Sandy might send more than 250,000 cars to scrap heap

[mfcorey1]

http://news.msn.com/us/sandy-might-send-more-than-250000-cars-to-scrap-heap-3

Automakers say 16,000 brand new vehicles have been lost to the storm, though that tally may grow.

Superstorm Sandy may consign as many as a quarter of a million new and used cars and trucks to the scrap heap, a loss that could eventually lead to a spike in new auto sales, automakers and dealers said.

So far, automakers have reported that some 16,000 brand new vehicles will have to be scrapped due to the killer storm that flooded coastal areas in New Jersey and New York. Many of them were stored at the port of Newark when Sandy hit.

That figure may grow once the two biggest automakers by U.S. sales, General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co, announce how many vehicles they lost due to Sandy. By Wednesday, nine days after Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, neither GM nor Ford gave estimates of vehicles that are a total loss.

Sandy, one of the largest storms to strike the United States, left more than 8 million homes and businesses in the Northeast without electricity. All but a handful of New Jersey and New York auto dealerships were back in operation by Wednesday, some operating on generator power.

At least 121 people were killed in the storm's rampage through the Northeast, including 80 in New York and New Jersey.

Some consumers with damaged vehicles may need to replace them with a new car, which automakers have said will boost sales eventually, said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

But, Schienberg added, because of the distress caused by Sandy's wrath, "Right now, I don't think car sales are on the top of everybody's mind."

Last Thursday, Toyota Motor Corp, No. 3 in U.S. auto sales, said that 30,000 of October industry sales were lost due to less customer traffic or delayed purchases by consumers.

[Anthony McCarthy]

1. Cash for clunkers

was a very popular program. It should be revived or, at the very least, Republicans should be forced to vote against it.

No opportunity to embarrass and divide the Republicans should be lost. Every single time they can be made to vote against popular programs should be taken and their votes loudly publicized.

[yesphan]

2. Scrapped my ass.

They will be touched up and sold to fools in places like Oklahoma.

[efhmc]

3. Not particullarly fond of Oklahoma but why pick on them?

[yesphan]

4. I live in Oklahoma and have for the last 30 years.

I'm surrounded by fools every day. Having said that, my dearest and most trusted friends live here and we
have learned to suffer fools fairly well together.

Also, I've been hearing warnings on the radio warning about Sandy damaged cars coming to our fine state.

[Ganja Ninja]

5. Exactly.

These cars will find their way on to used car lots around the country.

[liberal N proud]

7. Don't buy a car from New York or New Jersey

Glad I am not trying to sell a legitimate vehicle from that region.

[OnyxCollie]

6. Show me the CarFax! nt

[d_r]

8. yeah be careful buying a used car