The LAFD’s CATF-1 was deployed to Hurricane Harvey in August of last year and its members were able to save scores of adults, children and their pets from the advancing flood waters. But frustrating to the firefighters, there was nothing they could do to stop the property damage. At the peak of the storm, one third of Houston was under water, causing an estimated $180 billion in property loss.
According to CNBC, included in that property damage estimate are more than 500,000 vehicles. These vehicles will be bought up by local salvage yards, used car dealers, and metal recyclers. Some will be repaired by people who will try to flip them or by exporters who will send them to another country with less strict title laws, but the majority will likely end up as parts at a junkyard.
It’s perfectly legal to sell cars that were once underwater, but naive purchasers may be unaware the extent of the damage incurred to a vehicle that has spent any amount of time in water.
“Bottom line, flood cars literally rot from the inside out,” says Chris Basso from Carfax. Flood damage is easier to conceal from an untrained eye than damage from a wreck, but it can be more devastating to the engine and other key components. He noted that water impacts mechanical systems, the electrical system and even safety systems like airbags and anti-lock brakes. Beneath the surface, water can permanently damage computers that control everything from the gas pedal to power steering. And flooded vehicles may even prove to be a health risk because mold and bacteria can build up in the “soft parts of the car, especially the ventilation systems.”
These cars can, and do, show up all over the country. With two devastating storms last year, it’s vital for used car buyers everywhere to protect themselves from flooded cars that may wind up for sale. Start with a thorough test drive, a vehicle history report and a mechanic’s inspection before buying any used car.
Some shady sellers will have a car’s title wiped or reissued in a different state, making it hard to determine the vehicle’s true history. “Even brick-and-mortar legitimate dealers can get burned buying flooded vehicles,” said Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the National Insurance Crime Bureau. “If a professional can get burned, you can too.”
Since Hurricane Katrina, the National Insurance Crime Bureau has offered a free VIN check service to see if a car has been in a flood. The service is available at www.nicb.org/vincheck. A VIN also can be entered into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System database at www.vehiclehistory.gov.
A database check is not always enough. Some flood-damaged cars are missed by title and VIN checks, because a car can be bought cheap, cleaned and then taken out of state where a VIN is switched and the car is retitled with no indication that it has been damaged.
“The biggest giveaway on the inside of the car is you see rust build-up on the seat rails, on the nuts and bolts, and the seat belts,” Basso said. He also recommends a “smell test” – Close the windows for a few hours to see if there’s a rusty, mildew smell.”