ROCHESTER, NY — When looking for a used car, consider buying a car with history. You don’t want a flood to be part of your vehicle’s history.

“That’s the biggest concern with a car that has suffered flood damage is the long-term impact on the electrical system, which you might not notice at first. But beyond that, like rusting of metal components that can happen. And even the tires and stuff like that. You don’t want them submerged under water for a long period of time, brake components, all these things you don’t want submerged for a long period of time,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at Iseecars.com.

Cars today are computers on wheels. And there are two things that definitely don’t mix: electronics and water.

Flood damaged cars are almost always a total loss. But the way the loss is reported is through an insurance claim. Unscrupulous sellers may try to clean up the car and sell it without reporting it on insurance, especially if they only have liability coverage. But those who know what to look for can almost always spot the telltale signs of flood damage, such as silt in places it shouldn’t be.

If you have a car and you think it might have flood damage, you want to look at these lower parts of the car’s interior where the spare wheel will usually sit, or under the carpet. Or the underside of the car and looking at the suspension components.

Years ago, a News10NBC viewer came up to Deanna Dewberry, who had bought a used car that she suspected had been in a flood. So Deanna brought in a mechanic with years of experience. The first thing he did was open the trunk and remove the carpet and spare tire. And around the screws was a collection of sludge that even the best detailing could not remove.

It is always recommended to have your used car inspected by a mechanic before you sign on the dotted line.

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