After the January storms, the used-car market was flooded with water-damaged vehicles, but it’s not always easy to tell if one is the one you’re considering buying .
According to experts, there are currently over 50,000 affected vehicles on the road in California, so before you buy a used car, listen to these tips.
At the start of the year, California suffered the ravages of nature, and many vehicles were submerged in water… At least temporarily.
“Thousands of cars in California are affected by flooding, 32,000 of which are on dealer lots, and the rest are cars registered in areas where FEMA has indicated a flood-affected location,” Eddie said. Garcés, national director of CARFAX.
And even when the car is dried and cleaned, explained Garcés, it should no longer circulate.
“When a car is flooded, it will never be the same, even if they clean it up,” added Garcés.
The problem is that the scammers do just that, clean the vehicles and sell them without telling the buyer, the problem?
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“There is a risk that the electronic mechanical system, the ECUs, the airbags, even the brakes, will not work, which is most needed,” Garcés said.
That’s why, if you’re looking for a used car, you need to watch out for signs that it might have been flooded.
“The consumer can keep an eye on it, including the bonnet, open the bonnet, look at the battery cables, the module calculator, the fuses. There’s no way to hide it.”
Ideally, you should have it checked out by a mechanic, but if you can’t, do the following:
- take out the spare tire, see if the bolts are rusty;
- see if the screws are rusty, if there is mud, dirt or stains on the upholstery, on the carpet;
- When you open the driver’s door, crouch down and look under the dashboard.
And one more help, review this free tool that you can find on the site of carfax.com/flood where, with the VIN number, they can find out if this car has been reported as flood damaged by FEMA, insurance companies or dealerships.
Experts point out that if the price is attractive, pull out the magnifying glass and take a good look.
The ideal is always to take the car to an experienced mechanic to check it well, because if you buy a damaged vehicle, you will not only be wasting your money, but you will be risking your safety and that of your family.