Buyer Beware: Flood-Damaged Used Cars Will Soon Be On The Market
DENVER (CBS4) - All the rain in Colorado and in the south lately has the Better Business Bureau warning shoppers about problems with some used vehicles. Many that got flooded will be hitting the marketplace, and it may be impossible to spot the damage.
Rob Myers diagnoses what's under the hood. He's the master technician behind Automotive MDS and offers pre-purchase inspections on used vehicles.
"Everybody gets a fair look at what the vehicle is," Myers said.
It's an industry that already has its own issues with bending the truth. And now he may see a new problem -- hidden flood damage.
"We will pull the carpet back, inspect for silt."
Recent flooding and severe weather across the south has led to a rise in flood-damaged vehicles.
"Those cars will go through an auction process and be distributed all across the United States.
Myers says often scam artists will try to pass off a flood-damaged vehicle as a standard used vehicle.
"They would pull the interior, set it aside, power wash it, put it back in the car; nobody knew any different."
Even the Better Business Bureau is getting involved and has issued a new warning for buyers to check the title, look for electrical problems with gauges, and look below the seats and carpets for rust or water damage.
"We even had one vehicle come in that they disconnected the muffler because it was so full of mud."
Myers recommends when buying a used vehicle to not only get a car's full history report, but also get an independent inspection from a third party to get a clear idea of what exactly you're buying.
"They will be required to stamp the letters into the door post here 'rebuilt from salvage,' " Myers said. "The used car world is buyer beware."
LINKS: Automotive MDS | Better Business Bureau