Flood Damage Cars Are Still Around
While the news reports concerning hurricanes, flood damages and
the travesty that was put upon the unfortunate victims have
slowed down, the dangers and hazards are still present.
With reports varying upwards of 600,000 vehicles damaged by
floodwaters, these cars and trucks will most certainly, and
already have, surfaced across the country, waiting on their next
victim.
It's easy to let your guard down with out much media publicity,
but used car buyers should be aware that these vehicles are
still out in the market, perhaps cross country in states that
are not affected by the floods.
A couple of common issues that have surfaced, that you should be
aware of, is sellers attempting to hide the origin of where
these cars came from. By registering the vehicle in different
states, it creates a paper trail that can be difficult to trace
unless you spend the time for researching.
Another common issue is sellers changing license plate frames or
adding an emblem from another state. This of course is designed
to hide or deceive the potential buyer of what state the car
came from.
The question remains, what steps should a consumer take to
minimize their risk of purchasing one of these damaged vehicles?
The below tips, ideas and suggestions will at least minimize
your risk of purchasing a car or truck that has been involved
with floodwaters.
Check the National Insurance Crime Bureau's web site at www.nicb.org, they have compiled
a list of vehicles that have that have been affected by
hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. While this list may not
include every single vehicle, it's a good place to start with.
Also run an online history report, once again, this database may
not be all-inclusive, but it's another step in the process of
elimination.
Knowledge Is King, and it can't have more meaning than in your
quest for a quality used automobile. Following the below
inspection tips will offer some added protection as well, and
perhaps is the most effective means of determining in the
vehicle was involved in floods.