flood damage car and feeling stupid

nynor · 03-31-2017, 04:42 PM

i test drove a car today with 40k on the odometer. it is a flood damage car.

it drove great, damage is from 4 years ago, i couldn't find anything wrong with it.

to buy the same vehicle with the same miles and no flood damage it would be 22K vs 14K. i loved it, frankly.

how stupid am i?

TIA, D.

GWN7 · 03-31-2017, 04:53 PM

As long as you don't plan on keeping it. I has a S series Jimmy that became a 1/2 submarine at a boat launch. My insurance company "fixed it" about 4 years later the roof started to rust from the inside out.

Arizona_928 · 03-31-2017, 04:54 PM

Depends on the car. Salt water vs fresh, and if you plan to long term keep it.

nynor · 03-31-2017, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GWN7

As long as you don't plan on keeping it. I has a S series Jimmy that became a 1/2 submarine at a boat launch. My insurance company "fixed it" about 4 years later the roof started to rust from the inside out.

i plan on inspecting it on the rack myself. i'd also be planning on keeping it. it has zero smell to it and they added nothing to cover a smell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

Depends on the car. Salt water vs fresh, and if you plan to long term keep it.

freshwater, i think.

BeyGon · 03-31-2017, 05:25 PM

What does your insurance company have to say?

nynor · 03-31-2017, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeyGon

What does your insurance company have to say?

they will cover it.

masraum · 03-31-2017, 05:44 PM

SIL bought a flood salvage vehicle. A year later, the wiring harness had to be replaced.

1/3rd off doesn't seem like enough.

nynor · 03-31-2017, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum

SIL bought a flood salvage vehicle. A year later, the wiring harness had to be replaced.

1/3rd off doesn't seem like enough.

i hear you. maybe i can get the car and go through all the obvious electrical stuff?

KFC911 · 03-31-2017, 06:29 PM

If the $ are an issue, I think I'd rather have a car with higher mileage...that's never been swimming.

Arizona_928 · 03-31-2017, 07:08 PM

Love is a dangerous thing.
8 grand off.
Worst case scenario is that you have to replace a wiring harness, and random electrical components. How's the build quality to begin with?

fastfredracing · 03-31-2017, 08:07 PM

I'd also want to know how far it went under. Hopefully , you can find some evidence of the high water mark. If it was just over the floor boards, and there is not a whole lot of electronics down there, then I would not be as scared .

nynor · 03-31-2017, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

Love is a dangerous thing.
8 grand off.
Worst case scenario is that you have to replace a wiring harness, and random electrical components. How's the build quality to begin with?

nissan 370Z.

nynor · 03-31-2017, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I'd also want to know how far it went under. Hopefully , you can find some evidence of the high water mark. If it was just over the floor boards, and there is not a whole lot of electronics down there, then I would not be as scared .

i will look for this. i looked under the hood and i didn't see any evidence.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Corrosion is insidious. It can take a long time for a connection to corrode to the point where it causes problems. I wouldn't want this as a vehicle I had to depend on.

Steve Carlton · 03-31-2017, 08:55 PM

If the flood damage is noted in the Carfax, then you'll also get less than when you sell it. Worth less now; worth less later. Roughly speaking, you'll have 1/3 less depreciation and tied up less money. You also gain the risk of something going wrong that wouldn't have gone wrong if it wasn't a flood damage car. I'm not into it.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

A flood damaged Z? Hard pass man!

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

If the flood damage is noted in the Carfax, then you'll also get less than when you sell it. Worth less now; worth less later.

TRUE. I have rebuilt several totals for my own use. They can be hard to sell . I use them up. After I put 100k+ miles on them I have gotten my monies worth out of them. What I am saying is, if you buy it drive it and use it up. You can come out ahead. If you trade after 2 years, you may take a hit in the wallet.

greglepore · 04-01-2017, 04:43 AM

^+1. I've posted here before about the D3 Audi A8 that we have. Flood damaged, yes, but all it was was deep water into the intake, resulting in a hydrolock and an engine rebuild. Paid about 30% less than retail from a shop here (executiveautogalleries.com) that does nothing but total salvage-mostly flood, some hail. They had an f455 and a California on the floor when we went in, along with an M6 and a Maybach. Our Audi has been flawless except for normal Audi stuff, but we bought it knowing if we didn't like it we were stuck for a bit.

zelrik911 · zelrik911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by nynor

nissan 370Z.

If its an Auto Z with 7 speeds, there is no dipstick to easy check on the trans fluid.

So you must assume you have to drop the trans pan and get all the water & fluid out,
The 370Z trans is a recognised trouble spot on these cars anyway.

They are great cars - hope you can get a good car cheap.

dennisO · 04-01-2017, 07:43 AM

I've had friends buy flood damaged cars and they rusted from the inside out even with the rust protection on modern cars. The water and silt got into into panel joints and hidden cavities and cancerous rust started after a couple of years.

I like jack Didley's advice. Drive it like you stole if for a couple of years and then be prepared to walk away with no cash. If you can live with that, then it might be ok deal.