LARGO, Fla. — Thousands of vehicles were flooded out during hurricane Helene and Milton and some could be making it to car dealerships.
These flooded vehicles are usually totaled out by insurance companies but some do manage to get fixed and end up on the used car market.
It is important for a buyer to know if the vehicle was damaged and avoid getting scammed.
Kyle Chiappone, who owns Redemption Auto Sales in Largo, has been in business for several years. He recently posted a warning about flooded cars in several online forums. He wanted to remind buyers that they need to do a thorough inspection of the vehicle before making a purchase.
Chiappone said that no one has tried to sell his dealership a flooded vehicle, but says that he has seen other dealerships take them in. He said since Helene and Milton, it has been hard to find vehicles to sell.
“We’re having to go 4, 5, or 6 hours out to be able to get our inventory so we can be confident in what we are buying,” Chaippone said.
It’s important to learn about the vehicle you are interested in by checking its CarFax or you can check the vin number on the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle website.
Chiappone said there are signs you can look for to find out if a car has been flooded including looking under door gaskets, under the carpet inside the cab and in the trunk.
You can also look under the hood and check the fuse box and around the motor.
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