The National Insurance Crime Bureau,an insurance trade group, warns buyers to be especially careful in the coming weeks and months as thousands of hurricane-damaged vehicles “…may reappear for sale across the nation, a problem that also occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.”
After Hurricane Katrina, the Bureau set up a free VINcheck database, in which you can enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see whether the insurance industry has deemed a car or truck seriously damaged. The only drawback is that the database would not have this information if the vehicle was not insured. There are also paid services that can give you a detailed history of a vehicle.
Better Business Bureau offers a checklist to help determine whether a used car comes from a flood zone:
Don’t buy without seeing the vehicle – If you are buying from out of state, plan a trip to check the vehicle, instead of relying on photos.
Look for signs of cosmetic work – These include a fresh paint job, recently shampooed or replaced carpeting or freshly cleaned upholstery that may have been performed subsequent to flooding.
Search for other signs of damage - Check under the dashboard for brittle wiring and evidence of dried mud and other deposits. Look for rust on screws in the center console and other areas that might have been submerged.
Get it thoroughly checked by a mechanic - Before putting down a deposit, get a qualified mechanic to examine the vehicle from top to bottom. You can never know what they will find. This is not a free service, but it is money well-spent.
If you’re buying from out of town used-car sellers, check them out at bbb.org to make sure they exist and have a good marketplace track record