Buyer Beware of Flood Damaged Used Cars

By: Austin Davis


Is a flood car coming to a town near you?



Hurricanes have done major devastation to the southern
coastline, and the clean up project will likely take years to
return things to some what normal. What I am concerned about is
the potentially HUGE number of vehicles that will soon come on
the market to be sold as used cars. The problem is not that the
vehicle is used, but that it is potentially a casualty of the
hurricanes and high water. These used cars are generally known
in the business as "flood cars."



Now I know what you are thinking, "I don't live in these
Southern areas, so I am not at risk of unknowingly purchasing
one of these flood cars." Sorry, but you are dead
wrong...actually the farther away you live from the hurricane
damage, the greater you are at risk for being scammed into
buying one of these cars.



Why are you more at risk? Think about it. The flood damage took
place in New Orleans, don't you think that the residents there
know that used cars on the market in that area have a HUGE
potential to be flood cars? You bet they know that.



But do you think the used car buyers in Arizona would suspect
flood cars were brought into their area? Probably not, and the
scam artists behind these flood cars know this. I would suspect
theses car will be on the used car market for about a
year...maybe more. This issue is huge and will hurt many people
who make the mistake and purchase one of these vehicles.



What is the big deal about a car that got water inside it if it
seems to run just fine? Great question...even if I made it up
myself. The engine itself might be fine, and long term engine
damage might not have occurred, but there are many other
components of the vehicle that can seem to be working normally
now, but can deteriorate in the near future.



Electrical components and wiring are usually affected most.
There is a ton of complex wiring under the hood, in the
dashboard, and under the carpeting of the vehicle. Water gets
inside the vehicle from underneath from holes in the frame and
body and around the door openings. If the carpet gets wet, so
does the vast network of wiring under the carpet. The carpet can
easily be replaced, but the wiring under the vehicle is usually
too complex and therefore too expensive to replace, so new
carpet is laid on top of them, concealing potential damage.



So what if the wires get wet? Rust my dear friend. Rust is your
enemy, and rust you will soon have. These wires will now slowly
begin to break down and rust will form on any part of the wire
that is not protected. When the electricity traveling inside
these wires makes contact with this rust, it will make a ground,
and the electricity will stop traveling. Whatever component the
electricity was traveling to, a fuel pump for instance, will
soon stop working. Finding the trouble spot in the miles of wire
is not an easy task. The carpets and seat will probably have to
be removed and hours of diagnostic time will probably be
accumulated as the mechanic tries to find the trouble spot.



In most cars, the onboard computer system is located in the
lower part of the passenger dashboard area, just inches above
the carpeting. Some Japanese vehicles have the computer located
under the passenger seat, on top of the carpet! If the computer
system gets wet, not only will it need to be replaced, but it
can damage many other electrical components as well.



The computer can be replaced now, and all might seem well, but
the rust will soon make its way to these other electrical
components and a domino effect will probably start to happen.
One sensor after another will fail, intermittent electrical
problems will begin to happen, and your pocketbook will soon
start to feel the ill effects of multiple monthly mechanic
visits. I consider rust the cancer of automobiles, you have to
keep cutting and cutting and cutting to stop its growth.



Transmissions are another big ticket item that can be affected
by water and not show symptoms for some time. When moisture
enters the transmission, the normally light pink fluid becomes a
light white/pinkish frothy mix, like a strawberry milkshake. The
entire workings of the transmission are extremely complex and
full of wires, sensors, and lots of rubber seals and O-rings.
The water will cause the rubber parts to swell and leak, and the
sensors and electrical components will soon succumb to rust and
water damage as well.



So what can you do to protect yourself from buying a flooded
time bomb?

1. Be cautious of every used car on the market.

2. Take your time inspecting and test driving. A good deal today
is usually a good deal tomorrow too, so don't succumb to pushy
sales people.

3. Inspect under the driver and passenger seats for obvious
signs of rust on the seat tracks and metal seat frame.

4. Look at the headliner (the fabric on the roof inside the
car). Once wet, the glue that holds this fabric in place will
begin to weaken, and the fabric will begin to fall down
completely, or will fall in small sections that will look like
bubbles.

5. Inspect the undercarriage and the exhaust system for signs of
large scale rust. I would expect a small amount of rust as being
normal; ask your mechanic if you have questions.

6. Use your nose. If the inside of the vehicle smells damp and
moldy, or feels damp to your skin...run!

7. Remove the wheels and inspect the brakes. This should be done
anyway if you are inspecting a used car, but rust damage will
really show itself on the brake components.

8. Inspect all under-hood fluids for water contamination. Oil
and water will look like a chocolate milkshake, oil and
transmission or power steering fluid will look like a strawberry
milkshake.

9. Get the dealership or the seller to give you a written
statement that to the best of their knowledge that 1. the car
has not been in a flood, and 2. the car was not involved in any
type of insurance claim that might have resulted in the original
owner selling the vehicle to their insurance company as a "total
loss."

10. Get a CarFax report. These reports can provide very valuable
information about the car, but I would not rely solely on them.
CarFax may not have complete or updated information critical to
your decision.

11. Look in the trunk under the caper ting and under the spare
tire. Water and rust will tend to puddle here since it is one of
the lowest places of the vehicle. If you see standing water, or
signs of rust in and around the spare tire area it is probably a
flood damaged vehicle and should be avoided.



My website provides one of the best used car checklists I have been able to
find. I highly recommend a would-be-buyer to print it out and
follow the step-by-step guide. If you aren't in the market for a
used car yourself, be sure to pass this article and checklist
information on to your co-workers, friends, and family who are.

About the author:


Austin Davis operates a car repair advice website filled with
insider tips about auto repair related issues. Visit his site
at http://www.trustmymechanic.
com to learn more about your vehicle.