Perhaps you have heard the term ‘salvaged title,’ when referring to a vehicle that may be deeply discounted or completely restored. The question then will enter your mind, whether it is safe to buy this vehicle or not. Generally speaking, the answer is yes, the car is safe to be purchase. As long as the mechanic or facility who restored the vehicle is reputable and trustworthy, then it is safe to purchase the vehicle. Also, you want to check the original reason that the vehicle was deemed ‘totaled,’ which means the damages to the vehicle were worth more than the actual vehicle’s value.
This is where things can get tricky if the vehicle was totaled due to a vehicle accident, then purchasing a vehicle with a salvage title should be more than ok as long as the person or company doing the restoration work is reputable. If the vehicle was totaled due to flooding or water damage, then you may want to think twice about purchasing the vehicle, no matter how good it looks or how good the deal is. We may have made a list of things that can happen to a vehicle with water damage down the road, and why you may want to stay away from them.
How Deep?
If the vehicle shows water damage, you want to check and see how far the vehicle was submerged. If the vehicle was submerged above the electronics in the vehicle, then you many not want to purchase this vehicle. Even if there are no problems right now, there is a very good chance that the wires and screens inside the vehicle could corrode down the road, especially if the vehicle was submerged with saltwater.
How Long?
The next question to ask is how long the vehicle was submerged. Corrosion will occur with either freshwater or saltwater, especially to the frame. The question now becomes, “How fast will the corrosion occur?” And this is question is determined by how long the vehicle was submerged in water. Be very careful purchasing a car that was once located in Florida, Louisiana, or another area prone to flooding and hurricanes. Unless the dealer can prove extensive and proper restoration, then we would recommend staying away from a water-damaged vehicle.
Get A Quote
We recommend you thoroughly check the full and complete history before purchasing a vehicle with water or a flood history, but regardless of your decision, you will still need auto insurance, contact Maryland Auto Insurance today for a no-hassle quote.