Despite the title, this is not an ad for anything.
I just replied to a poster about a 2007 Outback H6 advertised for (apparently) only $2,200. As soon as I hit the button, it occurred to me that it is about time for a reminder about flood damaged cars.
As the superstorm turns into a supercleanup, we will start to see more superdeals on cars that aren't so super anymore.
Flooding is one of the worst things you can do to a car, yet it leaves few visible traces and many of them are easy to hide- particularly where undereducated buyers are concerned. Saltwater flooding, such as occurred with this superstorm, is just about the worst kind of flooding there is.
I found an article listing 10 ways to spot flood damage in a car. I'm sure there are more ways- my old favorite was to reach under the seats and rub a white rag on the seat springs, to check for orange rust dust. That method isn't possible with some modern car designs but there are lots of tricks like that to help buyers. I'm hoping we can get a thread going to help new buyers of used cars be more aware.
Sandy hit NJ and NY with the most force, but there were flooded cars in other states too. Subarus are popular in those areas.
Keep in mind that after big storms and floods, many salvaged cars are hauled out to other parts of the country for resale. A car drowned by Sandy could be loaded on a trailer and put on a used car lot in Minnesota without much effort.
Used car prices have been very high recently, so there is extra incentive for auto salvagers to cash in on flood cars.
It is also worth mentioning that just because a car got flooded, it isn't worthless- it's just not as good as a car that hasn't ever been flooded. Uneducated buyers allow dealers to charge the same for both cars when the "u-boat edition" really should be heavily discounted.
Whether you are shopping for your first used Subaru or your seventh, keep your eyes peeled.
I just replied to a poster about a 2007 Outback H6 advertised for (apparently) only $2,200. As soon as I hit the button, it occurred to me that it is about time for a reminder about flood damaged cars.
As the superstorm turns into a supercleanup, we will start to see more superdeals on cars that aren't so super anymore.
Flooding is one of the worst things you can do to a car, yet it leaves few visible traces and many of them are easy to hide- particularly where undereducated buyers are concerned. Saltwater flooding, such as occurred with this superstorm, is just about the worst kind of flooding there is.
I found an article listing 10 ways to spot flood damage in a car. I'm sure there are more ways- my old favorite was to reach under the seats and rub a white rag on the seat springs, to check for orange rust dust. That method isn't possible with some modern car designs but there are lots of tricks like that to help buyers. I'm hoping we can get a thread going to help new buyers of used cars be more aware.
Sandy hit NJ and NY with the most force, but there were flooded cars in other states too. Subarus are popular in those areas.
Keep in mind that after big storms and floods, many salvaged cars are hauled out to other parts of the country for resale. A car drowned by Sandy could be loaded on a trailer and put on a used car lot in Minnesota without much effort.
Used car prices have been very high recently, so there is extra incentive for auto salvagers to cash in on flood cars.
It is also worth mentioning that just because a car got flooded, it isn't worthless- it's just not as good as a car that hasn't ever been flooded. Uneducated buyers allow dealers to charge the same for both cars when the "u-boat edition" really should be heavily discounted.
Whether you are shopping for your first used Subaru or your seventh, keep your eyes peeled.
