After Hurricane Irma subsides and Orange City drivers are able to get outside and assess the damage, there will be a lot of claims being sent to insurance companies. In many cases, particularly if the damage is caused by flooding, the vehicle will be declared a total loss.
New Ford vehicles are built to be reliable, but they are also made with many sensitive computer-controlled components, from your SYNC 3 infotainment system, to critical safety features like Electronic Stability Control. It can be impossible to repair all of the circuitry in a modern vehicle, which is why most experts recommended scrapping a car that has been sitting in high water.
What you want to avoid, however, is getting rid of your car only to inadvertently replace it with another car damaged in a flood. Many flood-damaged vehicles end up back on the road with a clean title due to a shady practice called title washing.
When you replace your car with a pre-owned vehicle, be sure to check the CARFAX Vehicle History Report, and have it inspected by a mechanic. These two tactics will ensure you're buying a safe car.
