Buyer beware: flood of hurricane-damaged cars expected in Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Recent hurricanes may not have hit Kentucky hard, but the Transportation Cabinet says it is preparing for a deluge of flood-damaged.

Buying a car is so expensive. Imagine how miserable it would be if your new ride broke down just months later. That is something Jamie Copher and Haley Beebout say they thought about as they shopped around for a new car.

“Not everybody has a lot of money to throw away,” Beebout said.

They say they wanted to know everything about a car’s history before buying it, especially because the Transportation Cabinet says it expects flood-damaged cars to make their way to Kentucky in the next few months.

The Cabinet says after Hurricane Matthew in 2016 title requests for flood-damaged cars tripled. Lilla Mason with AAA says Hurricane Harvey alone has spoiled up to a million vehicles.

“It’s buyer beware,” Mason said.

She says a flood-damaged car can seem fine when you buy it, but can have major electrical problems a few months down the road.

“They’re more marketable if no one knows the history of a car so it’s up to the buyer to find out the history of that car,” Mason said.

AAA says avoiding a flood damaged car can be as easy as using your senses. Look to make sure there is no fog in the headlights and take a sniff inside to see if you can smell disinfectant. There is also some research you can do.

“There’s a lot of great used cars, but if a deal is too good to be true, AAA recommends you might rely on some expert advice to make sure you’re getting a good deal,” Mason said.

She recommends a mechanic inspect the car, and that you ask your insurer to see where the car was previously insured.

At used car dealership Autonomics, Manager Massoud Shoa says it is hard to detect flood damage.

“I would look in the areas where the chassis is,” Shoa said.

He says he knows customers might think of New Circle’s used car lots as places they might find flood damage, but he works hard for a good reputation.

“We strive to have vehicles that are road worthy and that last a long time for customers,” Shoa said.

To do that, he says he avoids buying cars from Florida or Texas, and inspects vehicles to make sure they are in good condition.