Spotting a flood-damaged car before you buy it

After a hurricane or a flood, some storm-damaged cars are cleaned up, taken to another state and put up for sale. The damage can be easy to miss until you look closely. Water that got inside can slowly destroy a car's mechanical and electrical systems and leave rust and corrosion behind.

In and under the car

• Mud or sand under the seats or the dashboard
• Rust around the doors
• Carpet that's loose, stained or doesn't match the rest of the car
• A smell of mold or decay in the cabin or the trunk
• A strong smell of cleaning products

The car's history

• An NICB VINCheckThe free check shows whether a car was reported flood-damaged, stolen and not recovered, or declared salvage. It only shows damage from a time when the car was insured.
• An NMVTIS vehicle history reportIt covers the current state of the title and the last title date, the brand history, the last odometer reading, and any total loss or salvage history. A brand is a label a state titling agency puts on a vehicle, such as "junk," "salvage" or "flood," and the report keeps the brands from every state. State titling agencies, insurance carriers, junk yards, salvage yards and auto recyclers all report to NMVTIS regularly.
• A paid history report as wellA private report can add accident and repair history that NMVTIS doesn't carry.

Before you pay

• An inspection by an independent mechanicAn independent mechanic doesn't work for the seller. Ask them to check for water damage.
• A test drive in mixed conditionsDrive it on hills, on the highway and in stop-and-go traffic.
• The maintenance recordsAsk the owner for them. If the owner has no copies, the dealership or repair shop that did most of the work may share its files.
• A second look at any report that shows a brand, a total loss or a salvage historyEach one means the car has had severe damage, or may be unsafe.

A clean NMVTIS report is a good sign, and it's meant to be short. It covers only the title, brands, odometer, total loss and salvage history. It doesn't replace the inspection or the other history reports.