Beware Flood Damaged Used Cars For Sale

If you’re in the market for a used car, watch out for “Katrina cars” for sale anywhere in the country. Between 250,00 and 500,000 of them may resurface at a used car dealer in your hometown.

Cars and trucks that went thru hurricanes or floods can still be restored to look great, even though the most important parts have been permanently damaged. Flood waters can damage engines, electrical systems, and more. They can also cause airbags and brakes to malfunction and make the vehicle dangerous to operate.

Crooks find “Katrina cars” a great buy because they can be picked up for pennies on the dollar from insurance companies and others. Then a few cheap, quick repairs can make them look good again, even though water-logged vehicles will not last and will likely be forever plagued with problems that will require costly repairs, if they can be fixed at all.

If you think you’ve been ripped off by a car dealer, call us at 1-888-331-6422 or email us today for help.

You may not always be able to tell but there are some signs that a vehicle has been under water:

• Look for rust (or even mud) under the instrument panel and water stains under the floor mats
• Check for a moldy or musty odor in the trunk
• Watch out for older vehicles that have new carpeting or seats
• Carefully inspect wires, hinges, crevices and cracks for mud, grit or grime residue where it shouldn’t exist
• Look for interior compartment screws that show signs of rust

You can also check a car’s history thru CarFax or Autocheck and see if a flood damaged title has been issued for that vehicle or if the vehicle was owned in a flood damaged state recently.

But watch out because Louisiana, like many states, doesn’t require a notice be put on the title when a car has been totaled because of flood damage. Even in those states where it is required, crooked car dealers can retitle the cars in another state of “wash” the flood notice right off the title record. Then they can resell the car and give the buyer a “clean” title with no hint of the prior flood ever having taken place.

That's exactly why before you put down your hard-earned money, you should have an independent mechanic check out the used car you are about to buy. A small cost for a thorough used car inspection may save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

If you think you’ve been ripped off by a car dealer, if you suspect your car was previously damaged and the seller didn’t tell you about it, or outright lied about it, we can help.

Call us at 1-888-331-6422 or email us today for a Free Case Review!