Water damage and other spooky things that can make buying a used car ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

Halloween is here, which means candy, costumes, trick or treating and scary movies. And if you don't pay attention to the Signs, buying a used car could feel like the Little Shop of Horrors and make you Scream.

After all, used vehicles can have a frightening story. Gremlins such as flood damage, bad repair work, being stolen, swapped identification numbers, odometer tampering, and fraudulent or missing titles and liens can all lead to Hocus Pocus during the purchasing process. But you can avoid these Stranger Things by taking some time and researching the vehicle's history.

So avoid Misery and use the following tips and resources so your used car purchase will not turn into (It's) the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

• The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a national vehicle database established to help protect consumers from vehicle related fraud. You can obtain information on the vehicle's title, history and condition by obtaining a vehicle history report from an NMVTIS-approved provider.​
• Check out all of the vehicle's nooks and crannies for signs of water damage. Look under the carpet and floor mats and examine the trunk for dirt, silt and mold. Check under the dashboard and other hard-to-reach places. Finally, take a good whiff in those areas. Water damage leaves a distinctive smell.
• Check the electrical and mechanical components. Also check the engine for signs of rust or even random new parts. If possible, ask an auto mechanic you trust to check the suspension for water damage. Any of those things could be a sign that you're in danger of buying a flood-damaged vehicle.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a website that will provide information on vehicle safety ratings and vehicle recalls.
• Use the vehicle identification number (VIN) to obtain the vehicle history through an online service that may charge a fee. This check can uncover a vehicle's status as "salvage" or "nonrepairable," as well as maintenance problems, collisions, insurance claims and titles issued in other states.

ADOT also has a helpful car buying checklist you may use as a guide when you find that perfect Munster Mobile for you and your Addams Family.

With these tips and resources, your next vehicle purchase experience may give you Goosebumps, rather than feeling like The Nightmare before Christmas.

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