C7 Corvette Test Drive Reveals the Dangers of Buying Flood Cars

Corvettes that were totaled as “flood cars” and then repaired may be a bargain, but they’re usually not worth the headache.

Of all of the non-accident tragedies that can befall our beloved Corvettes, flooding may be the most frustrating. Unlike fire, theft, or a wayward tree branch, flooding does damage you just can’t see.

As an owner, it’s frustrating, because you can still see your car once the waters subside. Everything looks fine, but it isn’t. Cars are made to be washed and driven in the rain, sure — but they definitely aren’t designed to be submerged. As a buyer, the thought of an unscrupulous dealer selling you a flood car without disclosing the car’s past can keep you up at night when you’re Corvette shopping.

Thankfully for Corvette Forum member NYC911, the dealer was completely upfront about the flood status of the C7 Corvette he went to drive. NYC911 was looking for an inexpensive manual-transmission Corvette to buy for temporary use. Since this C7 had a rebuilt salvage title, it was being offered at a bargain price.

The Corvette in question had been involved in a freshwater flood. Generally, a freshwater flood is the lesser of two evils. Salt water is highly corrosive, but fresh water damage can be repaired much easier.

Gone Fishin’

Unfortunately, this car proved right away that it wasn’t the right choice for NYC911. There was still sand and silt from the flood in the door jambs, and the passenger side door didn’t even fit correctly. Furthermore, he noticed a missing fluid reservoir cap under the hood.

On the test drive, even more issues popped up. NYC911 said that the car drove and shifted just fine, but it made weird noises. He didn’t elaborate on what those noises were. And one of the biggest problem with flood cars, as you can imagine, is electronics.

I was shocked the seller (whose sole business is buying and fixing up salvaged cars) didn’t even bother to wipe the sand/silt out of the trunk jams.

Under the hood, I pointed out one of the filler caps was missing, which they replaced. Also The passenger door didn’t align correctly.

Once out on the road, it actually drove and shifted, but there were some odd noises.

But what happened next is something I didn’t expect.

The dashboard power and display completely cut out for a few seconds.

I’ve heard all the horror stories about flooded cars, but didn’t expect someone to try and sell such a total failure of a vehicle.

I feel sorry for anyone that buys this car on eBay, or at all. I told someone there what happened on the test drive, but I doubt the will do anything to try and fix this disaster.

That’s some scary stuff!

Obviously, NYC911 decided not to buy this particular C7. While a salvage-title flood car may look like a good deal, it could be hiding some dark, nasty secrets. Our advice? Walk away and find something with high mileage, but no damage history. These cars are rugged, and they can usually take whatever their owners can throw at them. Mother Nature, on the other hand — not so much.

Photos: Corvette Forum members

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