Mississippi River floods have devastated parts of the Midwest this month.  Soon, they'll have impacts on used car buyers as well.

Kicking Tires reports, "Now that it looks as if the massive flooding in the Midwest has begun to ebb, it's important to remind car shoppers to be on the lookout for unscrupulous individuals or used-car dealers trying to unload a flood-damaged vehicle."  Flood-damaged cars can be made to look safe and sound for re-sale.  By shipping the cars through several states, their title histories can be obscured and flood reports hidden.  But these cars often have hidden mechanical problems, water in critical engine parts that will quickly cause expensive damage and hidden mold that can cause health problems for drivers and passengers.

CarJunky adds, "The number of waterlogged wrecks on the market has more than doubled in the last five years, and the recent events in the Midwest are likely to result in even more salvaged cars being resold -- often thousands of miles away from where they were damaged. Despite the fact that most flood-damaged vehicles will be written off by insurance companies, some will make their way back on to the used-car market, rebuilt and disguised as ordinary used cars with clean titles."

The Oklahoman notes, "If you have the vehicle identification number, you can use a service such as Carfax to purchase a history report on that vehicle. However, the report will only show what has been reported to insurance companies or government agencies. If the vehicle was in a flood…and this was not reported, that information won't show up."

How can you protect yourself?

Carfax offers a useful set of tips.  Among them, "Examine upholstery and carpeting closely; if it doesn't match the interior or fits loosely, it may have been replaced. Discolored, faded or stained materials could indicate water damage."  Buyers can also "Test lights (interior and exterior), windshield wipers, turn signals, cigarette lighter, radio, heater and air conditioner several times to make sure they work" and "Flex some of the wires beneath the dashboard. Wet wires will become brittle upon drying and may crack." 

About.com recommends that buyers "Look for beads of trapped moisture" inside the lights -- while unscrupulous restorers can easily dry out some components, they can't easily get water out of headlights, so it often lingers there.  Turning on the heater or A/C could also uncover a musty smell, or even "odors associated with the location where the vehicle was flooded, such as the fuel and oil that spilled into flood waters after Hurricane Katrina."

And, as always, nothing beats taking a used car to a mechanic you trust for a thorough inspection before you commit to buying it.

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