Hey everyone, I’ve been looking for a used car for a while now and I’m a little worried about ending up with one that’s had accident or flood damage. I’ve heard that these kinds of issues can sometimes be hard to spot, even if you’re doing a thorough inspection. What are the best ways to check for these types of damage when buying a used car? Are there certain areas on the car or in the interior that are most likely to show signs of previous accidents or flooding? Also, how do I go about verifying the car’s history beyond just the vehicle report? I want to make sure I’m being as careful as possible before making a purchase. Thanks so much for any advice!
Wickstrom
How to Check for Accident or Flood Damage When Buying a Used Car
Let's approach this from different directions but understand that some events may not show up "on the record" if handled internally at a business or a customer paying 100 percent out of pocket.
1- web related- pay for a carfax report (not 100% as mentioned) and google the VIN to look for auction records.
2- verify the vehicle does not have a salvage title.
3- a very thorough physical inspection inside 360 degrees..... and outside 360 degree (use a lift or drive up and back up onto car ramps.)
4- clues like witness marks, dirt lines, paint masking imperfections, misaligned panels, texture/sheen changes on body panels, overspray in door jams and/or in the trunk and hood area.
If it is a late model car you may be able to go the that brand of dealership in person and they may pull the OEM history on it without revealing the customer's name.
With a Honda you can try to see if the Honda Garage (name?) site has info once you enter the VIN
IF unsure about the vehicle- pay for a pre-purchase inspection by a professional.
1- web related- pay for a carfax report (not 100% as mentioned) and google the VIN to look for auction records.
2- verify the vehicle does not have a salvage title.
3- a very thorough physical inspection inside 360 degrees..... and outside 360 degree (use a lift or drive up and back up onto car ramps.)
4- clues like witness marks, dirt lines, paint masking imperfections, misaligned panels, texture/sheen changes on body panels, overspray in door jams and/or in the trunk and hood area.
If it is a late model car you may be able to go the that brand of dealership in person and they may pull the OEM history on it without revealing the customer's name.
With a Honda you can try to see if the Honda Garage (name?) site has info once you enter the VIN
IF unsure about the vehicle- pay for a pre-purchase inspection by a professional.
What has been offered.
I can add a flood damaged vehicle can have an off odor. But if the vehicle's interior is heavily scented -- like its been doused with the stuff -- that's a red flag.
New/mismatched upholstery, door panels, carpets. Same goes for exterior body panels.
Electronics/electrics issues. Like some power windows/door locks don't work. Warning lights. Check engine light.
With vehicle on a lift check all the undercarriage nooks and crannies for flood water stains (flood waters are often loaded with oil/gasoline/chemicals/sewage) and flood trash.
I can add a flood damaged vehicle can have an off odor. But if the vehicle's interior is heavily scented -- like its been doused with the stuff -- that's a red flag.
New/mismatched upholstery, door panels, carpets. Same goes for exterior body panels.
Electronics/electrics issues. Like some power windows/door locks don't work. Warning lights. Check engine light.
With vehicle on a lift check all the undercarriage nooks and crannies for flood water stains (flood waters are often loaded with oil/gasoline/chemicals/sewage) and flood trash.
Whatever you do, do not pay for it before having it inspected. Friend found a 2023 MachE that was just a little over market price with low miles. Clean CarFax. Made the deal contingent on inspection but somehow the dealer wheedled a check for the whole amount before inspection because of course it would pass. The dealer had already passed it through their “stringent” inspection (meaning they checked their print cartridge to make sure their printer boldly printed BS).
Mechanically it ran fine. General inspection revealed extensive collision repair. Body shop revealed extensive shoddy collision repair. Dealer now backpedaling saying their inspection did not reveal that. Wants my friend to prove that there is frame damage and then they will talk some sort of settlement. Car weasels still exist!
Mechanically it ran fine. General inspection revealed extensive collision repair. Body shop revealed extensive shoddy collision repair. Dealer now backpedaling saying their inspection did not reveal that. Wants my friend to prove that there is frame damage and then they will talk some sort of settlement. Car weasels still exist!
