How can I avoid buying a car with previous flood or accident damage?
It is common that unscrupulous sellers will attempt to pass flooded vehicles as undamaged to unsuspecting and careless buyers and there will always be cars with undisclosed accident damage on the market. Now, more than ever, buyers have tools to protect themselves from unseen or covered damage like getting a detailed vehicle history report like Carfax and look for certified used cars. Other tips to avoid buying flooded cars: • First, buy from reputable dealers. • You can find great vehicles buying from private sellers but beware of curbstoners people who sell numerous cars claiming to be private sellers and therefore avoid basic government oversight and no Lemon Law coverage. • Avoid auctions online or otherwise unless you are experienced with them. • Check to make sure the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) match on the door sticker and the dashboard tag. • Carefully inspect the inside of the car looking for watermarks on door panels, radiators, wheel wells and seat cushions. • Look
