Flood Damaged Autos

[PeteC]

You can take this story/video and multiply it by about 1 million. Buying a car for many of these folks is a 15 year event, or perhaps longer, and paying 9,000-12,000 USD to try to repair may be their only alternative as they simply can't afford or qualify to finance 35,000 USD+ to buy a new vehicle. As I write this I have no idea if my first class insurance covers flood damage. Most of the people though probably don't have first class coverage anyway. If their cars were flooded, their homes probably were as well. Very sad all the way around. What we're not going to see are statistics about ruined families and futures, how many decide to take their own lives, become homeless, turn to crime to survive. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/multimedia/v ... ensive-fix

[charlesh]

Yeap very sad and no doubt the Insurance companies will be rather loathe to pay out for anything and will be looking for any loophole to renege.

[Big Boy]

I guess it's beware anybody thinking of buying in the 2nd hand car market in the next few years.

[jamesfrancis1]

Exactly my thoughts Big Boy.
These cars could "pop up" anywhere in Thailand, not just Bangkok.
Have heard people are moving them south and north to escape the "Bangkok label".

Water and metal do not mix well and rust will eat away in places you cannot see.

Shame, buyer beware.

[Jonah]

On Friday, i was submerged in a flood in Sydney for about 45 mins before i managed to start my car and slowly make my way out of it.

I drive a 2006 VZ Commodore. My electronics are playing up a little (just small annoying things), but it seems to drive ok. Not as good as before the flood though.

I have been told different stories from different source. First, that the car is a write off, and second that it can be repaired.

Has anyone had experience in this situation? And what did you do? I would take it as a write off, but i'm not sure if it is covered by my insurance (NRMA Full Insurance) – i will be calling tomorrow.

I have also been referred to a panel beater/ mechanic who has apparently dealt with flooded cars before. Is it worth getting it fixed, just to encounter small, annoying problems in the future?

EDIT: Car was sitting in water up to the middle to top of the tyres for 45 mins, and about 10-15 cms of water flooded the inside of the car.

[Rider]

Well modern cars have so many modern gizmo's and electrics that unfortunately this is the price you pay for the luxury factor.
In the previous decades cars were better built to withstand flooding that would damage electrics...

[richard]

On Friday, i was submerged in a flood in Sydney for about 45 mins before i managed to start my car and slowly make my way out of it.

I drive a 2006 VZ Commodore. My electronics are playing up a little (just small annoying things), but it seems to drive ok. Not as good as before the flood though.

I have been told different stories from different source. First, that the car is a write off, and second that it can be repaired.

Has anyone had experience in this situation? And what did you do? I would take it as a write off, but i'm not sure if it is covered by my insurance (NRMA Full Insurance) – i will be calling tomorrow.

I have also been referred to a panel beater/ mechanic who has apparently dealt with flooded cars before. Is it worth getting it fixed, just to encounter small, annoying problems in the future?

EDIT: Car was sitting in water up to the middle to top of the tyres for 45 mins, and about 10-15 cms of water flooded the inside of the car.

JONAH????

You should know with a name like that

[TheSirgke]

I am very sorry for you Jonah, You can try a good water damage restoration company to see if they are in a position to repair. Some companies can restore your car and you will be amazed.

[Lung Per]

We had flooding in my home country as well and a number of new cars waiting to be sold were flooded. They were said to be cleaned and examined and are now being sold as new undamaged cars with no price reduction. The equivalent of AAA is currently looking into the matter. The problem is that the dealer will not inform you if the car was flooded but refers to the general new car warranty.

[Spitfire]

These flood damaged cars will be about now starting to turn up everywhere outside the capital after being spruced-up.

As mentioned above, buying a second hand car now has become even more perilous than usual and it's even more so buyer beware.

I think one thing that you could perhaps check as to whether a car might be a flood victim from last year or not is to inquire whether the license number/plate has recently been changed. From what I hear and have read, people in the second hand motor vehicle market are staying away from cars/pickups with BBK plates for obvious reasons, and many have said that the plates are now being changed on the flood damaged vehicles to provincial towns and cities to get round this boycott in order to sell them.