I have done a few dozen pre-purchase inspections (PPI) on classic cars and a well repaired and reconditioned car's damage is devilishly hard to spot - a half-azz suite of repairs - pretty easy. There used to be ways to 'wash a title' through certain states like Texas to cover up salvage/flood cars but those holes have been mostly closed.
With cars that were submerged (wholly or partially) in salt water its tough, they can run act and drive seemingly fine then in 12-18 months the corrosion starts to work on the electronics and then they go to hell.
One can do all of the above as suggested, but, at some point you have to go or get off the pot...
As to dealer 'inspections/certifications', none ever made me more comfortable in buying a car...its generally basic mechanicals and rudimentary paint/upholstery lookover.
With cars that were submerged (wholly or partially) in salt water its tough, they can run act and drive seemingly fine then in 12-18 months the corrosion starts to work on the electronics and then they go to hell.
One can do all of the above as suggested, but, at some point you have to go or get off the pot...
As to dealer 'inspections/certifications', none ever made me more comfortable in buying a car...its generally basic mechanicals and rudimentary paint/upholstery lookover.
Ditto on pro pre-inspection. I generally do them myself. You should see the faces and hear the excuses dealers will make when you demand they put it up on a rack for you to inspect., Ofcourse, all those reasons melt away the minute you start to walk. When the biz is booming, the dealer inspections are rushed or non existent except on paper as @RossoRidgeline says.
Sometimes even a cursory check on thing the average consumer doesn’t check will tell a story. Few years ago I was lookin at CPO Toyota Avalon for the wife. While salesman showing me the “very proudly proclaimed “ CPO inspected car, I pulled up the plastic engine cover. There in the valley between the heads, was a large pile of dried and fairly fresh rat turds, with some chewed injector wires. I thought the salesman was gonna faint.
Even with a good inspection you can be fooled, which is why a buy back warranty is important. We bought another CPO Avalon and three days later when started one morning it made sounds like my old Chevy diesel. Took it to a different Toyota dealer that determined the cam bearings were shot, at only 29,000 miles. Mechanic said they most likely put something like Motor Honey in the crankcase to quiet it down for a while.
Dealership bought it back….but then a week later, I see it back in their ads, but not CPO.
Sometimes even a cursory check on thing the average consumer doesn’t check will tell a story. Few years ago I was lookin at CPO Toyota Avalon for the wife. While salesman showing me the “very proudly proclaimed “ CPO inspected car, I pulled up the plastic engine cover. There in the valley between the heads, was a large pile of dried and fairly fresh rat turds, with some chewed injector wires. I thought the salesman was gonna faint.
Even with a good inspection you can be fooled, which is why a buy back warranty is important. We bought another CPO Avalon and three days later when started one morning it made sounds like my old Chevy diesel. Took it to a different Toyota dealer that determined the cam bearings were shot, at only 29,000 miles. Mechanic said they most likely put something like Motor Honey in the crankcase to quiet it down for a while.
Dealership bought it back….but then a week later, I see it back in their ads, but not CPO.
Buying from a big outfit doesn't always guarantee a vehicle's integrity. Met this guy at a classic car show and bragged to me about the 'deal' he got on this '67 Corvette coupe from a major auction house. He begged me to look it over and give an opinion - the car was a rust bucket and a parts car.
Didn't want to devastate the guy in front of his wife so I just told him, "....you need to have it looked at". The metal "birdcage" (see second pic) that surrounds the cockpit was rusting out (usually starts from a leaking windshield) - a catastrophic defect.
By the time you see most rust, its a worst case scenario.
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To wit, frame rust is a problem on early Ridgelines and it may even take a borescope and camera snaking around the inside of the frame to ensure all is well...
They are so cheap and of such high quality everyone should have one for a bunch of DIY tasks:
Amazon.com: WINWEND Endoscope Camera with Light - IP67 Waterproof Borescope Camera with 8 Adjustable LED Lights | 4.3" LCD Screen Borescope | HD 1080P Inspection Cameras with 16.5ft Semi-Rigid Cord Tools for Men : Industrial & Scientific
Didn't want to devastate the guy in front of his wife so I just told him, "....you need to have it looked at". The metal "birdcage" (see second pic) that surrounds the cockpit was rusting out (usually starts from a leaking windshield) - a catastrophic defect.
