One detail will reveal the car’s past. Check this out before you buy

How to recognize a car after a flood?

The strength of the element is most noticeable in Lower Silesia, but hydrological warnings have also been issued for other parts of the country. The late summer floods hit Poland with full force and the difficult situation forced the Prime Minister to prepare a Council of Ministers regulation on introduction of a state of natural disaster.

Running water washes away property and also damages cars. Many flooded cars are irreparably destroyed, but there are also some that will be available on the market within a few weeks or months. Some will be honestly described and reliably prepared for sale. Others will be dried, cleaned, and advertised as accident-free gems. What to Avoid How to recognize a car after a flood and can this car be repaired?

Used cars after the flood. Mechanics say it directly

Mechanics do not leave a single scratch on these cars (nomen omen). Cars that have been damaged during floods or flooding are a potential source of problems. The newer the model, the longer the list of possible faults and failures resulting from flooding or getting wet. Carefully restoring a car to its pre-damage condition is very expensive, rarely profitable and does not always produce the desired results. The situation is aggravated by the fact that breakdowns resulting from the presence of water in the car can occur with a delay of several years! How to recognize a car that was flooded, dried and then sold?

How to recognize a car after a flood?

Completely removing the effects of flooding is always time-consuming and expensive. It also requires investing in many new parts and components, which in practice eliminates the profitability of the entire operation. That is why dealers trying to make money from a “drowned person” often take shortcuts – they do not replace the upholstery elements, but only superficially clean them. They do not remove all the moisture from under the carpets and flooring, but simply dry the car for a few days in the sun or in the garage with a blower. All these simplifications give us a greater chance of detecting a car damaged by a flood. What should you pay attention to and what should trigger a “warning light”?

First, the place of origin. On the website Historiapojazdu.gov.pl you can download a report on the car’s past – you will find out, among other things: in which voivodeship the vehicle was registered and when it changed ownership. This is the first step to weeding out potentially risky offers, because although the sale of a car in September in Lower Silesia does not guarantee that the car has been flooded, it may raise suspicions if other “factors” occur, which we will describe below.

The second warning is a suspiciously low price. A car that has been flooded may be priced at a bargain price, for example, because the indicator lights are on, the computer is showing errors, and some buttons or switches are not working. It happens that the seller explains the lower price, for example, by the need for operational maintenance, minor electronic defects, or the need to replace the battery. The truth is often completely different. Failures in electronic systems and equipment are often caused by short circuits and rust that appear after a flood. Harnesses, wires, and other elements corrode over time, and diagnosing the fault and locating the damaged system keeps you up at night. What’s worse, such problems can appear with a long delay, up to several months.

Thirdly, it is also worth paying attention to smell inside. A musty smell appears in a rain-soaked interior after just a few days – washing the soaked upholstery is not enough. Soaked sponge on the seats, damaged heating mats, dirt and impurities absorbed by the fabric are sources of trouble, formation of fungi and mold that are dangerous to health. Sometimes dealers wash the interior and cover it with scented Christmas trees and other air fresheners to mask the smell of dampness. A clean cabin with an excessive smell should also raise suspicion.

A car after a flood? Check out these places

What do dealers usually overlook in the process of preparing a car for sale? Sometimes it happens that business owners overlook this in their pursuit of profits. space under the trunk floor – if there is water, mud or mold residue from the car’s difficult past, including floods. It is also worth paying attention to the seat guides, lamps, sound insulation under the hood and nooks and crannies of the upholstery. Traces of moisture or mold in unusual places often indicate that we are dealing with a car after a flood.

What about components like the engine or gearbox? The drive system of a parked car can withstand flooding quite well, but that does not mean that water does not cause damage. A flooded gearbox usually fails quickly. As for the engine, it is usually enough to clean it, change the oil and check the condition of the wiring. It is different with electronics – the computer, wiring harnesses and other components containing integrated circuits can usually only be replaced. Again, it is worth remembering that undesirable symptoms may only become apparent over time. Water also has a destructive effect on components of the exhaust system, for example the DPF filter. Damage to mufflers or catalytic converters can also occur when hot components are flooded with water. Cars that have been submerged while driving are usually hit much harder, which is why even water obstacles several tens of centimeters long can irreversibly damage expensive components.

Is it worth buying a car after a flood?

The scale of the potential problems suggests that It’s best to skip this purchase. A flooded car is a real time bomb, and driving such a car over time can cost us a lot of money and cause regular and recurring breakdowns. The exception is cheap cars whose history is well known. If we know how the flood happened, it did not affect the main engine components or completely fill the interior, and the seller informs us about this fact and offers a favorable price, we can consider buying a car after the flood. However, such a move will always involve some risk.what most drivers don’t want to do and simply shouldn’t do.

If you’re thinking of buying a used car in a flood-affected area, it’s worth having the vehicle thoroughly inspected by a service center. A qualified mechanic should be able to quickly recognize signs that suggest the car has a history of flooding.