I realize this may sound as though I'm stating the obvious, so think of it as one of those annoying public service announcements.
Anybody planning on buying a used XF (or any other car for that matter) in the next 6 mos. or so may want to take extra care when checking it out, and before any money changes hands.
Thanks to hurricane Katrina, there's going to be 100s if not 1000s of "flood" cars that will need to be disposed of. And no matter how efficient Car Fax may be at tracking the history of any given car, there is always some way for unscrupulous wholesalers to beat the system. That's how some "flood" cars slip through the cracks and wind up in the hands of unsuspecting buyers.
I would be especially leery of any car that originates from the Gulf Coast region naturally. Also be skeptical of cars selling for $1000s under NADA book value for no apparent reasons such as body or fire damage. As they say, "If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is."
How do you tell a flood car? Well a musty odor used to be a dead give away. But thanks to new cleaning products that work quit well, You might not be able to trust your nose like you once could. "Maybe GOLFDUDE (he details cars) will back me up on that". Other things to look for:
Obviously, water stains on material, in places that should never get wet normally.
Corroded brackets and nuts and bolts under the dash and seats.
Sand or silt found in crevices in the interior, trunk, or under the hood.
Power door locks, power windows, trunk releases, wipers, heater fans not working properly, or not at all.
Gauges not working, or working erratically.
Parking lights, turn signals, marker lights with obvious moister showing, and maybe not working.
I'm probably forgetting alot of other ways too, but if you're not comfortable conducting your own water damage investigation, take it to a professional because sometimes it can be nearly impossible to identify signs of a flood. Especially if someone is trying to cover them up.