LONDON, ON, – As people along the U.S. coastline work to clean up after Superstorm Sandy, thousands of flooded vehicles will be pulled out of the water, most of which will likely be declared flood-damaged. This means that a vehicle will be given a ‘flood car’ status on its vehicle title and from that point on, this status will be visible to anyone who searches the history of that car. As was the case with previous storms like Hurricane Katrina, there’s a chance that some of these used cars could be transported out of the region and across the border to Canada, where potential buyers might not know to check for or ask about a flood status.
CarProof Vehicle History Reports, Canada’s most trusted vehicle history report provider, is offering a free Flood Damage Check on its website. By entering your vehicle identification number or VIN, CarProof’s Flood Damage Check will tell you whether or not a used car has ever sustained water damage in the United States and if the car has been registered in an area that’s been affected by a significant storm. CarProof searches its extensive database in the U.S. to look for flood titles and storm area registration.
Checking for water damage is an important part of buying a used car as it can be difficult to tell if a vehicle has water damage as a result of an accident, heavy rainfall or a natural event like a hurricane. Water damage, in particular saltwater damage, can have a lasting effect on a vehicle if it goes unrepaired – the engine, transmission, drive train, fuel, brake and power steering systems are most susceptible to the dirt and contaminants that accompany a flood and corrosion can continue to cause damage months, and even years later.
Visit CarProof’s website to use the Free Flood Damage Check. You can also check out CarProof’s extensive Car Advice section, where you can find tips to help you navigate the used car buying process, learn how to sell your vehicle and access vehicle maintenance information and more.
Source: Canada Newswire / CarProof
