ABC news report on flood cars - Wonder how many are on the road.

[LeeH]

This was chilling... USAA sold 170+ flood cars at auction as "parts only" but left them with regular titles! And that's just one insurance company. What a shock that they ended up on a dealer's lot.

How Did a Sandy-Damaged Truck Land on a Used Car Lot? | Video - ABC News

[Rick V]

When I worked at the Mazda dealer about ten years ago we got in a shipment of used cars, the first one I started to inspect for sale was a flood car from Fla. I declined the entire shipment and away they went. I am sure they ended up on another lot.
The law either needs to be changed to where these cars get crushed, or sold for what they are, flood cars. State it up front and just be done with it

[URY914]

Wouldn't a Carfax reveal this? And if so the Carfax needs to say more than just "flood damaged". It should state when and where the damage occured.

[URY914]

And BTW that reporter was acting like an azz. Just tell the story, don't become an actor playing a roll.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Rick V

The law either needs to be changed to where these cars get crushed, or sold for what they are, flood cars. State it up front and just be done with it

I don't particularly mind if it was a flood car, as long as that was properly disclosed to me.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by URY914

Wouldn't a Carfax reveal this? And if so the Carfax needs to say more than just "flood damaged". It should state when and where the damage occured.

Carfax is a joke.

Notoriously inaccurate, they are masters of marketing a worthless product.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

Carfax is a joke.

Notoriously inaccurate, they are masters of marketing a worthless product.

I think Carfax has created more problems for buyers and sellers than it has solved.

[speeder]

I've heard (true) stories of a dealer buying a car with a clean carfax and then 2 days later, the CF shows something awful. It changed overnight. What a POS product that is.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

I don't particularly mind if it was a flood car, as long as that was properly disclosed to me.

I can't imagine buying a car that had been sitting in sea water up to the dashboard for two days. That truck's inoperative power seats are going to seem minor compared to what lies ahead.

I was bummed that the reporter revealed himself so soon in the video. I'd like to have seen what the dealer was going to do to try and fix the seats whose switches and motors were probably as rusty as the tools that were left in the glove box.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by speeder

I've heard (true) stories of a dealer buying a car with a clean carfax and then 2 days later, the CF shows something awful. It changed overnight. What a POS product that is.

Yet if you post the words "need a carfax" on any of the boards, may god have mercy on your soul.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by LeeH

I can't imagine buying a car that had been sitting in sea water up to the dashboard for two days. That truck's inoperative power seats are going to seem minor compared to what lies ahead.

I didn't watch the video. I was thinking along the lines of buying a cheap flood car to gut as a racecar. Imagine picking up a cheap, flood damage MX5. I wouldn't buy a flood car and expect it to be reliable transportation - which is why proper disclosure is important.

[intakexhaust]

The BIGGER problem is the parted vehicles. The yards are selling trans, engines, controllers, etc. from thousands of salt laden flooded cars. Independent repair shops are not having it any easier either, especially if they guarantee the work.

[speeder]

If a car has truly been submerged up to the dashboard in salt water for days, (or one hour for that matter), it's toast. No way on earth that f-350 was under water. No fkin way. Not saying it wasn't a POS from the water that did touch it. You notice that they never ask the owner on camera how deep it was in water, (or air his answer), that would destroy the story.

I posted pics on here of Sandy cars that were totaled and sent to copart insurance auction that had no damage whatsoever that could not be fixed with a power washer for 30 minutes. Barely submerged to the hubs/axles. That's a whole other part of the massive flood/insurance/car fraud, IMO.

[matt711]

I bought one... Even financed it through USAA. It was a really clean Honda S2000. USAA didnt discover it either, even after I finance it and insured it with them! The dealer called me about 2 weeks after I took delivery and let me know. They took it back, offered to sell it to me for $8,000 ($22,00 original price) and I wish I woud have done it. Thrashed the crap out of that car for two weeks, what a blast to drive. Ended up with a Mini Cooper S. Fun car but felt like my man card was about to be revoked every time I drove it. Traded it for an Infiniti G35s.

[speeder]

You should have had that S2000 checked over with a magnifying glass once you found out about the "flood damage", or at least offered it to your Pelican bros. I would have bought it if it wasn't too soggy, and if everything electrical worked it was not submerged. You cannot hide the fact that a car has been underwater. Thousands of vehicles got totaled just for being in "a flood area". What a joke.

[matt711]

Speeder, Im still kicking myself for not keeping it. Under the hood I did notice a few areas with some surface rust but probably nothing that a little WD40 and a brush wouldnt have taken care of. All electrical stuff worked just fine. Really a dumb decision on my part letting it go. Silver with the red interior, man that car was fun to drive. Given that my only "sporty" car right now is the wife's 330Ci (E46) I feel like a dope for letting that S2000 go.

[Steve Carlton]

The owner of the F-350 showed how far underwater it was for 2 days. To the bottom of the dashboard, looked like about 8-10" above the floor inside the truck. Above the bottom cushion of the seat. The video had two parts.