Beware of White/Bisque Lthr 06 Prius Pkg 8

While at a CA dealership today, I saw a brand new white 06 Prius with Bisque leather and Package 8, essentially the exact twin of my wife's fully loaded Prius, only her's has gray leather.

The problem with this spanking new White/Bisque Prius was not visible, until I learned the back story behind it. See, most Bay Area dealerships have sold signs on their Prii, and it was hard to believe that this Prius didn't.

Turns out, it was flooded up to the seat backs during the recent Northern California rainstorms. It happened to be parked in a low spot on the dealer's lot just as it was delivered from the port.

Looking at the exterior, you couldn't tell. Looking at the interior, you wouldn't be able to tell if it weren't for the technicians already removing the front seats to check up on the Navigation computer, which is located under the driver's seat, and had a little residue of mud on it.

That computer alone is $4,700.00, and it is about the size of a single din car stereo. Those with Navigation can take a gander under their driver's seat to see what that small hunk of gold looks like.

The dealership totalled the car, and it is scheduled to be hauled away to a salvage company. And THAT's the reason for my post.

Should you ever run across an '06 Prius, PKG 8, White/Bisque leather, brand new, never registered, at a price that seems almost too good to be true, it probably is.

The dealership wanted nothing to do with this car. They salvaged it away and took the insurance money. Something like $8,000.00 in parts costs alone to replace the various modules that were underwater in this vehicle.

Since I've actually SEEN this car in person today, I'm here to tell you that this car looks brand new clean, and with a few wipes of the silt residiue off of the underseat comupters, and the seats put back where they belong, I could see very easily where someone would have no clue that this car had been flood damaged to the point of being totalled without ever having been registered.

So beware of any "new" white/bisque 06 Prius that crops up on eBay and /or any other venue where this car could turn up after it is towed from the dealer's lot. If it sounds too good to be true... it is! Note that the dealership itself is making no attempt to sell this car themselves.