Flood damaged cars hitting the market across CA [Video]

SAN DIEGO — It’s been eight months since heavy flooding hit San Diego County, destroying and damaging hundreds of vehicles.  

Now, some of those cars are being resold.

California is near the top of the list for states with large numbers of water damaged vehicles, according to CARFAX editor in chief, Patrick Olsen.  “California ranks fifth in the nation with about 20,000 flooded vehicles in it,” said Olsen.

Water damaged cars are allowed to be resold with salvage titles, which should be a red flag for buyers. But sometimes dishonest salvage sellers can get around that, Olsen said.

“Scammers will go into a neighborhood or an area that’s been flooded, and they will make a cash offer, buy it for a few hundred bucks or 1,000 bucks, clean it up and sell it for five or six times that amount,” said Olsen.