Public Service Announcement: Flood Zones And Used Cars

photo courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen

Buying a used car in the U.S. may have some appeal to a Canadian looking for a good bargain, but buyer beware. 

With all the recent flood damage done by hurricanes and tidal surges, there is an estimated one million vehicles in the States that were water damaged and classified as unrepairable. 

Sure, someone might take a vehicle, clean it up and sell it second hand for a seemingly reasonable price. 

Even if that vehicle was operable and didn't give you any immediate issues, if you're a Canadian buyer attempting to cross the border back into Canada, be prepared for possible entry denial! 

Technically, a vehicle with a U.S. designation with water damage can only be imported into Canada for scrap metal, or for designated parts. Canada Border Services has strict policies on imported vehicles and requires specific paperwork for any vehicle entering the country.

There is also the possibility of a water damaged vehicle not having been written off if the owner did not make an insurance claim, so the buyer may not even be aware this automobile had been involved in flooding. 

The owner could clean it up and sell it, with no-one the wiser until time elapses and corrosion begins to appear. 

This could even prove to be a safety issue if those corroding components are electronic, like airbag sensors and other such devices. 

In that case, here are 8 tips to help make a determination on whether a vehicle was flooded and that used car is truly a good deal.

• check for a musty or moldy smell inside the car or trunk
• be suspicious of an overly strong smell of car deodorizer or air freshener scents, possibly masking musty odours
• lift the corners of carpeting in trunks, spare tire wells, or interior floors to see if there is any sand or silt residue left over from flood waters
• check for rust and corrosion on screws and brackets in areas that typically do not come into contact with water, like the centre console
• look for condensation behind the dashboard glass or inside headlights
• look for high water mark stains on seats and other upholstry
• ask for CarProof or other such VIN check service reports
• check to see where a vehicle was registered to determine if this was a flooded area which may have affected the automobile.