Water damage works fast. Fire damage is permanent. How to sell a totaled flood/burn car in Wisconsin and why speed is critical.
The Elements vs. The Automobile
Water and fire are the two worst enemies of a vehicle. Unlike a mechanical failure (which can be fixed) or a collision (which can be straightened), elemental damage spreads.
- Floods: Mold, corrosion, and electrical gremlins grow every day.
- Fire: Heat warps metal and toxic chemicals soak into the interior.
Selling these cars requires honesty and speed.
Part 1: Flood Damaged Cars
Milwaukee isn’t a hurricane zone, but flash floods happen. Or maybe you left the sunroof open during a thunderstorm.
Why Flood Cars are “Timed BOMBS”
- Electrical Corrosion: Water gets into the wiring harness connectors. The pins turn green (corrosion). The car might work today, but in 3 weeks, the airbags might fail, the ECU stops, or the windows roll down by themselves.
- Biohazard (Mold): Once water soaks the carpets and seat foam, mold starts in 48 hours. The smell never leaves.
- Mechanical: If water got into the engine intake (Hydrolock), the engine is destroyed instantly. If water got into the transmission fluid (Strawberry Milkshake), the transmission is destroyed.
How We Value Them
- Fresh Water Flood: (Rain/Puddle). Medium Value. We can harvest body panels, glass, and sealed mechanical parts like rear axles.
- Salt Water Flood: (Ocean/Road Salt). Zero Parts Value. Salt corodes everything including the frame. It is bought for Scrap Value Only.
Warning: Do NOT try to dry it out and sell it to a private party without disclosing the flood. That is federal fraud (Title Washing). Selling to a licensed salvage yard like us means the title is branded “FLOOD” ensuring it never tricks another buyer.
Part 2: Fire Damaged Cars
Engine fires, electrical shorts, or vandalism.
The “Burn” Categories
- Under-Hood Fire: The engine bay is toast. Wiring, plastic covers, hoses melted.
- Value: We can still use the rear half of the car (Trunk, rear lights, rear suspension, interior).
- Interior Fire: Cigarette burn gone wrong.
- Value: The mechanicals (Engine/Trans) might look okay, but heat weakens metal. Plus, the smoke smell ruins any salvageable interior parts.
- Value: Mostly Scrap Weight.
- Total Burn: The car is a metal skeleton.
- Value: Scrap Weight Only. Aluminum rims melted? Lead battery melted? We strictly pay for the steel tonnage.
Special Paperwork for Burn Cars
If the car is severely burned (VIN plates melted), we need extra verification.
- The Certificate of Title is Mandatory. We cannot inspect a VIN on the dash if it’s melted.
- Police/Fire Report: Helpful to prove the origin of the damage.
Safety Warnings for Sellers
- Do Not Start It: If a car was flooded, turning the Key can short out the computer or hydro-lock the engine. Leave it off.
- Disconnect Battery: For flood/burn cars, fire risk remains high. Disconnect the negative terminal immediately.
- Biohazards: Do not sit in a moldy flood car without a mask. The spores are dangerous.
Summary
Water and Fire cars are rarely “fixable.” Insurance companies total them immediately for a reason—liability. Don’t let a moldy flood car sit in your driveway breeding mosquitoes. Don’t let a burnt carcass rust on your lawn.
Call {businessInfo.name}. We have the Hazmat protocols to recycle these vehicles safely and properly brand the titles to protect future buyers.