Most sellers are honest enough to let you know if the used car or truck you’re interested in has been in a flood. There are the rare occasions, however, when seller may not know everything about a vehicle’s past or may simply be trying to deceive you. Flood damage is one of the hardest sorts of used car damage to detect if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but there are a handful of easy tip offs. If you suspect the used car you’re interested in has been flooded in the past, it’s best to just walk away and find a better deal.
The Smell
One of the easiest ways to tell if a car has been flooded is if the interior has a musty, damp smell. No matter how hard you try, that smell is almost impossible to get rid of.
Odd Colors
Be sure to check out the interior thoroughly. Is the carpet discolored? Do the seats match the rest of the interior? It’s easy to swap large pieces of interior like seats, but carpet and door panels may be more difficult to replace in good condition. Keep an eye out for dark stains toward the lower portion of the used car or truck, too.
Debris
When a vehicle is an a flood, water carries all sorts of debris everywhere. That includes lots and lots of soil. When the water recedes, all that dirt is left behind all over the vehicle. No matter how thoroughly a car has been cleaned, caked on mud will remain. Give the car a good once over and look for any odd build up.
History Report
If the vehicle has been reported as being in a flood, that information will show up on the history report.
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