there in car-buying land. Sometimes a used vehicle that looks like a real "cream puff" can be severely damaged from a recent accident, and the vehicle's title may not clue you in to that key detail. How can you protect yourself? Read on.
1. Understand what happens to "totaled" vehicles. If a car or truck is damaged so badly that the cost of repairs exceeds its value, insurance companies typically declare the vehicle to be a total loss and pay out a claim to the owner. Then many insurers sell the totaled vehicles at salvage auctions.
2. Check the vehicle's title. Does it reveal the car or truck's storied past with the words "salvage title"? Even if those words aren't there, don't assume you're out of the woods. It's not too difficult for people in the barely regulated rebuilding industry to conceal a vehicle's history.
3. Ask the seller point-blank. The simplest way to find out whether the car has been in an accident is to ask. Unfortunately, though, the seller may not be upfront with you.
4. Get thee to a mechanic. Anytime you buy a used car, it's important to have the vehicle thoroughly inspected by an experienced mechanic. Even if you're concerned about the cost, get the inspection anyway. It's worth it.
5. Do your own checks, too. The paint job can be the most obvious telltale sign that the vehicle has been in a wreck. Check to see whether the paint color and finish are uniform all over, and look for any "overspray" of paint on chrome, trim or rubber seals.
6. Look for other signs, including: misaligned fenders; CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association) stickers on any parts; fresh undercoating on wheel wells, chassis or engine; doors, hood or trunk that don't close correctly; dents in structural components; crimped or damaged pipes and fuel lines.
7. What about the air bags? Check to see whether the dashboard air-bag indicator lights up. If it doesn't, that could mean the air bag was replaced incorrectly or simply wasn't replaced.
8. Stay away from newer vehicles that have been totaled and rebuilt unless you really know and trust the mechanic who did the work. If an insurance company totals an expensive new car, the damage must be severe. And no safety inspection will be required after it's rebuilt, making it difficult for you to know how and where the rebuilder may have cut corners.
9. An older car might be okay. It can be easy for an older, low-value car to get counted as a total loss, even if the damage it sustained isn't extensive. Find out everything you can about what kind of damage occurred.
10. Know where to turn. If you think you bought a rebuilt wreck without your knowledge, call the Florida Attorney General's Office toll-free at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM 966-7226 to report your problem and find out whether any state laws have been violated. You also can call the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services toll-free at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) and visit the Web site of the National Association of Consumer Advocates at www.naca.net
- Sources: Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) CARFAX (www.carfax.com)