The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning Canadian consumers about buying cars from the United States.
The warning comes after parts of the U.S. and Caribbean were hammered by hurricanes over the past month, flooding highways and submerging vehicles.
According to the BBB, many of those flooded vehicles could make their way across the border once things start to dry up.
Many curbers — which are unlicensed people or businesses that sell vehicles for profit, and often pose as a private seller — will buy up these water-soaked vehicles as salvage from insurance companies and then try to hide the flood history before making a sale.
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“According to the Vehicle Sales Authority, to be considered a flood-damaged vehicle, water would need to have reached the bottom of the dashboard,” Evan Kelly, BBB’s senior communications advisor for mainland B.C. said in a statement.
“It could take several months before corrosion finds its way into vital electronics or even the airbag. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true then it probably is.”
While flood-damaged vehicles aren’t legally qualified for licensing in Canada, the BBB says there are tips to avoid a potentially flood-damaged vehicle.
Tips include:
• A musty odor in the interior, which can sometimes be covered with a strong air-freshener or shampoo.
• Upholstery or carpeting which doesn’t match, is loose, new, or stained.
• Damp carpets.
• Rust around doors, inside the hood and trunk latches, pedals, or under the dashboard.
• Water lines in the engine compartment.
• Mud or silt in the glove compartment or under seats.
• Brittle wires under the dashboard.
• Fog or moisture beads in the interior or exterior lights or instrument panel.
• Seat mounting screws: If these have been tampered with in an effort to dry the carpets, could be a red flag.
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Other important checks:
• Turn on the ignition and check all instrument panel lights.
• Test interior and exterior lights, air conditioning, windshield wipers, radio, heater, turn signals and heater, more than once.
• Get the car inspected for flood damage by a reliable mechanic.
• Carfax or CarProof reports offer a vehicle history to check for flood damage or signs of salvage title fraud.