# Beware Flood Cars From Florida **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632 "2022-09-29T16:48:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/1 "2022-09-29T16:48:23Z")
Huge hurricane Ian has left a TON of floating cars in its wake. Left a few floating houses from the news video. We are safe and dry after riding it out. Hope @weekend-warrior fared as well ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/2 "2022-09-29T17:05:47Z")
Thought about you folks. Way worse than I thought it would be. Looks like the bridge to Sanibel took a hit too. Those poor folks will be stranded. Glad you made it. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/3 "2022-09-29T17:14:42Z")
The Sanibel bridge is out, so is the road to Pine Island. For the buildings from Marco Island to Venice with parking below as a buffer… All those cars were floaters. For about 12 hours we were battered relentlessly. Our home has virtually no damage but we were lucky. I should have bugged out! ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/4 "2022-09-29T18:48:53Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > For about 12 hours we were battered relentlessly. Our home has virtually no damage but we were lucky. I should have bugged out! Glad you’re OK. What’s the track of the storm now? I have a colleague in Orlando that I haven’t been able to get a hold of. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/5 "2022-09-29T18:50:50Z")
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the NJ AG’s office compiled a searchable online database of the NJ vehicles that had been “totaled” as a result of flood damage. It likely saved at least a few people from buying a fatally-flawed car. You should urge your state representative(s) to make that type of database available, and to publicize its existence. Anyway… glad to hear that you’re okay. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/6 "2022-09-29T19:07:22Z")
The storm was a Cat 1 even far across the state passing south of Orlando. My niece lives in the Orlando area. Phone and internet are spotty as is electrical. Hit much softer that we were but they still got it. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/7 "2022-09-29T19:10:12Z")
Glad to hear you’re OK, I read it’s headed out to sea, then back on shore in South Carolina as a cat 1. I’m keeping an eye on it, my brother lives near Spartanburg. Not supposed to be nearly as bad there, at least. I did see this in a recent news report: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/e/4/e4ccb1ca437429d25ce02fec4a97c7efd405b9e3.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/8 "2022-09-29T20:14:29Z")
You can join us in southern nj whenever you want! ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/9 "2022-09-29T20:28:42Z")
It takes a few months for wheel bearings to rust enough to start making noises. I’m guessing sometime next spring Florida car repair shops will be replacing a lot of wheel bearings. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/10 "2022-09-29T20:34:48Z")
Since most cars these days have sealed bearings, I don’t think that will be the biggest issue. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/11 "2022-09-29T20:35:40Z")
That was a good thing. But NJ is a much more consumer friendly state than Florida. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/12 "2022-09-29T20:46:36Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > most cars these days have sealed bearings, True enough those types of bearings are water resistant. But would you expect the seal to be waterproof? I’d guess even a “sealed bearing” wouldn’t survive even a 2 or 3 hour underwater dunking. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/13 "2022-09-29T20:49:15Z")
Bearing would be the least of my worries with a flood car. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/14 "2022-09-29T20:50:01Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > But NJ is a much more consumer friendly state than Florida. How do you come to that conclusion? Florida does have a salvage title like many other states. And like other states, there are ways to “wash” salvage title cars in states that don’t use that designation. CarFax like products can help that, too. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/15 "2022-09-29T20:59:46Z")
> [@texases](#): > > Bearing would be the least of my worries with a flood car. It depends on the vehicle’s high water mark. In many cars water may have got midway up the wheels, but not much higher. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/16 "2022-09-29T21:01:12Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > In many cars water may have got midway up the wheels, but not much higher. In that case (no water in the passenger compartment or into much of the engine compartment) I wouldn’t be worried at all. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/17 "2022-09-29T21:41:56Z")
That’s the problem with cell service in emergencies. Either circuits get instantly busy or towers come down, so just have to be patient. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/18 "2022-09-29T21:42:25Z")
Can’t speak for all vehicles but for most sedans the hubs are higher than the bottom of the doors and I can’t imagine a salwater/sand/schmutz bath would do the undercarriage much good. And then the cars that weren’t “totaled” or even reported to an insurance company.but simply got a “Dirty Dan’s Used Car Restoration” and quickly sold into the current hot resale market… . Sorry but for the time being any vehicle titled in the flood area is off my list. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/19 "2022-09-29T21:53:55Z")
> [@Beancounter](#): > > Sorry but for the time being any vehicle titled in the flood area is off my list. I agree. Just making the point there’s much more to worry about than wheel bearings. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632/20 "2022-09-29T22:59:12Z")
The sealed bearings are tested completely submerged in labs and on cars splashing through water, mud, salt and general yuck thousands of times in vehicle testing. I’d trust them submerged a few feet. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beware-flood-cars-from-florida/186632.md?page=2)