Last of flooded cars removed from fairgrounds

IONIA, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - It's been almost two weeks since nearly one thousand cars got stuck in a flooded field at the Ionia Co. Fairgrounds, and now the last of them are driven - or towed - out.

Ionia officials tell Newschannel 3 that only about 25 percent of those cars were able to be driven off the lot. The rest either need repairs, or will eventually be resold. But the flood damaged-vehicles could create a disaster for whoever buys them.

"A flood car, you never know down the road (if) they'll nickel and dime you," said Scott Houston with Auto Salvage Auction. "You'll drive away one day, and the next day, it's dead."

Houston has several hundred of the badly-damaged cars on his lot, where they will stay for 60 to 90 days, while their titles are altered to reflect that they've were submerged in water. Then, the cars are often purchased by salvage yards for parts, or by dealerships looking to restore the vehicles.

To make sure that you aren't being "had' when you purchase a new car, check the title. It should reflect that the car was at some point submerged underwater, and should clearly reflect "flood" in the title.

If you are buying a car from a private party, and you aren't sure if the car may have been in a flood situation, Houston recommends that you check the car's headlights to see if a water line shows up in the lens, as well as checking out the interior and exterior of the car.