Hurricane Helene left 138,000 vehicles flood-damaged across six states, according to estimates by CARFAX.
The vehicle history report provider has not yet released estimates on the number of vehicles possibly damaged by Hurricane Milton, which closely followed Helene, but it previously estimated there were already 89,000 flood-damaged vehicles thanks to tropical storms and hurricanes that hit the U.S. from June through August.
As Helene’s floodwaters ravaged communities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, thousands of vehicles are at risk of entering the used car market under deceptive conditions.
“These cars may look showroom fresh, but they're literally rotting from the inside out,” said Faisal Hasan, vice president for data at CARFAX. Floodwater can lead to mechanical and electrical issues that could put unsuspecting buyers at risk of costly repairs and potential safety hazards.
Florida was the hardest hit by Helene, with CARFAX reporting 60,700 water-damaged vehicles in the state. South Carolina followed with 27,500, and North Carolina with 22,900. Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia also saw thousands of vehicles damaged by the storm -- 16,800, 4,900 and 4,900 respectively.
In many cases, scammers will clean and relocate these cars, selling them to unsuspecting buyers far from the areas impacted by the storm.
“After cleaning up the cars and moving them across the country, these scammers will try to lure unsuspecting buyers into thinking they're getting a great deal,” Hasan warned.
Consumers are urged to be vigilant when purchasing used vehicles in the coming months, particularly from private sellers or dealerships located far from flood-impacted areas. Checking a vehicle's history report through services like CARFAX can help potential buyers avoid purchasing a flood-damaged car.
