Flood Alert

!!!Don’t get stuck with a flood car!!!

Flood inspection has always been a part of an auto lemon detectors inspection. In the past, we have been able to prevent hundreds of customers from purchasing a vehicle that had serious problems: including flood damage.

We are in the consumer protection business. We appreciate your interest in our advice and services. Now more than Ever because of Katrina and Rita there will be a large influx of vehicles with various levels of flood damage enter our market and we want. To make sure that the customers in our service areas are protected. A lemon busters inspection would reveal these and other issues that the vehicle may have before you buy.

When hurricane Floyd struck Florida in 1999, an estimated 75.000 vehicles were ruined by floods and declared totaled by insurance companies but more than half of those cars and trucks were resold to buyers who were either unaware of the vehicles flood-car past or uninformed about the extent of the damage caused by flooding . They ship the vehicles by rail and transport to the southwest. "they know that as long as they get the car out of the (flood) area, the (buyer) thinks it’s an average used car.”

A car that's been under water is essentially ruined. Although it might look and run good, every electrical, mechanical and structural component in the car is damaged and has a high possibility of having trouble soon.

"Basically you’re looking at a car that is rotting from the inside out. water, mud, filth, human effluent, rotted food, chemicals, and oil gets into the electronics, engine and transmission. Not the best detailer or mechanic can get all that out.

In most states, a vehicle title has been declared totaled by an insurance company will have its title branded with a salvage or similar note on the title but there are ways to lose the brand, often by having the car retitled in different states until the word salvage gets dropped. This is called "washing" the title. A person with this knowledge would find it easy to wash titles to disguise where it came from.

It’s unfortunate that there are those who take advantage of any situation or the misfortune of others like Katrina and Rita. Many small time sellers and salvage companies will buy these types of cars "for pennies on the dollar" but instead of scrapping and parting them out they clean them up, wash the titles and ship them to different states especially areas like the southwest where flood is not expected. Many of these cars end up on street corners or peoples driveways with for sale signs. A sales method known as "curbstoning". Most curbstoners are hard to find, many with fictitious business names, addresses and untraceable cell phones.

Be advised, this is going on "right now" in our cities. "We take this very serious".

An auto lemon detectors inspection would reveal thse issues. The following are simple tips that an avera.ge customer can do on their own to protect themselves from flood cars.

1. Purchase a vehicle history report "CarFax."

2. With a flashlight, look under the dash, seats, & wiring harnesses for debris.

3. Check fluid levels for water mixture.

4. Look under vehicle between frame and undercarriage for derris or corrosion

5. Call Auto Lemon Detectors for a pre-purchase inspecton.

6. Call Brian Collister at News 4 KMOL troubleshooters if you find a flood vehicle.

If you have any questions or need advice on car buying or flood cars call us anytime, and thanks for visiting our web site.

Hours
Mon-Sat
8:00 a.m-6:00 p.m