You have to worry about financing, what kind of vehicle
is best, and if it's going to break down on you as soon as you get it
home, but one thing that a lot of people don't tend to think about when
shopping for a new vehicle is if it has ever been completely submerged
in water.
These vehicles aren't always readily noticeable as
having been submerged before. Dishonest car dealers and individuals
looking to cheat you aren't likely to tell you that a vehicle has been
flooded, so you have to watch out for yourself.
One of the most dangerous things about vehicles that
have been flooded can be is the possibility of mold growth in the
interior of the car. It's just as dangerous as the mold that can grow
inside your home, but you're less likely to notice it because most
people don't think about mold growing in their cars.
Sometimes bad car dealers will try to cover the odor
of mold in the car with air or carpet fresheners. You never know if the
mold has been completely removed from the car unless the carpet has been
replaced and the interior cleaned by a professional.
Even the engine isn't safe. Any flood waters the car
has been exposed to contain sand, dirt, silt, or any number of debris
that can work its way into the engine and cause it to malfunction. Even
sewage can be found in some flood waters.
There are also electrical problems abound in vehicles
that have been flooded before. Many things on a vehicle today are
monitored not by manual gauges, but by electronics and trying to use
these by powering on the car before it's completely dried out will
probably ruin them.
Look for rust in the trunk of the car, particularly
around the headlights and smell the interior closely. If there's a musty
odor or you can detect a scented air or carpet freshener has been used,
it's probably a good idea to go somewhere else to find a vehicle.
Even if you purchase a vehicle history report off of a
website, you might not get all the information on a vehicle. You'll get
any information that was reported to the insurance company and a claim
was done on, but if the car was submerged and the person or dealer
chooses to sell it without reporting the incident, they can.
