Used Cars - Avoid Flood Damage
Do not buy flood damaged cars
There are many flood damaged cars being sold on the market.
Usually, flood damaged cars, SUVs and trucks are placed in
salvage yards. Some though, are made spick and span and put into
the car market and they will be up for sale. But the problem is,
there really are no tell tale signs of flood damage that would
give them away. This is because the cars will be restored so
they would look almost like new. The damages caused by the flood
would be erased or covered. After the changes, the cars will
then be sold to unsuspecting buyers who thinks they are getting
a good bargain.
Fact is flood damaged cars are being moved by unscrupulous
merchants. Consumers can and should protect themselves against
being taken advantage of in the auto market. Luckily, there are
several things consumers can do to protect themselves from
buying flood damaged cars.
The best things a consumer can do to be sure if a car is flood
damaged or not is to get the history of the vehicle. You can do
this by submitting the vehicle identification number (VIN) of a
car to a website which provides vehicle history information.
What these websites do is search a nationwide database of car
information then gathers research on the car's title,
maintenance record, registration, and odometer. You will
instantaneously know if the vehicle has been stolen, has had a
troubled past, or has had its odometer rolled back through the
report that the website will return. Just a little research on a
car's history will reveal if it has been salvaged, flooded,
rebuilt, or is basically a "lemon."
Prospective car buyers should be aware of flood damaged vehicles
being sold on the car market. Why shouldn't you buy flood
damaged cars? Well simply because water leaves a lasting damage.
Even if the devices and machines requiring electricity will
restore it, it will probably fail sooner or later because mold
and mildew aren't' easy to remove. And when a car is flood
damaged any warranty warrant is voided.
Below are several things you can do to check if a car is flood
damaged:
Check for moisture and dirt. Flood damaged cars usually have
moisture trapped and dirt inside the lights. Dampness can also
be seen inside the compartment with glovesF, console and trunk
so you better inspect these spots. Dirt, which can also be a
sign of flood damage, can also accumulate under the hood.
Moisture can also accumulate under the seat. Of course, rust is
another telltale sign of flood damage.
Smell the car Mildew can be easily detected by smelling. Mildew
often forms on soaked fabrics so sharpen your sense of smell
when you're on the lookout for a new vehicle. Also try to detect
other smells that could be caused by flood damage like spilled
oil or fuel.
Check if components match Mismatched component could mean that
the component are changed hurriedly after the car has been
salvaged from a flood. So try to see if the carpet, seats and
stereo components looks too new for the car.
Also try to check if the car has been titled several times from
different states, which is usually a hint that its owners are
trying to erase the questionable and negative history of the car
by looking for spots where disclosing defects is not required or
is easily evaded. Cars that are titled several times are usually
salvaged or totaled.
Test drive Of course the best way to check the performance of a
car is to take it for a test drive. Check the electrical system
including all the lights and the sound system.
Ask an expert Have an expert mechanic or technician check the
car. Have a second opinion if you may. Expert mechanics and car
technician can detect flood damaged cars easily than ordinary
people.
Remember that in buying a vehicle, never ever take a chance.
Buying a damaged vehicle can cost you more than your money. It
could also bring serious accident even death. If you suspect
that someone is selling you a car that has been flood damaged
immediately say no then walk away. The dough you will save in
buying a flood damaged car will quickly go away by the headache
it will bring.
About the author:
Jay is the web owner of http://www.new-cars-in.com New Car Quotes, a website
that provides information and resources on searching for new
cars, new car pricing, loans, and dealers. You can visit his
website at: http://www.used-cars-in.net Used Car Prices
Written By: Jay Bauder
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