Car question

[mzrsq]

My wife just purchased a used 2005 mustang from an Olds dealer with 190 miles on it. Of course there is no window msrp sticker so we have no idea what options the car came with. I ran a carfax report which shows the car was bought from auction on 07/07/05 Florida auction/dealer vehicle. Titled in Ohio 0n 07/15/05 with 35 miles, then sold at another Florida auction/dealer vehicle on 03/07 2006 with 165 miles before being placed on our local dealer lot on 03/15/06 here in Ohio again..........Confused

........ME TOO.

I'm real confused as how between being titled in Ohio on 7/15/05 the car made it back to a Florida Auction to be sold 8 months later with only 165 miles and then returned to Ohio.
The car is clean, spotless, no smells and beautiful. It has had added the MARK III appearanace package which is full body mouldings, special wheels and dual chrome tipped exhaust and matching seat inset interior.

I can't help but keep wondering if by some chance this might be a hurricane car that recieved damage and when sent for repair was given the added appearance package. As I said, the carfax shows the car is clean, but is there anyway to avoid reporting that kind of damage on a new car?

So the basis of this long and drawn out tail is.......Is it possible to get a copy of the window MSRP sticker somehow so that we can see what options the car was originally invoiced with?

Pics will follow as soon as the sun is shining and a photo session occurs. (soon)

Thanks
Scott

 

[cosmo]

The cars build code will have a complete inventory of the options on the car the day it left the factory. As far as avoiding the reporting of flood damage.....hell yes. The car may smell good but definetly something "fishy" about it. I would contact Ford directly.

 

[BA BUSA]

As for the mileage, they probably shipped it on a transporter

 

[Turbo-Torch]

Bad gut feeling on that one, hate to say it but I would have avoided it like the plague.
If you have a salvage title vehicle, there's a way to register it in certain states which will get rid of the salvage title. Do some research on "title washing" and see if Ohio is one of those states.

 

[USMCBUSA]

That is odd that it went to that many places that soon. I go to the dealer auction alot here because I have a salesmen licence and dealers will only let a car set on there lot for a certain amount of time and they take them to the dealer auctions and trade them for something else. Hopefully that is the case. I think if it was damaged at a good dealership they would have reported the damage just to have the insurance pay it. I hope it works out for you.

 

[Turbo-Torch]

This may explain a lot:
http://www.automds.com/alerts.htm

 

[USMCBUSA]

Very nice Turbo

 

[xzvs]

Yup fishy
Usually the manufacturer will know if it was salvage as they do not have to honor the warranty on salvage cars. Usually those "repairing" salvage cars will slip up and leave evidence a trained eye can spot. It could have also been wrecked as a demo unit and repaired. But the title hopping states is a big red flag.

 

[Wag]

I thought the dealer was required by law to have the MSRP sticker on the car and that it was a felony to sell a car without it.

--Wag--

 

[BUTTER2BOY]

Bad gut feeling on that one, hate to say it but I would have avoided it like the plague.
If you have a salvage title vehicle, there's a way to register it in certain states which will get rid of the salvage title.  Do some research on "title washing" and see if Ohio is one of those states.

+1

 

[rubbersidedown]

As for the mileage, they probably shipped it on a transporter

There's also a chance it was puchased,registered,but never shipped. Then it was auctioned off/sold again.

 

[Revlis]

If there was damage it WON'T be Flood damage. Even Scammers avoid the hassle. I wouldn't worry about it. Dealers buy and swap cars in bulk like junk mail. They often buy in lots and will frequently turn around and re-sell those they don't want on their lots. (My Understanding anyway)

If CARFAX gives it a clean Bill then you should be good to go.

 

[mzrsq]

Thanks Guys, I like Rev's and RSD's scenerio's best.  The rest of you have the same raised eyebrow that I have.  Ok, I know the build code is different than the Vin#, so where do you locate the build code?

As for avoiding this car like the plague, It made the wife happy and most of my questions didn't come up till after/or in the process of signing.  By then she was approved for the car and I think it would have to be SERIOUS to change her mind.  In the end, I'm more concerned than she is, but if something goes wrong, it will be me fighting to get it resolved.

Thanks for the info and input guys.



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[Turbo-Torch]

If there was damage it WON'T be Flood damage. Even Scammers avoid the hassle.[/QUOTE]

Out of anything that will cause a car to be considered a total loss, flood damage is the easiest and least expensive to deal with/cover up. Remove and clean the carpet, install new seats and door panels and then clean the hell out of everything else. A few hours of labor and she's ready to be put on the market.
If it was submerged to the roof that would be a different story but still an easier fix than most cars totaled due to collision.
The Katrina cars are out there and even selling like hot cakes on eBay.

When I was looking for a second set of seats for my Busa a pair showed up on eBay from a Katrina flood bike. I couldn't get the thought out of my head that the fecal bacteria from 10,000 different people were happily living in the foam!

They ended up selling for a good chunk of change too!