Beware: Flooded Cars Are Heading To Nigeria From USA

If you are planning to buy a used car that was imported from the United State, then you might need to be extra cautious.

In about 4 to 6 weeks from now, any used car shipped into Nigeria from the US might just be a flooded car that had been repaired.

Recently, hundreds of cars were damaged by flooding in some parts of the US – notably in Texas. The tropical storm nicknamed “Imelda” unleashed dangerous flooding in some part of the United State.

The storm developed quickly and soaked the region with the flood rising as much as three feet high.

The flooding left hundreds of cars damaged. Most of these cars were left abandoned in the flood by their owners and later towed away by the city authorities.

Some of these cars would most likely end up being auctioned at popular auction sites that Nigerian car dealers patronize, such as Copart and IAA.

At such auctions companies, flooded cars are often sold quite cheap – almost at a gave away price.

Repaired flooded cars are notorious for electrical faults, together with other faults such as recurring issues like an engine knock, transmission problems and some other unusual displays such as windows rolling down instead of going up or the volume of the sound system going up while you are trying to reduce some noise, etc.

See also: This Is How To Spot A Flooded Car (Video)

Possibly the most obvious problem from flood damage is that mold will grow anywhere water has lingered, especially if the car sat for days in the hot sun. Mold will grow in the fabric of the car, such as the seat, carpet, and headliner, but these can be replaced. Mold can also grow in the air conditioning system causing respiratory problems in passengers.

So, if you are planning to buy a used car that was shipped in from the US in a few weeks to come, we strongly advise you to ensure to do a thorough inspection such as a VIN check before you pay for it.