(WFLA) – The Better Business Bureau is telling customers in Florida to be careful buying cars.
“With the recent flooding throughout the Southeast, many cars that experience water damage are expected to be cleaned up and re-sold to unsuspecting consumers,” a BBB spokesperson said in a statement. “Some experts estimate that up to half of all vehicles damaged by flooding eventually return to market.”
Florida is ranked third in the country in terms of the reselling of waterlogged vehicles, BBB says, quoting a Carfax report.
Cars that have been declared total losses by insurance companies should go to junk yards, a BBB spokesperson explained. However, these vehicles are sometimes sold at auction. They end up for sale either online or at car lots.
“After a thorough cleaning and replacement of the carpet and floor mats, these cars on the surface may look as good as new. Buying a car that has been exposed to flood waters can have hidden problems, including mold and mildew, rusty wiring, computer malfunctions, airbags that don’t inflate, and more,” the spokesperson explained.
