Problems With Water Damaged Vehicles

Vehicles can become water damaged in a number of ways. It may be caused by a flood, accident, bad storm, or other things. When this happens to a car, often times there are many problem areas that are not apparent to the human eye. One thing that is often present in water damaged vehicles is mold, which makes them very dangerous to your health. Mold causes things such as respiratory and allergy problems as well as their spores causing headaches and even damage to your nervous system.

If the person owning the car has insurance, the company will usually total it out. In other words, they buy the car from the owner, but at a price that is considerable lower then what has been invested. They will pay on the value of what can be salvaged from the car, in its present condition. The interior of the car is usually beyond any salvage value when water damaged, so it will be such things as the body, tires, wheels, motor and parts.

In the past few years there has been a problem of some of these vehicles being shipped to another part of the country and re-sold. Some states require the title to be marked 'salvage' or 'rebuilt' which may mean water damage or other problems. If water damaged, these cars sometimes have a tell-tale moldy smell which, many times, is disguised with other odors sprayed on the upholstery. Therefore, you should be suspicious if there is a heavy perfume or air freshener in a car you are thinking of buying.

Because water damage, or a damaging accident, is always a possibility, it is a good idea for you to check the car's history when considering purchasing a used car. The history of any car is easily obtained by going on the Internet and checking out the car's VIN number with the manufacturer or other sources. This reveals any accidents or other serious thing that has happened and might affect the car's performance. This information will also reveal if there have been a part recall, serious defect warnings and other things.

A water damaged vehicle may show rust, especially in the trunk, have high water lines on the upholstery, rugs, headliner and other places. Look under the floor covering (located under the seats), and the tire storage space for wetness. Electrical problems are common in these cars, parts easily rust out, mold is often hidden in various places, and there are often other problems.

It is just not a good idea for anyone to purchase a vehicle that has experienced this kind of damage. By doing some careful checking this kind of problem can be avoided. Dealing with a reputable dealer, who wishes to maintain his or her good reputation, will help you avoid water damaged vehicles when searching for a good used car.