Just because a car is caught in a flood, that doesn't mean that it's never seen again.

While flooded cars are sometimes totalled by insurance companies, some dealers try to clean them up and sell them. Buying those cars could pose a problem down the road.

According to Insure.com, engine, transmission, wheel and brake damage can develop weeks after you acquire the car, no mater what kind of water the car is flodded with.

"If water seeped into the engine or transmission, long-term problems are bound to crop up," the Insure.com article said. "If the water carried sand into the engine, misfiring and blown gaskets could be just around the corner."

There is also a chance you could get sick if you're driving a car that was submerged in sewer water. Unless your dealer removed the vehicle's carpet and padding and disinfected the interior, high bacteria levels are possible.

Despite the potential downfalls, not all flood-damaged cars are bad news -- if they have been cleaned and restored properly. That means removing the vehicle's interior -- seats included, removing and replacing the carpet and padding, disinfecting the car and checking all electrical components and connections.