A Used Toyota Dealer in Charlotte Tells You How to Spot Flood Damaged Cars

Feb 22, 2013

After natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados and other storms, there is a lot of damage to clean up. Some damages are not so obvious, and that is why your used Toyota Dealer in Charlotte wants to help you spot cars that may have been involved in flood waters so you don’t buy it from the used car market. Used cars can be transported anywhere in the country, so don’t think you are safe just because your state hasn’t been the victim of a natural disaster recently!

Check the VIN with the National Insurance Crime Bureau

You can check on the VIN with The National Insurance Crime Bureau at no charge and view a history of the vehicle. If the previous owner of a vehicle had the car totaled by their insurance company, The National Insurance Crime Bureau is very likely to know about it.

Run a Title Check on the Vehicle

You can check the title on a vehicle before you buy it. If the title includes “flood” or “salvage” run, don’t walk, as fast as you can. Just beware some cars with flood damage get junked, and reappear on the used car market with a new title which doesn’t include information about the flood damage. If a used car seller does not have a title, there is a good chance he or she is hiding information so be wary of any car for sale without a title.

Look for Flood Damage

Finally, before buying a used car look for obvious signs of flood damage and avoid buying any car that exhibits the following evidence of trouble:

Water line visible on taillights and headlights or on the engine
Soggy or muddy carpets
Mud or other signs of debris on areas of the car where it wouldn’t naturally occur