Florida is harder on cars than the odometer shows
Mileage is the number everyone looks at, and in this state it is one of the least useful. Coastal humidity corrodes brake lines, fuel lines, and subframes long before paint bubbles. Storm flooding puts cars back on the market that should never have returned. Heat quietly kills batteries and cooling systems.
None of that means avoiding Florida cars. It means checking different things than you would in Ohio.
The five that catch most bad cars
- Lift the spare wheel cover. Silt, a water line, or fresh surface rust in the well is the single most reliable flood tell.
- Get under the back. Surface rust is normal here. Flaking, layered rust on brake lines or the subframe is not.
- Smell before you look. Musty means damp. Heavy air freshener means someone is covering musty.
- Cold start it. Insist the engine is cold when you arrive. A warmed-up engine hides rattles, smoke, and hard starting.
- Read the title, not the summary. Salvage, rebuilt, and flood brands transfer between states and sometimes get lost in the paperwork.
Questions worth asking out loud
- Where did this car come from, and how long have you had it?
- What did you do to it before putting it on the lot?
- Can I take it to my own mechanic?
- What is the out-the-door number, including the dealer fee?
The last one matters in Florida specifically: the dealer fee must be disclosed wherever a price is advertised, and it is the most common source of a nasty surprise at signing.
On test drives
Twenty minutes, not five. Get it to highway speed. Brake hard once somewhere safe. Turn the radio off and listen. Reverse in a straight line with the windows down. Most faults announce themselves if you stop talking and let them.