By the time you see most rust, its a worst case scenario.
To wit, frame rust is a problem on early Ridgelines and it may even take a borescope and camera snaking around the inside of the frame to ensure all is well...
They are so cheap and of such high quality everyone should have one for a bunch of DIY tasks:
Amazon.com: WINWEND Endoscope Camera with Light - IP67 Waterproof Borescope Camera with 8 Adjustable LED Lights | 4.3" LCD Screen Borescope | HD 1080P Inspection Cameras with 16.5ft Semi-Rigid Cord Tools for Men : Industrial & Scientific
A magnet on all body panels, assuming the car is steel, will reveal any bondo. Used that to catch body work on a Celica I almost bought many years ago.
Also look very carefully for any overspray from repainting. Bought a CPO Lexus from a dealer that was extremely clean in appearance. Years later I noticed overspray on one of the wheels. Must have been a quality repair, other than the poor wheel masking, as I still cannot detect which body panel was painted. Stellar paint on this car.
Also look very carefully for any overspray from repainting. Bought a CPO Lexus from a dealer that was extremely clean in appearance. Years later I noticed overspray on one of the wheels. Must have been a quality repair, other than the poor wheel masking, as I still cannot detect which body panel was painted. Stellar paint on this car.
Bondo is nearly a thing of the past, and lord knows I've had my experiences with it...
There are small gauges that measure paint thickness to determine repaired panels but analyzing the results are more art than science...
There are small gauges that measure paint thickness to determine repaired panels but analyzing the results are more art than science...
A car doesn't have to be flooded to have water damage, especially saltwater damage. Here in Washington State (it's up on the top left corner of your map) we have ocean beaches that are open to driving. Seems nuts to me, but I see people driving through small waves and a lot of them get stuck in soft sand. The ocean beach laughs at your AWD. Like I said, nuts. Call a tow truck (there is often there just waiting) and besides a big tow bill you have yourself a vehicle soaked in salt water up to the floorboards. How many people bother to wash out the salt? Before all the electronics the salt would just eat away the sheet metal. Now it's a gift that keeps on giving.
There is a paint thickness device that mechanics and serious auction buyers use. Take a few readings around the car and see if there are thin spots covering up repairs.
I had my early driving years cruising around on Washington beaches. VW bus was decent with higher clearance than most cars in its day. But you followed the rules. Always drive on the more solid drained areas above the high water marks of the waves. Touching ocean was a no no. Also another spot to get stuck was the initial access to the beach where the dry sandy berms had been churned up by drivers. Several wads of cash were exchanged with tow truck drivers every day keeping the access point open. Also seen the situation where real panic ensues where a car is stuck waves lapping at wheels and tow truck busy pulling cars out of berm so they can try to rescue surf car.
Made the “I upgraded to AWD, I can easily drive off the beach!” once. Original Subaru Impreza less clearance than VW and heavy for its size. Took a shovel and 4-5 people pushing to get it past the dry churned up berm back to pavement. Current Ridgeline will go no further than grains of sand in asphalt parking area. Then watch tow trucks make extra money.
I had my early driving years cruising around on Washington beaches. VW bus was decent with higher clearance than most cars in its day. But you followed the rules. Always drive on the more solid drained areas above the high water marks of the waves. Touching ocean was a no no. Also another spot to get stuck was the initial access to the beach where the dry sandy berms had been churned up by drivers. Several wads of cash were exchanged with tow truck drivers every day keeping the access point open. Also seen the situation where real panic ensues where a car is stuck waves lapping at wheels and tow truck busy pulling cars out of berm so they can try to rescue surf car.
Made the “I upgraded to AWD, I can easily drive off the beach!” once. Original Subaru Impreza less clearance than VW and heavy for its size. Took a shovel and 4-5 people pushing to get it past the dry churned up berm back to pavement. Current Ridgeline will go no further than grains of sand in asphalt parking area. Then watch tow trucks make extra money.
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