“Are there people flipping cars like they do with houses?”

Yes. Dealerships. Used car lots. People who offer you $3,000 on trade in and turn around to sell the vehicle for $9-11,000 after a detail and oil change.

People should never trade in or sell their car to a lot/dealer, because they are almost always settling for about a quarter of its value. But the convenience of not having to find a buyer is awfully tempting.