The recent hurricanes that have hammered many of the southern states have destroyed countless homes, leaving many families with no choice but to completely rebuild their properties. Thousands of vehicles were demolished in the storms, too. But experts are saying that some unscrupulous second-hand sellers might try to pass off those flood-damaged vehicles as perfectly fine automobiles.
Nearly 40 million used cars exchange hands each year, between dealership and private party sales. There are laws that are made to protect consumers from being sold a lemon, like the one that requires flood damage, auto repairs, etc. to be reported on a vehicle’s title. But of course, there are still those who will try to take advantage and dupe unsuspecting buyers. This is why inspecting a vehicle with the help of a reliable auto and engine repairs shop before buying is crucial.
The Motor Vehicle Anti-Theft Act of 1996 actually differentiates between vehicles that have been flooded with fresh water and those that have been damaged by saltwater. While the former can be rebuilt, sold, and driven without incident, the latter cannot. State laws and auto insurance companies further make distinctions between salvageable and non-repairable vehicles, depending on the extent of the flood damage.
In the case of Hurricane Florence, vehicles were damaged by “brackish water,” which is actually a mix of fresh and saltwater (the result of saltwater seeping into bayou areas). Saltwater eats away at the body of a car and its operational components; it’s so corrosive that it continues to damage the car even after it’s cleaned and repaired. Modern cars are more prone to these kinds of damage, even with minor flooding, given the position of vehicular computer systems in vehicles’ lower portions. Although these saltwater damaged cars can be sold for parts, a vehicle recognized as non-repairable in certain states can never again be titled.
But because there’s no national standard for these conditions, swindlers will often move a flood-damaged vehicle to a different state and give it a clean title. These scammers operate on limited time, as they need to sell the car before title check systems are able to be updated with the car’s history. And that’s why consumers need to be extremely cautious when buying a car after a natural disaster has taken place. By the time the scam is discovered, the seller will have disappeared and the buyer will be up the creek without a paddle.
According to CarFax, more than 325,000 flooded vehicles were put back into use in 2017 — with several thousand showing up in several northern cities not well-known for hurricanes or even flooding. And according to their October 2018 research report, over 478,000 flooded vehicles were put back into use this year, representing a 47% increase from last year. Those are scary statistics for those looking to purchase used vehicles, especially when you consider that non-repairable vehicles aren’t always easy to spot.
The signs of flood damage are not always as obvious as rust or mold. Internal corruptions of the computer system could go unnoticed until the air bags need to employ and fail or the steering suddenly stops working when you need it most. When buying vehicles, a mere test drive — or worse, trusting your gut — won’t do.
Experts say that obtaining a car history report is the best way to ensure you don’t unknowingly end up with a damaged vehicle. This report will give you information about prior ownership and titles, vehicle liens, odometer readings, and accident history — which means that if the previous owners were one of the 1.1 million drivers arrested for driving under the influence in 2015 and subsequently were involved in a crash, you’ll be able to find out about it. Usually, this report will also be able to provide information about flood damage, even if the vehicle has crossed state lines. But if the seller acts quickly enough, the report may not accurately reflect this damage. That means buyers have to be extra diligent.
If the car’s last title was located in an area recently damaged by flooding, that should set off alarm bells. Any seller who isn’t willing to provide you with the vehicle’s history should also act as a red flag. If you still want to buy a used vehicle, a thorough visual and mechanical inspection is a must. Look for signs of freshly shampooed carpets, mud under the seats, water or residue under the spare tire, odd dashboard lighting quirks, rust or grit, and musty odors. Test every electrical system in the car that you can and have a trusted mechanic examine the vehicle before you agree to purchase it.
As an extra safety precaution, you might want to wait to buy a used car until at least a month after a major hurricane; while that alone isn’t sufficient to avoid getting scammed, it’ll at least make it more likely for damages to show up when you search for the car’s history report. Of course, you could just avoid this scenario altogether and pledge to buy a used vehicle only through a reputable dealer, rather than a random stranger. That way, you’ll have both peace of mind and a working vehicle that won’t turn into a deathtrap on your next road trip.
