One afternoon on the first of the week, Mr. Nguyen Van Minh (32 years old, Hanoi) enthusiastically received the handover of an old sedan that he believed was a rare item.
Shiny cars with new fragrant interior, the price is hundreds of millions cheaper than the market. But after only a few days, the air conditioner began to smell, the "check engine" light turned red, the speaker system failed.
Taking the car to the garage to check, Mr. Minh was stunned when he heard the worker say "The car was flooded, the repair was so skillful that it was not easy to recognize".
Mr. Minh's story is just one of hundreds of cases of " mistakenly buying flood trucks" after heavy rains. When the used car market became vibrant again, cars that were once soaked in water were also "reborn", polished, and then advertised for sale at attractive prices.
5 signs to recognize a flooded vehicle
1. Moist smell
Flooded vehicles often have a strong smell of moisture in the floor tham, ceiling or air conditioning air vents. Even with a strong perfume spray, deodorant, the damp smell still returns when turned on the air conditioner or when the vehicle heats up. Buyers should try driving for at least 3060 minutes to feel it most clearly.
2. Leaks and water stains in the departure
Carefully check the screws, fulcrums, frame, cake hoses, and under the vehicle. Under strong light, the paint details will have uneven colors. If lights are detected in the door sills, footrest or frame, the vehicle is likely to be deeply flooded.
3. Unconventional interior
When the car is remade, the difference between new and old details is easily noticeable: the leather and seats are brighter than the plots, the new safety belts are certified, the pedals are worn again. Unstable plastic or shiny colors are signs of dismantled and replaced furniture after flooding.
4. Power outage system
Flooded vehicles often have small changes in electronic systems such as lights that do not match the correct lighting, vibration engines, unstable engine turned, screens, cameras, and sensors that are unstable. These errors often appear after a few days of use, when the component begins to oxidize.
5. Unusually clean engine compartment
Many vehicles have been carefully washed in the engine compartment to erase the mud, but still leave markings around the battery, lead bridge or electrical short circuit. The electrical wires are tied together with new tape or unusually arranged, which is the handwritten mark after technical intervention.
Experts recommend that surprisingly beautiful cars with lower prices than the market are often a sign to be vigilant.
Before paying, buyers should bring the vehicle to a genuine service workshop or a reputable garage for a comprehensive inspection; request a repair history report (if any).
In particular, you should not rush to deposit without carefully checking. Spending a few hundred thousand for in-depth testing can help avoid losing hundreds of millions later.
