Sandy is discussed on car insurance experts suggest.

Paul A. Eisenstein, NBC News contribution
If Superstorm Sandy smash New York coast two weeks ago in the Metro, NJ devastated everything in its path from the houses on Staten Iceland, the roller coaster on the Boardwalk of Seaside Heights, the winds and waves.

Were caught in the deluge, tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of cars. Some came from flooded Manhattan garages float. The roofs of others could barely submerged shipping are seen at the port near the city of Newark. Still more were thrown and rolled in communities such as Atlantic City, Breezy Point and sea bright, amid the wreckage of homes, boats and businesses wrapped up.

Just how many vehicles in the disaster are captured, remains to be seen, and the count can take months. Billions to the total damage could it from what to expect will add to one of the most expensive storms ever to strike of the United States - but experts are already discussed whether Sandys car toll come anywhere near what those was seen in other recent disasters, in the 2005 hurricane Katrina.

A preliminary estimate by the National Automobile Dealers Association suggests the tally could reach 250,000 vehicles, were significantly lower than the 600,000 experts say Katrina claims. But preliminary data suggest the damage may be far less than initially feared - a speedy review of data by the associated press search of claims only 31,000 with four major insurance companies, the New York region from late last week submitted the.

"It's not anything near what we're talking about the Katrina situation," said James Appleton, President of the New Jersey coalition of automotive retailers, AP.

The Coalition is about 500 N.J. dealers, but there are more than 1,500 showrooms in the NY TriState region. And including the shipping Portal are the busiest for car manufacturers on the East coast near the city of Newark, Port Elizabeth,.

"We had nearly 5,000 cars in Port Elizabeth, N.J., and a little more than 1,000 more cars in dealer has up and down the East Coast, which are not for sale and must be destroyed", said Dave Reuter, head of U.S. spokesman for Nissan. "Naturally, there customers cars that were damaged, too, but will take it to determine how many."

More than a dozen Fisker Karma plug-in-hybrids and with at least a Toyota Prius hybrid caught, while the flooding fire, a problem now believed to short-circuit out of salt water caused by batteries of vehicles. Fisker reported around 320 of its new model were due to flooding, lost everything in everything in Port Elizabeth. A further 4,000 Toyota and Lexus models were now also in the shipping center on the outskirts of Newark, waiting for the delivery to the dealer. All in all were lost an estimated 14,000 new vehicles in New York area ports.

Automakers are likely to avoid scrap most or all these vehicles, later with problems they should unexpected flood problems to develop. Industry officials warn that it is, were possible to dry a car submerged every vehicle, its engine and other mechanical main components, probably later learns problems, whether premature corrosion, faulty electrical and electronic systems or simply musty odors and mold, which can not be curbed.

The concern is that dealers and consumers, not can try especially those whose losses caused are covered by insurance to repair their vehicles and push them back into the market.

"A car, with the engine under water for a long time in a flood was never the same", said Carl Sullivan, who has experience of vehicles to the destination, almost two decades a California-based team of car inspectors check.

Insurance insurance therefore are related crime, including the resale of vehicles, to write off the insurance companies after storms so far fewer claims than at the same time, logging after Katrina, the title according to the national insurance Crime Bureau show.

But experts warn that it is weeks before the full extent of the damage - in many cases is known as car dealers and vehicle owners are still struggling with more serious topics such as the destruction of the homes or businesses could be, even months. In many parts of the affected coastline, it is quite possible that any homeowner, choose experience from the storm only to a house under water or wind damaged sit one had or more vehicles are also affected.

Experts such as target of the Sullivan warn that the problem finally used could reach impact car buyers away from the storm. Note that fraudsters junked vehicles take minimal repairs, make and they then move to the country, register them in States where washing off their title notations such as "Junked" or "Flooded" register.

Sullivan said that it is difficult to detect a flood damaged vehicle may be; Once, he found only by a few dead fish to discover hidden under a seat. But he suggested several important steps, such as:

In search of water or condensation in the headlights or taillights.

Mud in the seat belt latch or seat track.
Water in the trunk.
Corrosion in unusual places, such as on the top of the shock towers.
A musty smell or mold.
Buyers can also be affected when in fact, destroyed "Worst Case" meet the number of vehicles by Sandy forecasts prove. Used car that have executed prices at or near record levels in recent months. That is in large part due to the low sales of new vehicles during the recession led to a lack of relatively new, "previously owned" vehicles.

A burst of demand in the coming months could mean that "We can see anything from $200 to $600 in higher prices for good" "depending on", how much is needed, cautioned Ricky Beggs, editor in Chief of the black book used car, vehicle prices are tracked.

He expects strong demand for pickups and vans, in the coming months come as replace contractors not only damaged vehicles, but add to their fleets, to the mammoth task help new take over much of the mid-Atlantic coast.