Flood Damage

Ronanom · 13-08-2007 10:36pm #1

Anyone any thoughts / experiene with buying a damaged (flood) car? Seeing a lot of these over in the UK at them moment.

Cheers

peasant · 13-08-2007 11:32pm

basically ...don't

Even if you get the mechanics working again, the interior needs to be ripped out completely and replaced.

Any and all cavities will have been filled with stinking silt and will smell for years to come ...

...and then there might be corroding wiring.

Not worth it except for parts maybe.

junkyard · 13-08-2007 11:55pm

I wouldn't recommend it either, I pulled a brand new Landcruiser out of the tide recently and even though we powerwashed it everywhere and got it going it's still a scrapper. Even fresh water damage isn't good either, you'll never be out of trouble with it.

ballooba · 14-08-2007 12:06am

Where would you find these?

Guy:Incognito · 14-08-2007 12:07am

ballooba wrote:

Where would you find these?

In a river probably.

But seriously, everything points to present and future problems.

bazz26 · 14-08-2007 1:29am

Alot of the these cars will find their way over here from the UK after the recent flooding.

John R · 14-08-2007 2:06am

bazz26 wrote:

Alot of the these cars will find their way over here from the UK after the recent flooding.

No doubt, and I'm sure most of them will be offered up by dodgy dealers and "private seller" dealers without any hint of their origin apart from an overwhelming stench of Glade.

Apart from the usual pitfalls of water damage most of these will have been flooded with sewage-infected water, stay well clear.

crosstownk · 14-08-2007 9:11am

I'd steer well clear of a flood damaged yoke. Corrosion will not be apparent just yet. It could me months or even years before the full effects of water damage show up. Corrosion in wiring connections, rotting carpets and other fabrics, smells that will build up over time, rust, etc, etc.

Turn the other way - no point in putting your hand out to be slapped.

bazz26 · 14-08-2007 9:16am

And flood damage may not turn up on a HPI report either unless the previous owner claimed off their insurance.

Watch the large number of flood damaged cars that turn up at UK auctions over the next few months that seem like bargins.

Henry Ford III · 14-08-2007 9:42am

Very true baz. Caveat emptor.

ballooba · 14-08-2007 10:05am

I was thinking more for parts. Buy a flood damaged 2003 Landcruiser and strip it down. Then again it's probably worth more sold to someone who doesn't know it's history.

cbyrne · 14-08-2007 11:15am

John R wrote:

No doubt, and I'm sure most of them will be offered up by dodgy dealers and "private seller" dealers without any hint of their origin apart from an overwhelming stench of Glade.

Apart from the usual pitfalls of water damage most of these will have been flooded with sewage-infected water, stay well clear.

Anyone got any tips on how you might spot a flood water damaged car if buying at an auction, if its been cleaned up and 'dried out' would there be any tell-tale signs left?

Henry Ford III · 14-08-2007 11:37am

Yep. Tide marks. Electrical gremlins. Paint issues. Surface rust. Leaves in vents.

That sort of thing.

ptashka · 14-08-2007 11:46am

And flood damage may not turn up on a HPI report either unless the previous owner claimed off their insurance.

Watch the large number of flood damaged cars that turn up at UK auctions over the next few months that seem like bargins.

surely, a disaster like that wouldn't be covered by insurance? isn't it classed as a NATURAL disastrous occurence ?

Yep. Tide marks. Electrical gremlins. Paint issues. Surface rust. Leaves in vents..

what's tide marks?

crosstownk · 14-08-2007 11:53am

Lift up the floor carpet if you have the chance. The metal floor, beneath the carpet and the sound insulation will usually be damp if it hasn't been dried out properly. Squeeze the sound insulation foam and see if it's damp. There are no guaranteed signs - especially if someone has attempted to cover up the fact that the car was flood damaged.

@ptashka: An insurance may have paid up if a car was deemed to be written off - the insurance company may have sold it as scrap and some unscrupulous trader may attempt to sell it on without revealing it's sinister history to an unsuspecting buyer who thinks that a great deal is to be had......

Henry Ford III · 14-08-2007 12:17pm

crosstownk wrote:

Lift up the floor carpet if have the chance. The metal floor, beneath the carpet and the sound insulation will usually be damp if it hasn't been dried out properly. Squeeze the sound insulation foam and see if it's damp. There are no guaranteed signs - especially if someone has attempted to cover up the fact that the car was flood damaged.

@ptashka: An insurance may have paid up if a car was deemed to be written off - the insurance company may have sold it as scrap and some unscrupulous trader may attempt to sell it on without revealing it's sinister history to an unsuspecting buyer who thinks that a great deal is to be had......

Yep.

If an insurer has paid out on a car as a total loss, the vehicle will be registered as such. HPI will highlight this.

Churchy · 14-08-2007 1:21pm

Avoid at all costs.
I bought one without knowing a couple of yrs ago.

£4,000 Stg to put it right

Flood Damage

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