Also know that when a car is flooded typically the manufacturer s warranty is voided.
Buying carpet flood cars.
This is an indication to a future buyer that the car has been written off as a total loss by the insurance company.
Dealers clean the vehicles and make minor repairs to hide evidence of flood damage.
Just be diligent in your pre purchase inspection and don t feel like you need to jump at the first vehicle that comes along.
Some flood damaged autos are purchased by unscrupulous dealers who sell them to unsuspecting buyers.
If the car you re buying didn t have insurance it won t be in.
They may also wash the titles by moving vehicles to states that use brands other than those attached to the vehicles titles.
Tips to avoid buying a flood damaged vehicle here s what you want to look for when looking over a used vehicle for purchase.
When it comes to buying a car three out of four of us buy used.
How to avoid flood damaged cars in more ways than one water is your car s best friend.
Excessive rust on metal components under the hood.
Buying a car that s been in a flood is risky but if you go into things realistically and conservatively you can get some serious value in the end.
After all when buying a flood damaged car you re assuming a substantial financial risk that major repairs could be necessary.
Once a car has been written off by the insurance company the title is amended to that of salvage or junk title.
After a thorough cleaning new carpet and floor mats these cars may look just as good as any other car on the surface.
But to get flood damage information go to the national insurance crime bureau s free database which lists flood damage and other information for cars that were insured.
The first way to avoid buying a flood damaged car is to avoid salvage and junk titles.
Buying a car that has been exposed to flood waters can have hidden problems.
So there s a big incentive for disreputable sellers to move flood damaged vehicles north hoping to sell them to unsuspecting buyers.