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The original was posted on /r/lifeprotips by /u/Puzzleheaded-Day-281 on 2024-09-27 13:21:02+00:00.

Many cars damaged by rising waters are written off by insurers as a total loss, and their titles are marked as such. They will be sold as salvage and not intended to be driven again. But it’s very common for people to buy the salvage vehicles at auction and instead of stripping them for usable parts or recyclable metal as is intended, they are cheaply repaired and resold, sometimes many states or provinces away so just because you’re nowhere near the hurricane doesn’t mean you won’t still get one of these water damaged vehicles. Not only are they a huge risk for mold nd rust, but they can have massive electrical and engine problems in the future that can be hidden for a short time.

Inspect the title very carefully, and demand a carfax or other vin history to see where it was previously registered and any prior insurance claims if possible to make sure you’re not just buying future headaches.