Car buyers beware:

[Okla-homey]

These things will be appearing for sale near you sometime in October.

"great deal, low mileage, one owner, etc." srsly.

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/2928/captcpsnoq1413090809562qe2.jpg

Tips: Ask seller for a record of the chain of title. Look for southeast texass owners. Also, check the trunk. Look under the carpet there for rust or fresh paint. Finally, use your nose. Sit inside with the windows up and breath deeply. If it smells musty, pass.

[Rogue]

Seriously...are flood cars notoriously bad? I've run a few jeeps through deep water before and never had any lasting damage.

I don't like to buy cars from the coasts where they get lots of salt water exposure. Rusty.

[Okla-homey]

Seriously...are flood cars notoriously bad?

yes.

Unlike your jeep, which is driven through deep water then quickly dried out, these beasts will be under water for at least several hours, and mildew, rot and rust will get a toehold. Also, jeeps are designed and manufactured to handle a bit of dunking from time to time. Astrovans aren't.

[Rogue]

An article about bad flood cars. (http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/savinganddebt/saveonacar/p129008.asp)

[Okla-homey]

Given thier proximity, I bet they unload a lot of 'em down south in Mexico and Central America. That said, I bet more than a few will find their way up I35 to Oklahoma.

[47straight]

Carfax is your friend... though not foolproof

[StoopTroup]

Right now I might rather have a flood car. ;)

Just finally got my work car back home.

New alternator seemed to do the trick.

(Fingers Crossed)

[SoonerJack]

I looked at a 535 earlier this year and under the hood around the battery tray was a whole lotta sand. Not good. I passed.

[BudSooner]

Right now I might rather have a flood car. ;)

Just finally got my work car back home.

New alternator seemed to do the trick.

(Fingers Crossed)

Not sure what year car ya have, but an old trick we used to do was pull the POSITIVE cable off after the car was started.
If it doesn't die, then it's probably something other than your alternator.

Since it goes like this, your battery is used to start the car and is charged back by the alternator...if the alternator is indeed bad then the car would be running off the battery MOST of the time along with whatever little trickle of amperage the dying alternator can give.

It works 99% of the time, also....I know on GM vehicles this works but on other makes i'm not sure.
Take a heavy blade screwdriver, and look at the back of the alternator at the center, hold the screwdriver at the center...if your getting a magnetic pull from the alternator then it's working. If not, then head to the parts counter...or better yet drive if you can to a place like Autozone since they can do a thorough check of the vehicles charging system.