Another scam to watch out for.
Found on www.wfie.com and brought to you by Car Repair Salinas
Posted: Jun 02, 2011 10:20 AM PDT
Updated: Jun 02, 2011 10:20 AM PDT
Flooding in the Tri-State has stopped for now, but it's effects are still being felt by the local auto market.
Experts say you should be on the look-out for water damaged vehicles on the market. All the flooding this Spring comes a warning about dealers and others trying to sell water-logged cars.
A musty smell is just one of the obvious signs that a car has been flooded.
Brian Rich of Lefler's Collision and Repair says it's common to find these cars on a used car lot. He says one of the easiest ways to determine water damage is by popping the trunk.
"Too much dusty, brown crud will build in the trunk underneath the spare tire, and a lot of rust will show up on the jack or tools."
Rich says there are other indicators."Sometimes you'll find condensation in the headlights or taillights. If you're getting moisture inside or if you can actually see dirty, muddy water inside a headlight or taillight, that's a good sign the water's been up pretty high."
Rich says it's also a good idea to do a title search.
"They'll run that vin number and see if the car's had a salvage title, and if it's been totaled, it'll have a salvage title and that'll show up."
Rich says don't hesitate to have a professional look it over before purchasing.
"We'll give it a good visual look over to see if it's been wrecked, or see if it's been flooded to give you a trained eye point of view.
Websites such as www.carfacts.com can also help you determine if the vehicle you're looking to purchase had an insurance claim filed for water damage.
Copyright 2011 WFIE. All rights reserved.
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