Remember this photo? One striking image that appeared following Superstorm Sandy was this photo of an airplane runway in Riverhead, N.Y. completely filled with tens of thousands of automobiles that were totaled out following the catastrophe. NU's editors were so enamored with this image that we ran it as the "First Look" photo in our February issue.

The runway is now empty—but, perhaps predictably, not all of those cars were sold for scrap. According to experts, thousands of them have wound up back on the road, or sitting on used car lots located in some cases not even that far away from where the total-loss claims were settled.

At best, these vehicles are soon-to-be headaches for their new owners when they inevitably break down. At worst they can cause much more dangerous scenarios to new owners, as salt water can cause such critical mechanisms as airbags or anti-lock brakes to malfunction. 

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