By Kelsey Hammon
kelsey.hammon@leaderpub.com
Buying a new or used car can be tough enough as it is. For those looking to replace cars lost to Tropical Storm Harvey flooding, the search will likely be even harder.

“When you get floods like this, it is not easy to go buy a car,” said Jerry Bellot, owner of Jerry’s Automotive in Port Arthur. “Because there is no place to go to guarantee the car wasn’t flooded.”

With hundreds of flood-totaled cars making their way to salvage and auction yards, Bellot warned residents to be wary of what they may be purchasing.

Bellot has worked in the automotive business for 51 years. His shop offers front end alignment and car repair services.

Buyers may not immediately be able to detect that a car was flood damaged. But there are a few indicators that Bellot advised looking for. Number one is the smell of the car. If the car has been damaged by flood waters, this may be one thing that is difficult to hide. Bellot also advised inspecting the car for any signs of water sediment.

Still, he said there is no absolute way to be sure that the car was not flood damaged.

Bellot said customers should be particularly wary if they are purchasing a car that was built between 1990 to 2017. These cars utilize computer electronics to operate major components of the vehicle, said Bellot. Often times, a computer responsible for these tasks may be located underneath the seat on the driver’s side or in the car’s kick panel. If water got into the car and rose above the seat level, that equipment will have likely been destroyed. Though, it may take a while for water corrosion to become apparent.

“The problem is, they are fixable but you don’t know how long the electronics will stay with you,” Bellot said. “If they have been wet and there is polluted or contaminated water in there, that is a problem. The computer controls all the assets of the car. If the computer’s not working, you are not leaving.”

Older cars from 1950s to 1980s that experienced flood damage may be able to be repaired, because those parts can be replaced according to Bellot.

If buyers can manage it, Bellot suggested traveling to an area outside Southeast Texas that was not impacted by the flooding to search for a vehicle. If traveling is out of the question, Bellot suggested waiting up to six months before purchasing a car locally.

“It’s a gamble and I don’t like gambling with cars,” Bellot said.

Kristy Blount, who manages the office at De Jean Automotive Inc. advised that before a customer makes an offer on a vehicle, they take the car to a reputable mechanic or dealer for an inspection.

Still, Blount echoed similar sentiments as Bellot.

“Sometimes you can’t even see when a car has flood damage,” Blount said. “Kind of like when your phone gets wet and it looks fine but then you have issues later on.”