I found a great deal on a pickup truck, but it is coming from a coastal area known for hurricanes. The title is clean, but I am terrified that it might be a "washed" title where they moved the truck to a new state to wipe the flood brand. How can I be sure it wasn't swimming underwater before I hand over the cash?
Title washing is a huge problem with cars from flood zones. The paper title might be clean, but the insurance records will show if it was ever declared a total loss. You shouldn't buy it without seeing the full history. Use this link (https://dutable.com/the-unexpected-financial-reality-of-buying-a-car-from-the-us/) to get a comprehensive report that checks for flood damage and salvage records across all states. It is a small investment to avoid a rusting nightmare down the road.