While the news reports concerning hurricanes, flood damages and the travesty that was put upon the unfortunate victims have slowed down, the dangers and hazards are still present. With reports varying upwards of 600,000 vehicles damaged by floodwaters, these cars and trucks will most certainly, and already have, surfaced across the country, waiting on their next victim.

It's easy to let your guard down with out much media publicity, but used car buyers should be aware that these vehicles are still out in the market, perhaps cross country in states that are not affected by the floods.

A couple of common issues that have surfaced, that you should be aware of, is sellers attempting to hide the origin of where these cars came from. By registering the vehicle in different states, it creates a paper trail that can be difficult to trace unless you spend the time for researching.

Another trick sellers will use is changing license plate frames or adding an emblem from another state. This of course is designed to deceive the potential buyer of what state the car came from.

The question remains, what steps should a consumer take to minimize their risk of purchasing these damaged vehicles? The below tips, ideas and suggestions will at least minimize your risk of purchasing a vehicle that has been involved with floodwaters.

Check the National Insurance Crime Bureau's web site at www.nicb.org, they have compiled a list of vehicles that have that have been affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. While this list may not include every single vehicle, it's a good place to start with.

You should also run an online history report, but once again, this database may not be all-inclusive, it's simply another step in the process of elimination.

Knowledge Is King, and it can't have more meaning than in your quest for a quality automobile. Following the below inspection tips will offer some added protection as well, and is themost effective means of determining if the vehicle was involved in floods.

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