Q.With all the flooding in the Midwest, how can I protect myself from buying a flood-damaged used car? --  E.H., Evanston

A. Check interior carpets, upholstery and door and trim panels for dampness. Seat brackets, motors and modules also should be checked for rust and proper operation. Pull engine oil and transmission fluid dipsticks, besides the differential plug. If the fluid looks milky, diluted, is no longer its original color or is beige in color, it's likely the pans contain water. Look for mud, grass, dirt, debris and rust in the undercarriage, bumpers, radiator area and frame. Check exterior lights for moisture.

Q.My uncle has a 1998 Chrysler Concorde that's been sitting in his garage for more than a year due to a lengthy illness. I want to get it running and sell it for him. I know it needs a new battery, but what else should I do before turning the ignition key? -- P.E., Streamwood

A. It will help if the car has been garaged, but the oil should be changed and the fuel system and brakes probably need attention. One of the worst things that can be done to a car is to let it sit.

Q. I read your reviews of the 2009 Ford Flex and Volkswagen Tiguan (June 21-22 AutoTimes), but you didn't say how practical they are as cargo haulers for do-it-yourselfers who occasionally need to haul a "4-by-8" plywood sheet, paneling or drywall. Automakers seem to think that if they make their vehicles look sexy enough, they'll win sales derbies. But pretty is as pretty does. I'm interested in a station wagon, not a small truck, as I'm not an SUV or van person. You didn't mention if these vehicles come with manual transmissions. -- T.M., Chicago

A. I said the Tiguan comes with both a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmission and that the Flex has a six-speed automatic. It's superfluous to say it offers no manual transmission if none is available, if only because of space considerations. I can't haul such items as plywood sheets, so I check the cargo area, with the seatbacks up and flipped forward, for cargo room evaluation, including cargo opening width and height. For very small cargo areas, such as those in the SL550 Mercedes-Benz two-seater with its retractable hardtop, I list trunk space when the top is up and down. Consider a smaller SUV, such as the Tiguan, or crossover vehicle, such as the Flex, and take a tape measure to showrooms.

Car question? Send it to Dan Jedlicka, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago 60654, or e-mail djedlicka@suntimes.com. Include name, hometown and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to ensure a personal reply.