Water Damaged Salvage Cars
Posted: Monday, November 08, 2010
by Terry S. Vostor
Eagle Ridge G.M.
With the Canadian dollar close to par with the US and NAFTA North American free trade rules and regulations more and more Canadians are getting fantastic deals shopping online and importing their vehicle themselves back to Canada. However take great care to research fully and have your vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic & auto body man / woman. Under the hood may be a flood damaged vehicle exported already from a coastal hurricane zone inland even to such dry dessert areas as Las Vegas Nevada. Who would of dreamed ? You can gamble at more than the casinos in Vegas.
If you are considering the purchase of a previously owned vehicle, be meticulous with your finds. Ideally, sellers should inform a potential buyer about a car's history but that would be difficult since people don't want to buy cars that have been damaged by flood. Although this is the case, many vehicles of this type find their way into the market. That is why it becomes more and more necessary for buyers to research on the vehicle that they like. It is equally important to have a trusted repair technician to inspect it for you. Do not think that only areas that have been affected by floods are the ones that have flood-damaged vehicles in their local markets. This isn't the case. Across the country, these vehicles receive cosmetic touch-ups and repairs. Yet it is as easy as a 1,2,3 search online for a car report online. Simply Google "auto research reports","check out vehicle online" or "automobile reports online ", or alternatively Google "How to buy a used vehicle". There are no shortage of tips and services. Even ebay allows for a good service , at inexpensive costs to check out and verify any vehicle that catches your fancy. As a first step there should be a big check mark next to the column "checked for flood damage" .
If you see no check mark or a big red mark - then beware. eBay as well offers the services of recommended automotive inspection services on site. Lastly you can check with your local AAA auto club as to services to either check the VIN or provide on site mechanical and auto body inspections for a fee. As a precaution, do not pay the seller until the car has been examined by a qualified auto repair facility.
Following are some basic as well as fairly simple checks that you can also do on your own. Rust is a telltale sign of water damage. It is the enclosed areas that often water has sat for extended time periods and left its mark.Take out the spare tire in the trunk and look for more than normally apparent rust residue on the trunk metal underside of the donut tire temporary spare. Open up or peer into to some of the less conventional pockets or storage areas. For example the toll pass change holder, an open and closing coffee holder canister area, map compartments or a large console on trucks between the seats.
Enclosed water - dirty flood waters - may of been left in these areas for and extended period of time , evaporating and leaving residue of dirt and grime as well as discoloring the sides or bottom of the enclosed compartment or compartments. Even if the auto detailer and cleaner is thorough in their cleaning process and steam cleaning , they may either forget or forgo these areas as "no-one will look there" . Alternatively it may be just too much work to paint these areas without leaving tell tale paint on the fabric or take a risk of solvent damaging the plastic surface or factory finish. Leave well enough alone can be the adage that leaves vital tips to you or your inspection technician. The flooring under the seats must be inspected for water damage as well. This could be in the form of rust, mud or even, silt. It is both amazing how carefully vehicles from a major flood , tsunami or hurricane can be carefully and meticulously "restored" to almost new condition. Vehicles written off by auto insurance companies that fish would not swim in once finished , detailed and polished up appear as premium low mileage vehicles in better than new car showroom condition. Also be wary that a number of salvaged cars may be combined into one single solitary vehicle. The world knows no end to this chicanery. A non flood damaged salvage vehicle may be purchased say in the midwest or Alaska , its VIN number magically applied to a close to identical model of a flooded vehicle auto insurance write off. Its a matter of attention to detail when inspecting a vehicle for purchase. If you or your mechanic has a nose - you , he or she may notice anomalies. Moisture can have all kinds of effects. Colors may be off on upholstery even after thorough and solid steam cleaning.
It may be on the dash , it may be on the floors, it may even be on the seat belts that colours , scent or a mildew odor ( even slight and even with new car spray ) resides in the background ever so slightly. When these have been replaced, check if they match interior of the vehicle. If the fit is a bit loose, chances are, it is due to replacement.
Sources of light can give you clues. Upon starting the ignition, the warning and accessory lights should come one. These must also be in working condition. Its amazing how these cars from as far back as Hurricane Katrina pop up , out of nowhere and from the strangest places. A Katrina storm damaged vehicle may also of the sudden appear as a great deal at a dealer in Grand Forks North Dakota . It is not as if you expect a flood damaged vehicle in Grand Forks , Fargo or the Mohave Desert so purchasers out looking for a good deal on a quality pre-owned vehicle are taken unawares. If the car is at a dealership on it's used car lot - even the experienced staff at the garage and body shop divisions may be caught off guard on this as well. The restoration of this salvage vehicle may that good. After all a highly trained auto detail restoration tradesman is not unlike an artist. Its a most amazing thing - how much time , money and expense can be expended to fix what seem to be little electronic defects and problems. Sure a good electrical auto shop can diagnose the problem or problems. Yet everything is a struggle and takes an extraordinary amount of time , patience and skill and of course myriads of shop time and expensive auto electronic diagnostic technician's highly billed hours . What might appear to be a simple broken speedometer cable may well necessitate a major and full electric automotive harness system costing many thousands of dollars. Incorporate the costs of such diagnostics and repairs into any offer you may in the transaction , negotiation and sales process. You don't have to feel like Herman Munster at the used car lot talking to Frank Gorshin , with tent and a caravan trailer for an office. In this day and age with the world wide web , there are plenty of resources available. With the VIN number ( vehicle identification number) , a home computer and a credit card there are no shortage of reputable services online to quickly as well as thoroughly research your auto find and rule out flood damage and damages. When you turn the ignition key, notice if the warning and accessory lights come on or not. Check if these are working properly. Another set of lights that must come on are the ABS and airbag lights. Interior and exterior lights must all be tested. These include: turn/ signal lights, heater, radio, cigarette lighter and air conditioner. Test them several times to ensure that there aren't any problems with them. Don't forget to test the windshield wipers as well: Before you decide to hand over the payment to a seller, get the car inspected first by an approved auto repair facility. There are also some ways which can help you check for water damage. Observe certain parts like the dashboard, glove compartment and trunk for any indication of water damage in the form of mud, silt and rust. Check for the presence of these beneath the flooring positioned under the seats.
Try to bend some of the wires locate under the dashboard. After the wet wires have dried up thoroughly, often they tend to be weaker and more brittle. Before you decide to hand over the payment to a seller, get the car inspected first by an approved auto repair facility. There are also some ways which can help you check for water damage. Observe certain parts like the dashboard, glove compartment and trunk for any indication of water damage in the form of mud, silt and rust. Check for the presence of these beneath the flooring positioned under the seats. An additional sign that can be observed is the smell of mildew. Mildew, fungi and molds and their associated odors are most difficult for even the most highly proficient auto & truck detailer to eliminate or hide. Worse yet for them is the fact that long after the cosmetic new car spray or nilodor type products have lost their effect and potency these parasitical life forms return with a vengeance eeeking out their telltale distinctive warning signals and signs to an alert auto buyer or reviewer.
Request for a history report from the seller but if he or she refuses to give you one, use the car's identification number instead. This is the 17-digit VIN or vehicle identification number which is located on the dashboard. Take note of it and verify the vehicle's history on your own. Through the CARFAX reports, hidden problems that the car previously had can be revealed.
Terry S. Vostor Eagle Ridge Chevy Buick GMC Vancouver BC GMC Trucks Coquitlam Auto Financing
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