{"id":1067,"date":"2024-10-01T19:55:27","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T19:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autobuyersmarket.com\/news\/?p=1067"},"modified":"2025-05-05T10:25:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T10:25:26","slug":"hurricane-helene-likely-to-result-in-water-damaged-vehicles-flooding-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autobuyersmarket.com\/news\/2024\/10\/01\/hurricane-helene-likely-to-result-in-water-damaged-vehicles-flooding-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane Helene Likely to Result in Water-Damaged Vehicles Flooding Market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Hurricane
It is likely that the thousands of vehicles that took on excessive amounts of water during Helene will be\u00a0heading to used car lots. File photo: Adansijav Official, ShutterStock.com, licensed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Hurricane Helene, the strongest such storm to strike the Big Bend region of Florida and responsible for devastating parts of the Southeastern United States, has tragically resulted in over 100 deaths and millions upon millions of dollars in property damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And among those losses are countless numbers of now water-damaged cars \u2013 one dealership in Florida alone reported an astonishing 672 Kias totaled due to flooding<\/a> \u2013 which may eventually result in a consumer nightmare, as it is very likely that the thousands of vehicles that took on excessive amounts of water during Helene will be heading to used car lots near you<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just residents of flood-prone regions that need to worry when heading to their local pre-owned dealer in the coming months, as water-logged vehicles can be shipped anywhere nationwide \u2013 with out-of-state scammers traveling to flooded areas and offering to buy damaged cars for a discount \u2013 and if you don\u2019t know the signs to look for and end up with one, it could result in repair bills costing thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many dealerships are trustworthy, there are also ones that are not, and these unscrupulous businesses will go to great lengths to conceal the status of a flooded vehicle, drying them out and cleaning them up before slapping that price sticker on the windshield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But fear not- there are ways to make sure you\u2019re getting the genuine article when shopping in the pre-owned market in the wake of Hurricane Helene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engine bay on water-damaged vehicles will often show no noticeable signs of wear, as dealers will normally pressure wash them. However, you can check for moisture trapped within headlights and taillights and look under the dashboard for mud and\/or rust on wiring, as well as rust on the gas pedal, which normally is very uncommon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumers should also take a close look at the car\u2019s carpet \u2013 especially underneath the seats \u2013 and in the lowest points of the trunk under the spare tire, where sand and mud can accumulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common problems in flooded cars is damage to their computer modules, which can\u2019t be repaired, only replaced; this can be a very costly reminder to do your due diligence when shopping pre-owned after a major storm \u2013 even if you don\u2019t live in the same state where it took place \u2013 or incur a pricey lesson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Hurricane Helene, the strongest such storm to strike the Big Bend region of Florida and responsible for devastating parts of the Southeastern United States, has tragically resulted in over 100 deaths and millions upon millions of dollars in property damage. And among those losses are countless numbers of now water-damaged […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1068,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-market-updates","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t\n