State officials are cautioning Arizonans to use their eyes and noses as well as common sense when purchasing used cars in the wake of widespread flooding in Texas and Florida.
Department of Transportation officials say many flood-damaged cars will make their way to Arizona and be offered to unsuspecting buyers in private sales. That happened after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Officials say potential buyers should look under carpets and in all nooks and crannies for signs of flooding such as dirt, silt and mold. And they also advise walking away if something doesn't smell right about a vehicle.
Damaged vehicles' titles are supposed to say "salvage" or "flood damage" but those notations are sometimes removed fraudulently.
