After Hurricane Helene, watch out for flooded cars on the market

CHARLOTTE — There were about 138,000 vehicles damaged by Hurricane Helene across six states, according to Carfax estimates -- many of them will show up on the used car market.

It shouldn’t happen, but it does. Shady dealers buy cars that have been flooded, then clean them up and sell them. Unless you know what to look for, you could end up with one without knowing it.

Channel 9 caught video of cars in Asheville being washed away by floodwaters due to Helene. Weeks later, many may show up again.

“These cars could really show up anywhere,” Em Nguyen with Carfax told Action 9.

Carfax just released information about cars flooded by Helene. The company says Florida has the most, with just over 60,000 vehicles. The Carolinas are next -- South Carolina had 27,500 cars damaged and North Carolina had nearly 23,000 damaged.

Nguyen says scammers will buy those cars for cheap, then fix the parts that you can easily see.

“While they can make it look showroom fresh, it’s actually rotting from the inside out,” Nguyen said.

When water gets in a car’s mechanical system, which it inevitably does in floods, it can cause corrosion. That can impact lights, air bags, and even the brakes.

Larger, reputable dealers will usually reject flood vehicles, or at least disclose the damage. Scammers target smaller, lesser-known car lots.

“They try to sell those to very unsuspecting buyers who may not realize that these cars are really just ruined,” Nguyen said.

If you’re in the market for a used car, here are a few tips to spot a flooded car:

• Close the doors and windows, then run the air conditioning. If it smells damp or mildewy, that’s a red flag.
• Check whether the upholstery and carpets are stained or mismatched.
• Look inside the spare tire compartment and under the hood for silt, mud or rust.
• Pull the seat belt all the way out and check for discoloration on the end that is normally concealed in the side panel.
• Test all of the electrical components, like the locks, windows, and radio.

State lemon laws vary, but in the Carolinas, they only cover new cars, not used cars.

Before signing for the purchase, be sure to test drive the vehicle, have a qualified mechanic inspect it, and check out sites that offer free checks to see if there’s any reported flood damage to the vehicle.

(VIDEO: FDA declares IV shortage after western NC pharmaceutical plant flooded due to Helene)

FDA declares IV shortage after western NC pharmaceutical plant flooded due to Helene

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