BY KEVIN SAWYER – There are many car dealers throughout the country that will sell flood damaged vehicles. Most people are unaware and buy these damaged vehicles. So, how can you tell if the car you’re now looking to buy has been salvaged from a flood?
They are cleaned up as best as the dealers can clean them up but there will still remain certain tell tale signs that the vehicle has, indeed, been in a flood. According to recent research done at Automotive News, more than half of vehicles salvaged from a flood actually make it to a dealership and are sold to unsuspecting customers.
The main challenges will come from the electronics in the vehicle. Today’s cars and truck are so reliant on electronics that a flood car could have problems with braking and steering for many years as well as a host of other internal engine problems. Water damage all around can lead to rust and internal cabin damage that really can’t be hidden.
The most immediate way to determine the flood status of a vehicle is to ask the seller to see the title to the vehicle. Vehicles recovered from floods are usually done so by salvage companies and their name should be listed on the title. If there is a salvage company listed on the title, ask the dealer if it is because the vehicle was taken out of a flood.
However, salvage laws vary from state to state and dealers have long done what is called “title washing” where they can hide the fact that car was actually taken out of a flood by having the paperwork done in a state where there really are no flood disclosure laws or rules. Another way to try and discover flood damage is to see where the car came from as some parts of the country are afflicted with floods more often than others.
Of course, always get an AutoCheck or Carfax on the vehicle. Check the engine area and the interior for what may look to you like dried mud stains. Check out how the vehicle smells. Mildew and mold can be tough to clean even by professionals. Check out the entire vehicle for rust even on wires and under the carpeting. Are the headlights cloudy?Turn on the radio and see if the speakers in the doors work. Usually, flood waters will knock those out. Finally, if you really want to buy the vehicle, test drive it and have a trusted mechanic give it a thorough going over and inspection.
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