Blog

Aug 23, 2023

How to spot a flood damaged vehicle and protect yourself before you buy

Experts say to always check vehicles carefully before you purchase Experts say to always check vehicles carefully before you purchase The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email

Experts say to always check vehicles carefully before you purchase

Experts say to always check vehicles carefully before you purchase

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Experts say to always check vehicles carefully before you purchase

At Partner Tire & Service in Colchester, workers have been busy following July's flooding.

"We have had an influx of customers from farther away trying to figure out why electrical things might be going wrong with their cars," said Connor Andersen, with Partner Tire & Service.

Andersen said finding evidence of a flooded car isn't too difficult.

"The first thing is definitely to trust your nose. You know the way you can trust your gut in a bad situation? If you can smell something with your nose, most often it's probably right," he said.

Andersen said mold or mildew are strong smells.

If something seems off, he suggests looking in less obvious places of a car for damage, such as under carpets, inside doors, under the hood and in the trunk.

"If you want to dig in further, look under the seats. Start pulling up cushions. Maybe pull the seat belts out see if the seat belts look like they've been completely submerged, because seat belts will hold a stain," said Andersen.

Andersen's advice comes as the Dept. of Motor Vehicles in both Vermont and New York are warning customers about the dangers of buying a flood damaged car.

Officials warn that some private sellers take a vehicle from a flooded area and get a new title in a different state and try to sell it.

Oftentimes, experts said the cars will be cleaned out so, at first glance, they look fine. That's why it's important to carefully and thoroughly inspect any car before buying.

Customers are also encouraged to check the National Insurance Crime Bureau's free VinCheck service, which helps customers determine if a car has been reported as salvaged or stolen.

At Partner Tire & Service, mechanics are trained to spot problems and alert customers if something doesn't seem quite right.

"It's going to be very difficult for somebody to try and pass along a car that's been fully submerged for a couple of different reasons, but the biggest one being that a motor will not run usually after its been submerged in water completely," said Andersen.

He said it's better to be safe than sorry by scheduling a simple check up at a reliable mechanic, which could save you thousands of dollars down the road.