The Hindu Business Line : Beware buying used cars during floods

I live in Pune and am in the market for a used car. Though this will be my first car, I would like to buy a sparingly used sedan in the Rs 5-6 lakh range. My colleagues warn me that this time of the year may not be the best period to be in the market in Maharashtra for a used car due to the unprecedented floods in Mumbai and neighbouring towns. What do you recommend that I do to ensure that I don't end up buying a damaged, but well camouflaged second-hand car?

G. S. Manohar

The unorganised used car market is such a minefield, what with its share of unscrupulous operators, that the prospect of landing a lemon is very high for the uninitiated. The situation is bad enough during regular years, when the monsoon rains are manageable and irrelevant when we talk of car care. But this year's monsoon and related flooding in many parts of the country make the quicksand-like used-car market even more dangerous.

In addition to the usual checklist that used car buyers tick off before they zero-in on the vehicle, this year they will also have to look out for damage that the vehicle may have sustained due to the heavy flooding. Depending on the level of ingress, water can cause irreparable damage to the engine and on-board electronics of the car.

Usually the damage to the car would be minimal and can be controlled if the water level has stayed below the topmost point of the wheel arch. In most modern cars, any thing over that could mean progressively higher levels of damage to the engine, sensors and other mechanical components. A car that has stood in five-six feet of water for long, will invariably be a complete write off, as the cost of restoring such a vehicle will be prohibitive.

Unscrupulous used car dealers may try to push vehicles by salvaging and restoring them and even re-registering them in other States, so that their trail can be covered. So, the risk may not necessarily be only in and around Mumbai or restricted only to the next few months, since such cars may even be put in the market under less suspicious circumstances next year.

The best way to ensure that you don't get cheated is to shop from manufacturer-authorised used car dealers or independent reputed dealers who are part of the organised market. If possible insist on a dealer certificate and checklist for authentication and always meet the previous owner of the car. Do not go by what the dealer says. The best way to get personal details of the previous owner is by meeting him.

As for the precautions that you can take, one of the first things to do at the meeting with the previous owner or dealer is to ask for the certificate of registration. Check the date of purchase and original location of the car or re-registration, if the car has already been through two owners. As a simple measure of caution avoid buying a car that has been purchased by the current owner only months before he or she is attempting to sell it to you. In most cases, the explanation about the transferable nature of the owner's job, the urge to buy a sedan and so on will only be a guise to get rid of a bad car.

Also try to inspect the car in the presence of the previous owner and at his residence or office. In many cases, the person posing as the previous owner's cousin or friend will be an agent who may not be keen on divulging additional information about the car's past.

If possible and if the owner has been meticulous in maintaining a log and in filing repair bills regularly, check all available documents for revalidating the owners claims regarding the status of the car and its maintenance history. This will assume significance if you are able to discover any gaps in the records during which relevant bills or other documents are not available.

As regards inspecting and verifying if the car has suffered flood damage, the following can be considered a broad list of checks that you will need to perform:

Inspect the car under bright sunlight for optimum visibility. After leaving the car parked under the sun for a few minutes with all the windows rolled up, get back in the car and see if you can detect any musty or stale smell that usually comes from excessive moisture in the interiors. No amount of cleaning and shampooing will rid a car's seats of the smell of bad water, which would have flowed in if the car has been flooded up to and over the floorboards.

Also check if the seat upholstery is unusually new and clean, which could then be an indicator that after market seat covers were in use before and have since been removed. While under normal circumstances this may be indicative of a caring previous owner, if the car has seen flood damage, then the removal of old seat covers could indicate an attempt at a cover-up.

Inspect difficult to reach and oft neglected areas of the car for signs of dirt, mud deposition which the dealer or previous owner may have overlooked when cleaning the car. These spots could include the door hinges, the inner corners of the boot, the area under the rear seat (which can be checked by folding the bench forward), the floor of the car under the carpet (if accessible) and in the crevices of the engine bay.

Other parts and points in the car that you may check to verify if they have been recently replaced include the fuse box, which is usually installed on the wall in the engine bay directly behind the dashboard. Check to see if all the fuses are new or recently replaced. Check to verify if the insulation panels in the engine bay have been replaced or are showing signs of water logging if they are old.

Carefully slide your fingers under the front bumper and feel the underside for excessive accumulation of dirt and mud. Even a brand new air filter or radiator could be suspect, unless all the other indicators turn up negative for flood damage.

Remember, these are meant to be self-help points, but may not be an exhaustive, foolproof list. Your best bet could eventually be trying to locate a used car from a local dealer of repute who can certify the car, and in addition carry out an inspection on the lines above.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page