SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Used carshoppers – including those not on the East Coast – should be on the lookout for flood-damaged vehicles that often hit the market after a major hurricane, says Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information. The advisory comes in the wake Hurricane Sandy, which caused massive flooding in several Northeast and Mid-Atlantic cities in the U.S.
“Once owners of damaged cars settle up with their insurance companies, vehicles are sometimes refurbished and resold, usually to an unsuspecting buyer in a state unaffected by the disaster,” says Edmunds.com Consumer Advice Editor Ron Montoya. “Electrical and mechanical problems can then surface long after the seller is gone, leaving the new owner with an unreliable car and no recourse against the seller.”
The most effective way for a used car buyer to weed out a water-damaged vehicle is to obtain a vehicle history report from a company like Carfax and Experian’s AutoCheck. The report will call out specific designations designed to alert future buyers about a car’s integrity. A “salvage title” means that the car was declared a total loss by an insurance company, either because of a serious accident or any other problems. A “flood title” lets future buyers know that the car has damage from sitting in water deep enough to fill the engine compartment.
Edmunds.com also advises buyers to look for the following characteristics typical of a flood-damaged vehicle:
- Musty or moldy odors inside the car
- Discolored carpeting and upholstery
- Fogging inside headlamps
- Rust and flaking metal in the undercarriage
- Dirt buildup in unusual areas
For more information on how to protect yourself against buying a flood-damaged car, please visit Edmunds.com at http://www.edmunds.com/car-
About Edmunds.com, Inc.
At Edmunds.com, we’re committed to helping people find the car that meets their every need. Almost 18 million visitors use our research, shopping and buying tools every month to make an easy and informed decision on their next new or used car. Whether you’re at the dealership or on the go, we’re always by your side with our five-star Edmunds.com iPhone and iPad apps and our Edmunds.com Android App. Our comprehensive car reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories offer a friendly and authentic approach to the automotive world. We’re based in Santa Monica, Calif., but you can connect with us from anywhere by following @Edmunds on Twitter or by becoming a fan of Edmunds.com on Facebook.
