Excess Inventory Danger! Are We Not Cars?

I almost bought a Dino, my personal choice for the world’s most beautiful car. Before making the jump into Fezza-land, I consulted an independent expert. “There are two kinds of Dinos,” he counseled. “Ones that have been completely restored and ones that need to be completely restored.” After I found a perfectly restored car, the Dino guru pointed out the next hurdle, “Will you drive it every week?” As a father of two small girls with enough work on my plate to keep me busy through several incarnations, I couldn’t hand-on-heart promise to give the Dino a proper weekly workout. “Then plan on regular rebuilds,” he said. I ended up commissioning a resto-mod Jaguar XK120. But point taken. Even modern cars don’t like sitting around doing nothing. AOL Autos warns that all those new cars piling up on lots not selling are devo. In other words, like the rest of us, they aren’t getting any newer. In fact, quite the opposite.

A strange and impressive sight currently greets drivers zooming over the Vincent Thomas span bridge across the sprawling California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Thousands of imported cars — about 245 acres to be precise — are parked in a huge lot amid the port’s heavy industrial machinery that are testament to a glut in car inventories as consumers cut back spending in a slowing economy…

Ken Lavacot, of 2carpros.com, says cars that sit on a lot for too long can develop a variety of problems a consumer should look out for. He recommends checking the battery for leakage, and says that hoses and other componentry including belts and intake books that are vulnerable to “natural decomposure” should also be checked.

A full fuel system flush should also be undertaken to clean out “bad fuel that can gum up and clog the injectors,” and Lavacot also recommends a full replacement of air, oil and cabin filters, and engine oil and coolant.

How much was the zero mile Chrysler Crossfire again?