Steer clear of flood cars hitting the used auto market on clarkhoward.com

RIP-OFF ALERT: Used car buyers can expect a glut of flood cars to hit the market in the wake of the flooding in the Southeastern United States. Clark wants to offer some tips so you can steer clear of these bum rides.

We're treading familiar ground here, actually. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we saw waves of flood cars coming out of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and other states.

Here's what to look for this time around:

• Be wary of any used car that shows up as recently titled in Georgia or Alabama when you research the VIN number through CarFax.com or a similar service.

• Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau's search tool at NICB.org to identify further identify flood cars.

• Make any used car purchase subject to inspection by an independent mechanic. You can leave a deposit if you wish, but specify in writing that the money must be returned to you if the car doesn't check out.

• And as always, know what fair market value is on the used vehicle in question!

What others are saying

Car Auctions
I am in the market for a use vehicle.
for the first time I am gonna try the Auto auction market. What can I do to guard against Flood vehicles Clark is talking about. By the way I also live in Georgia
By Russell Harrison @ 10/07/09 06:56:10 AMreport abuse
People can really suck sometimes
My brother bought a 93 GM Jimmy 4x4 with less than 80k on the odometer around 2000 just as he was starting electrical engineering school in the next state over. Within 1 month it needed a new engine among other things, it totally caused hardship and stress for him because he had no transportation to get home or to college or work other than public services like a bus, and of course the loss of cash. After running the VIN, something he should of did before he bought it, it came back as a flood damaged vehicle. The owner, who happened to work with my aunt who happened to mention this deal to my brother in the first place, would not help with any of the bill. A new GM 4.3 V6 rebuilt with warranty and install was well over $4,000, almost not worth the cost but the work was done. Back in 2000 there was no free site to check for this info, and an 18 year old searching for his first auto ever isn't going to make the right decisions. My brother looks back on this and just cringes, the loss of money, the stress and the conflict started between us and our aunt all over some goof who was well-off financially, and who just had to make a buck off a vehicle he knew was damaged.

People can really suck sometimes
By Chris @ 09/30/09 12:21:59 PMreport abuse
Junkers
Good advice John. Many of these flood cars are sold with no warranty, or a warranty that omits electrical problems. Don't pay more than 5% to 10% of the sticker price for any of them.
By Trey @ 09/30/09 11:21:35 AMreport abuse
Answer to the Question
Cars today are totally dependent upon electronics. Contaminated water is the mortal enemy of the hundreds of feet of wire, hundreds of connectors and dozens of computer modules that are in the typical car. It's only a matter of time before corrosion starts to attack and connections begin to fail. It's almost like a time-delayed failure you are in for. When problems do start popping up, diagnosis and repair, if even possible, is usually expensive. Sooner or later, the problems will pop up all over the car as failures happen all over the place.

Even if the former owner was able to clean out the interior (which usually isn't economical either) it simply isn't economical to totally replace the entire electrical system.

I'd only buy one of these cars if it was in the hundreds-of-dollars, and I could consider the car literally "disposable".
By John the Econ @ 09/30/09 09:45:30 AMreport abuse
Thanks, Bryan
Bryan, thanks for posting everything twice! A lot of us probably missed it the first time!
By Kilduff @ 09/29/09 08:17:54 PMreport abuse
Question
Probably going to get pounced on this, but what is wrong with buying a flooded used car?

Now I am talkinga bout one with new interior and noted as being flooded with a deep dscount.

Texan
By Texan @ 09/29/09 06:03:11 PMreport abuse
A Quick Way to Check Yourself
I agree with Clark's recommendations. A quick way to see for yourself is to look up underneath the dash board. The metal parts are not treated for rust. If the car was in a flood, you will notice lots of rust metal under there.
By Brian @ 09/29/09 04:29:46 PMreport abuse

Car Auctions

I am in the market for a use vehicle.
for the first time I am gonna try the Auto auction market. What can I do to guard against Flood vehicles Clark is talking about. By the way I also live in Georgia

By Russell Harrison @ 10/07/09 06:56:10 AMreport abuse

People can really suck sometimes

My brother bought a 93 GM Jimmy 4x4 with less than 80k on the odometer around 2000 just as he was starting electrical engineering school in the next state over. Within 1 month it needed a new engine among other things, it totally caused hardship and stress for him because he had no transportation to get home or to college or work other than public services like a bus, and of course the loss of cash. After running the VIN, something he should of did before he bought it, it came back as a flood damaged vehicle. The owner, who happened to work with my aunt who happened to mention this deal to my brother in the first place, would not help with any of the bill. A new GM 4.3 V6 rebuilt with warranty and install was well over $4,000, almost not worth the cost but the work was done. Back in 2000 there was no free site to check for this info, and an 18 year old searching for his first auto ever isn't going to make the right decisions. My brother looks back on this and just cringes, the loss of money, the stress and the conflict started between us and our aunt all over some goof who was well-off financially, and who just had to make a buck off a vehicle he knew was damaged.

People can really suck sometimes

By Chris @ 09/30/09 12:21:59 PMreport abuse

Junkers

Good advice John. Many of these flood cars are sold with no warranty, or a warranty that omits electrical problems. Don't pay more than 5% to 10% of the sticker price for any of them.

By Trey @ 09/30/09 11:21:35 AMreport abuse

Answer to the Question

Cars today are totally dependent upon electronics. Contaminated water is the mortal enemy of the hundreds of feet of wire, hundreds of connectors and dozens of computer modules that are in the typical car. It's only a matter of time before corrosion starts to attack and connections begin to fail. It's almost like a time-delayed failure you are in for. When problems do start popping up, diagnosis and repair, if even possible, is usually expensive. Sooner or later, the problems will pop up all over the car as failures happen all over the place.

Even if the former owner was able to clean out the interior (which usually isn't economical either) it simply isn't economical to totally replace the entire electrical system.

I'd only buy one of these cars if it was in the hundreds-of-dollars, and I could consider the car literally "disposable".

By John the Econ @ 09/30/09 09:45:30 AMreport abuse

Thanks, Bryan

Bryan, thanks for posting everything twice! A lot of us probably missed it the first time!

By Kilduff @ 09/29/09 08:17:54 PMreport abuse

Question

Probably going to get pounced on this, but what is wrong with buying a flooded used car?

Now I am talkinga bout one with new interior and noted as being flooded with a deep dscount.

Texan

By Texan @ 09/29/09 06:03:11 PMreport abuse

A Quick Way to Check Yourself

I agree with Clark's recommendations. A quick way to see for yourself is to look up underneath the dash board. The metal parts are not treated for rust. If the car was in a flood, you will notice lots of rust metal under there.

By Brian @ 09/29/09 04:29:46 PMreport abuse

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Sep 29, 2009 -- Steer clear of flood cars hitting the used auto market

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