Flood damaged cars are considered “totaled” by insurance companies if water gets in the inside. They will issue a “Salvage or Scrap” title and send it to the scrap yards in Missouri, the scrap yards will officially “destroy” the auto, but in reality they will clean it real well.
Several wrecked cars will be cannibalized to make one good looking car, then they will be run down into ARKANSAS where for $50 they will issue a brand new clean title showing the car has never been damaged.
I have been hit twice in Arkansas, once in a car, once in a truck, and the vehicles “totaled”. Sold the remains to a local junk yard, and a few days later noticed the damaged parts out behind the junk yard in the scrap pile. Then a few weeks later, I saw my vehicles being driven around town looking almost like new.
It may look 'like new', but I bet there might have been some structural damage.
The only protection for the consumer is to compare VIN # on parts, and/ or get a CARFAX.