Flood damaged cars from hurricanes could represent a costly bargain

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — Tens of thousands more cars with flood damage are expected to hit the used car market after hurricanes Helene and Milton. Not knowing the difference between vehicles with flood damage and those without could be costly.

Images of cars floating on streets or sitting below the surface of high waters have been prevalent in the news and on social media as the weather has struck the region. While these tropical storms happen all the time, they can often result in damaged vehicles being sold cheam to potential scammers who clean them up and sell them in other locations like Las Vegas.

Em Nguyen, director of public relations for Carfax, said the problems with the vehicles may not be immediately visible on the surface,

“While they may be cleaning it up to look showroom fresh, it’s actually rotting from the inside out,” Nguyen said.

Carfax officials estimate that 89,000 vehicles were damaged by storms this summer, adding to the 450,000 damaged cars from last year, and that number is expected to grow.

The first a potential buyer should do is check Carfax Free Flood Check . There, a buyer can see the history of the car and whether or not there is water damage. There are tell-tale signs of flood damage, including carpentry and upholstery that’s damp or loose. Mismatched carpet is also a bad sign, as is the smell of mildew, potentially hinting that mold is inside the car. Nguyen said brittle wires under the dash are another signal.

“Look out for mud in unusual places under the hood of a car or up high where mud shouldn’t be in a car,” Nguyen said. “Walk around the car, look for headlights, and see if they are foggy or have moisture beating up inside. That’s also not a good sign.”

Other tips include taking the car to a mechanic, doing a test drive to check out how the engine is working. Water inside an engine or oil system can be devastating, and gas pedal or break rust could cause malfunctions. If there’s been water damage, you’re buying all safety and electrical, not to mention health problems that could come with that.

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