Flood salvage vehicle

No, but I bought a F-350 pickup truck once that had been into red clay mud/water up to the bottom of the windows. Did not know it until I had to take the interior door panel off. Always wondered why everything was so dusty. Had some simple wiring issues and suddenly knew why. Sent it on down the road in short order. I would recommend to run....
 
Stay away that was problems in the 60's-70's they used to take them from the south and sell them up north what a mess.
 
If the water comes up over the rocker panels and gets into the interior.....run, dont walk away from it. This is for a late model vehicle.
 
My sister lost a car due to flood when she lived in Texas. She said her car had to be crushed. She it was illegal even sell the bumper off it. I'm not sure if this is fact, just hear say. I've never lived in Texas, I've never had a car in a flood. I wouldn't want anything to do with a flooded car. I'm sure water to mess up the electronics. Just drop your phone in the toilet and see what happens.
geo
 
plow hand,I say run away it might be different if they were resurrected with in a day or two,but they set for months and months with water in the engines,transmissions rear ends,electronics ect.I have done a couple the next day after they were recovered and they had no problems afterwords.
 
I remember reading an article about flood damaged cars in a motoring magazine here in the UK where a fitter removed an interior panel of a flood damaged car and he got a face full of raw sewage
 

Back in the 60s there were historic floods in New England. Some of those flood damaged cars wound up in SC. Was in a guy's sh,op when was taking apart a Chevy v 8 to rebuild as a race car engine. Lots of gray oil in it.

I would run from a flood car to put on the road again. Also I would run from a tractor that had been burned, especially late models with electronics, but older ones that had been in a fire are difficult to get fixed right as I have been told.

KEH
 
Had a relative buy a car from a large local dealer several years back, not long after one of the big hurricanes down South. Drove it a few weeks and the rear end went kaput. After the sales guy made several very suspicious excuses as to why it happened and why they wouldn't fix it under warranty, he did some digging and found out it was a flood salvage car that had, somewhat miraculously, been "restored" so well that there was no mention on any of the dealer's paperwork that it had been a salvage. Further digging found evidence of mud and other debris in places that the dealer's detail job wasn't apt to get, and armed with this knowledge he had a small chat directly with the owner of the dealership. Oddly enough, the words "criminal fraud" get the dealer's attention a lot better than any amount of ranting and raving, and he walked out with his entire purchase price back and went elsewhere for another vehicle.
 
If you're thinking about one, don't.

When I was in the automotive business, we were always tuned in to where there were floods around the country and watched for vehicles from that area. We didn't want anything to do with them.

Before that, when I was in the boat and outboard motor business, I did a few outboard motors that had been sunk. Fresh water wasn't so bad, you had a little time to tear them down, clean them up, reassemble them, and get them running. Word in the business was if one was sunk in salt water, you had four hours to tear it down, clean it up, dry it out, reassemble, and get it running again. Otherwise, forget it.
 
Worked on an old cab over Ford truck for a man years ago, that had been in a flood. There was mud/dirt in places, like the inside of relays, where you wouldn't ever think it would get.

This truck was old school, all electrical, and it was a NIGHTMARE...... Given the electronics in more modern vehicles I'd run as fast as I could from anything that had been even partially submerged.
 
My brother had one once, bought it used from a dealer and was never told it was in a flood. When he wanted to trade it for a new car no one would touch it. He confronted the place he bought it from and made them buy it back. It was probably illegal to sell with a clean title, not a salvage title.
 
Again, hear say, told by sister. She lived in corpus christi. Is it possible here flood had salt water ? That would screw up things. Or could it be her insurance company told her it was a total loss and they wanted the car. I've heard of that happening in Indiana. Could be her claims agent said your car is a total, here is what the insurance will pay you. Then agent owns a towing company, comes to pic up your car.

Still I would never buy a flooded car.
 
My dad cleaned up one for a customer in the 60s, that only sat in the water overnight, do not think the musty smell ever totally came out. The silt gets into everywhere, and you have no clue how long it sat before the adjusters moved them to the rebuilders.

I agree, run away.
 
Doesn't matter if it's salt water or fresh water. The electronics inside the passenger compartment are not waterproof.

It's also way too expensive to pull everything out of the interior to dry it out properly. They just air them out and detail them to try to cover it up. You get mold and mildew growing in all the crevices...
 
that reminds me of the NICE 1970 Mach 1,4 speed tranny ,a guy had that was framing houses with me ..they always liked going to the quarry , to swim , bonfire , hangout , and of course drink a few,. his girlfriend went into the passenger side , wanted to find another tape to hear ,turned off the key so she could hear everyone while she was looking ,she turned the key and started it in reverse and: "just like that "backed it over the bank into 10 feet of water,,. Thank God.. None of them were not DRUNK YET. the gal was quick thinking she climbed out the side window, they had a jeep there with a tow rope,. she quikly latched on to the MACH 1 axle and they pulled the mustang out while the gal was there treading water, they did MARRY one another and have raised a wonderful family of 5 over the last 40 years,. the Mach 1 needed a new sterio set, and oil change ,and a good drying out ,. but it was a Fast Runner for at least into the mid 80s. ,..Funny thing ,..the Jeep fella towed the Mach ! up to his uncles shop,where they left it til morning basically untouched ,windows down, clothes hanging out of it,.The Mach 1 was co signed for by the kids daddy,.. and he worked 3rd shift,,. he come thru town and seen the Mach 1 sitting there ,. he had to stop to see what state and condition his son had gotten into ,.. he walked up to the door and opened it and water poured out ,.. The poor Ol MAN went Ballistic and Woke the town up with his Rant,. one of the town kids called the son , and told him Ya Better CLEAR OUt for a while ,.your DADDY just saw the Mustang and he swears he is gonnakill ya...
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top