Car Buyers Beware

Last week's record rainfall left many motorists stranded in standing water.

And if you happen to be in the market for a used car, some auto mechanics caution, water damage often lies deeper than the surface.

"If you ever drop your cell phone in water, it may quit working immediately, but then a week later, after it dries out, it may start working again, but you're going to have problems with that phone," Robert Tarr, Manager of Texas Body and Frame, says.

You may not think a cell phone and a car have anything in common, but Tarr knows, when it comes to flooding, the two are more similiar than you might think.

"If the water gets into the dash or some electrical components, after it dries out, it may be okay, but then again, after it corrodes, you're going to have some problems down the road.  It's something that's really, really hard to detect," Tarr says.

And if you're looking for a car, Tarr says there's an easy way to tell if it has water damage.

"Underneath the dash of every single car, there's a control module and this control module allows us to program and get in to the electronical systems of the car.  There's little metal electrodes on the end of it.  If it has any type of corrosion, you definitely want to steer clear of it because that is a major indicator that water has gotten under the dash," he says.

If you suspect flood damage in a car you're considering, Tarr recommends requesting a "CarFacts" report, or just using your senses.

"If you get inside a car and it has a funny smell, that may be a sign that you may have some moisture or some mold in it," Tarr says.