With devastating storms that cause severe flooding, like those we’ve recently seen in Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, comes flood damaged cars.  These damaged cars get shipped across the country, even to Salt Lake City, where sneaky dealers refurbish them making them look brand new and then slap a ‘For Sale’ sign in the window.

A flood car can look perfect at a glance, but more often than not they have problems lurking.  Why?  Well, water rusts metal even in places you can’t easily see, it corrodes wires and makes them brittle, seizes up mechanical systems, and it voids the manufacturer warranty.  All of which may not be noticeable until months or years down the line.

Avoiding a flood damaged vehicle is the responsibility of the buyer, especially in an as-is state like Utah.  While there is no sure fire way to guarantee the used car you’re considering isn’t a flood car, there are ways to minimize your risk.  There are signs of damage to look for, but they can be subtle and easy to miss.  Obviously, best practice is to always get a used car inspection before you make a purchase.  A trained technician will be able to spot the signs in no time!  You can also run a vehicle history report (like CARFAX), which can tell you if the vehicles past had been claimed on its insurance.

Remember, buying a vehicle is a big investment.  Protect yourself; it is a very small percentage of your investment to have On-Site Inspections do a used vehicle condition report (which, by the way, comes with a CARFAX).  Tell us where the car is located and we’ll have the used car inspection done in no time, giving you the peace of mind in knowing the vehicle you’re about to spend thousands on is quality, or know before you waste your hard earned money that you dodged a bullet.