The storm and flash flooding in Toronto on July 8th was estimated to be upwards of $850 million in property damage. Across Toronto, many cars were stranded and flooded. Vehicles caught in bad areas experienced minor cabin flooding at best; worse areas have their cars completely totaled. The aftermath of this flood has caused flooded vehicles to enter the used car market, the following article is what you need to know.
Flooded Cars Are Typically Resold
One of the harshest penalties of negligent used car buying is accidentally buying a flooded car. Insurance does not typically cover cabin damage for vehicles. Typically flooded cars usually make it into the used car market because the owners recognize a musky or stagnant water odor in their car. Since private-sale cars are as-is, owners of flooded vehicles don’t hold too much risk when selling a car that is clearly sub-standard.
Recognizing Flooded Cars
Depending on how much effort is made by the owner to hide the fact a car has been flooded, common signs of a flooded vehicle are characterized by stained carpets, musky odor, non-OEM carpets, discoloring of the interior and aggressive and excessive fragrances.
For the best results in ensuring the used car you are about to buy has not been flooded, you many need to peer behind carpet and other surfaces to check for staining. Unfortunately, the problem is often the seller wouldn’t want you peeling back the carpet and bending the plastic to look in hard to see areas. So in both cases, whether the car has flood damage or not, typically sellers do not want you to inspect with that detail.
Claims on flooded vehicles with excessive damage often have a claim or damage report that may be visible on a background check.
A used car inspection is now more necessary than ever given the recent rise in flooded cars entering the south-western Ontario used car market.
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