Flood-damaged autos driving into used-car market, consumer group warns
CBSN
Thousands of cars and trucks have been damaged by major floods this year and that makes it even more important for today's used-car buyers to scrutinize potential purchases, consumer advocacy groups warn.
Anyone kicking the tires on a used car for sale should scan the vehicle inside and out for flood damage, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said Thursday. If there's a car you're seriously considering, sniff around the interior for the smell of mold, look for moisture build up in the headlights and even have the vehicle inspected by a professional before making a deal, the group said.
It's imperative that you examine the car yourself and not just trust the seller because "some people might not be honest about it," Jacob van Cleef, a consumer watchdog associate at U.S. PIRG, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Authorities made two gruesome discoveries Tuesday after a Missouri woman walked into a police station and told officers that she fatally shot one of her children and drowned the other, officials said. Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said at a news conference that authorities believe both children were killed Tuesday morning.
Strong storms with damaging winds and baseball-sized hail pummeled Texas on Tuesday, leaving more than one million businesses and homes without power as much of the U.S. recovered from severe weather, including tornadoes, that killed at least 24 people in seven states during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.