Water in cupholder caused car to be totaled

[EdP]

Yes, sounds strange but it can happen. I was watching the new tonight and a segment was about a shop doing car inspection. They showed one that had water in the cupholder and he declared it a total loss.

OK, a little more detail. It was not a bottle of Perrier, it was water from the Gulf of Mexico brought in by the Helene storm surge. Looks like many cars are going to be totaled. After other storms, some of then were "repaired" and put back on the market. If you are buying used in the next year or so, check where the original title is from. It may not be a good buy.

 

[Jhon]

Yes, sounds strange but it can happen. I was watching the new tonight and a segment was about a shop doing car inspection. They showed one that had water in the cupholder and he declared it a total loss.

OK, a little more detail. It was not a bottle of Perrier, it was water from the Gulf of Mexico brought in by the Helene storm surge. Looks like many cars are going to be totaled. After other storms, some of then were "repaired" and put back on the market. If you are buying used in the next year or so, check where the original title is from. It may not be a good buy.

When I lived in NJ, I had a coworker that always purchased late model flood cars on the cheap. She knew the guy in the flood car business that had a massive parking lot full of cars in Staten Island. But this guy would know which ones were really flood damaged and which ones were not. He would know how high the water actually went and that would determine if the the car was a potential gonner or not. I worked with her for 20 years and she would get a car every few years (her kids as well) and they never had an issue with any of them. But, again, they were really not flood cars, just marked as such.
The Titles were clearly marked as Flood Cars, but I live here in florida and have not seen a title since I moved here. They are all electronic. So how can you tell?

 

[SirJangle]

My buddy has worked in used car sales for years. He buys cars for dealers. A trick he taught me is you always try to feel around under and behind the dash with your hand. If you feel sandy grit, walk away.

 

[EdP]

When I lived in NJ, I had a coworker that always purchased late model flood cars on the cheap. She knew the guy in the flood car business that had a massive parking lot full of cars in Staten Island. But this guy would know which ones were really flood damaged and which ones were not. He would know how high the water actually went and that would determine if the the car was a potential gonner or not. I worked with her for 20 years and she would get a car every few years (her kids as well) and they never had an issue with any of them. But, again, they were really not flood cars, just marked as such.
The Titles were clearly marked as Flood Cars, but I live here in florida and have not seen a title since I moved here. They are all electronic. So how can you tell?

I have my title. You can get it from the DMV and the print it on the spot.