Signs a Car Has Flood Damage in Chantilly, VA


Buying a pre-owned vehicle right now can be a bit nail-biting. With all of the hurricanes and natural disasters, a lot of cars have been damaged and are making their way up North. At Pohanka Acura, you can guarantee that we’ll never sell you a vehicle that’s suffered from flood damage, but we can’t vouch for other dealerships or individuals selling their vehicles. What we can do is arm you with the appropriate knowledge to sniff out the warning signs — literally!
We mean it. Take a seat inside, close the doors, and take a big whiff. One of the most prominent, immediately-detectable side-effects of flood-damaged vehicles is a moldy or mildewy scent. If you get even a hint of that in your nostrils, it’s best to thank the dealer or person for their time and hit the road running. Be aware that they may also have tried to mask this scent with heavy-duty cleaners or air fresheners, so crank up the air conditioning to see if you can detect it there. You can often visibly see that a vehicle has suffered some kind of water damage by comparing the upper and lower upholstery on a vehicle — if they vary differently in color, it’s very likely that the lower half has been saturated with water. Again, be wary if the upholstery on an older used vehicle looks spotless. It could’ve been replaced to hide the damage. If the vehicle looks and smells good, those are good signs.
We don’t want to create an army of suspicious car-buyers, but, unfortunately, there are a lot of sneaky sellers out there. You can go the extra mile and check the trunk — take out the spare tire and inspect the area beneath. It’s often forgotten during repairs or replacements, so it’s a good spot to take a peek at. To cover all of the bases, you can check the electrical wiring, as well. Very gently bend the wires. If there’s any brittleness to them, it’s an indicator of a flood-damaged vehicle. Even if they’re alright, make sure to put the electrical system through its paces thoroughly to ensure that everything works the way it’s supposed to.
The best way to feel confident that your new-to-you vehicle purchase is clean, is to buy from a reputable dealer, like us here at Pohanka Acura. All of our pre-owned vehicles boast CARFAX® Vehicle History Reports™ for you to view. In case you find your dream car elsewhere, though, we hope that this article about signs a car has flood damage in Chantilly, VA, has been helpful to you! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a knowledgeable member of our staff at 703-260-7997!
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| Tuesday | 9:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Thursday | 9:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Friday | 9:00 am - 9:00 pm |
| Saturday | 9:00 am - 7:00 pm |
| Sunday | 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
Testimonials
My experience at Pohanka Acura was awesome.
Yong Kim was great with assisting me in purchasing my
“ Yong Kim was great with assisting me in purchasing my Acura Integra A-Spec. I will recommend talking with Yong Kim on the purchase of your next Acura! ”
My experience at the Pohanka Acura dealership is
“ My experience at the Pohanka Acura dealership is summarized in 6 words. Award winning Salesman and award winning dealership. Mr Yong Kim made our purchasing experience stress free, it shows in his knowledge and his 14 years of experience selling Acuras. Which by the way he was recognized for during our purchase. He accepted his Award, didn’t miss a beat and took care of us. If you are planning to purchase a Acura go and see Mr. Kim at the Pohanka Acura dealership. ”
Had a good experience working with Yong Kim.
“ Had a good experience working with Yong Kim. Very professional, patient and he communicated well with me as so my experience in the dealership was as pleasant and welcoming. ”
Yong Kim was my sales rep and he provided me with a great
“ Yong Kim was my sales rep and he provided me with a great service. Provided me with great knowledge of the vehicle I wanted and the options that I had with thorough explanation. Have bought other cars in the past, but this was by far the smoothest process I have had thanks to him and the team. ”
I’ve bought cars from various places over the years, but
“ I’ve bought cars from various places over the years, but this is the first time I’ve experienced service as fast and efficient-especially the quick handling of the paperwork to finalize everything. Thank you so much for such excellent service. Thank you, Yong W. Kim, for ensuring I was completely satisfied with everything. ”
Yong Kim was exceptional!
“ Yong Kim was exceptional! True professional, awesome to work with and very knowledgeable. He was down to earth and made suggestions that I hadn’t thought of, he truly had my best interests at mind. White glove treatment the entire experience. Thank again Yong! ”
Young Kim was great to work with and we got a great deal.
“ Young Kim was great to work with and we got a great deal. The whole process was fast and easy. Best experience I had buying a car. ”
The professionalism was particularly impressive.
“ The professionalism was particularly impressive. I was truly impressed by professionalism, from welcoming me onto the parking lot to assisting me through the buying process. Yong Kim did a great job walking me through the process and all the features on the vehicle. ”


“ My experience at Pohanka Acura was awesome. Yong Kim was my sales rep and he took such great care of us! He's easy to work with and very knowledgeable. My husband and I have bought multiple Acuras from Yong and it's been a great experience every time. We also really enjoyed working with our finance manager, Shahbaz Butt! ”