CENTREVILLE, Va., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New research
from Carfax suggests that drivers may be behind the wheel of more
than 325,000 previously flooded vehicles. That number is a 20%
increase from 2016 and a stark reminder to consumers to do their
due diligence when used car shopping.
Vehicles reported as flood damaged by a state's Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV), insurance companies and more have washed up
in every state, and these ten states have the most:
1. Texas –
51,000
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6. Illinois –
15,000
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2. Louisiana –
29,000
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7. South Carolina –
13,000
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3. Pennsylvania –
20,000
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8. Virginia –
13,000
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4. Florida –
19,000
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9. North Carolina –
13,000
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5. Kentucky –
16,000
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10. Michigan –
11,000
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"I bought a car last year and the seller never told us anything
about it being a flood car," said Charlene
Geiger from Pennsylvania.
"When we got home and ran a Carfax, there it was – a flood car from
Hurricane Sandy. It showed that the seller bought it as a salvage
car and the title was washed when he brought to Pennsylvania. We lost $16,000 over all of it."
In addition to the current total, several hundred thousand more
flooded cars may emerge from hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Historically, about half the vehicles damaged by floods end up back
on the market. Flooded cars rot from the inside out as water
corrodes the mechanical parts, shorts the electrical system and
compromises safety features like airbags and anti-lock brakes.
Health concerns are an added problem, as mold and bacteria permeate
the soft parts of the car.
"Our data shows there's still much work to be done in helping
consumers avoid buying flood damaged cars," said Dick Raines, president of Carfax. "They can, and
do, show up all over the country, whether it be a few miles or
hundreds of miles from where the flooding occurred. With two
devastating storms already this year, it's vital for used car
buyers everywhere to protect themselves from flooded cars that may
wind up for sale. Start with a thorough test drive, a vehicle
history report and a mechanic's inspection before buying any used
car."
In the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Carfax is letting
consumers check for flood damage free of charge at
carfax.com/flood.
About Carfax
Carfax, a unit of IHS Markit (Nasdaq:
INFO), helps millions of people every day confidently shop, buy,
own and sell used cars with innovative solutions powered by Carfax
vehicle history information. The expert in vehicle history since
1984, Carfax provides exclusive services like Carfax Used Car
Listings, myCarfax, Carfax History-Based Value and the flagship
Carfax® Vehicle History Report™ to consumers and the automotive
industry. Carfax owns the world's largest vehicle history database
and is a nationally recognized top workplace by The Washington
Post and Glassdoor.com. Shop, Buy, Own, Sell – Show me the
Carfax™. Based in London, IHS
Markit is a world leader in critical information, analytics and
solutions.
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SOURCE Carfax