The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles estimates Hurricane Harvey damaged 500,000 cars and trucks. Now, the department said those vehicles are still being sold.
“Too many Texans already get taken advantage of by people selling flooded, salvaged, and rebuilt vehicles as though they are in perfect condition,” TxDMV Executive Director Whitney Brewster said in a press release.
After the vehicles are flooded and ruled a total loss, they are normally sold at an auction with a "salvage title." Cars with salvage titles can't be driven on public roads until they are repaired and go though a safety inspection and are given a "rebuilt salvage title." That inspection, however, is the same kind the any other vehicle must pass every year.
Rock Collision Shop Manager Toby Metcalf told Channel 6 flooding can cause serious problems down the line.
"If (the water) gets up above the floor, you've got all this stuff in the floor, the computer box, the diagnostic unit, the air bags, all of that stuff." Metcalf said. "If you were to have an accident, and the airbags didn't go off, somebody would get hurt."
So how could a consumer make sure they aren't buying one of these vehicles? There are three steps a consumer should take.
Check the car title
Go to www.TxDMV.gov/title-check and plug in the VIN number. If the car has any sort of salvage title that should be a red flag.
Get the CARFAX
Better Business Bureau Regional Director Adam Price told Channel 6 Carfax.com is a great resource to find out about a vehicle's history, including past repairs. Price said some car dealers will provide this for free, while smaller dealerships may not. A vehicle VIN number is required to generate the report.
Get the car checked out by a mechanic
A consumer can check the car for evidence of grime and corrosion themselves, but it's easier to take the car to a mechanic to get specific spots checked. out. Metcalf recommends checking under the panels along the floor of the car and in the front of the car, checking under the spare tire in the truck and under the surrounding carpet, and checking under the transmission in the middle of the engine.
A consumer should also check with any issues with the electronic components of the car including the locks, windows, or motorized seats.