My Vette got flooded
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: New York NY
My Vette got flooded
Help me fellow owners, I am miserable. I live in Manhattan and keep my '04 Mag Red Coupe in the garage at my parents home on Long Island. It has been raining for several days straight and I had been keeping close tabs on the situation with multiple calls daily to my parents, who told me that there was no water pooling in the streets etc. Anyway, the garage flooded, when I got there the car was dead, a couple of inches of water in the footwells up to the bottom cushion of the seats, water up to the bottom of the front bumper. Water was pumped out of the garage, dry floor, no more water in the interior of the car, just damp, made a claim to Geico, they were cool, said all would be covered, adjuster would be sent early next week, car will be flatbedded to repair shop and we will see what is wrong. Obviously, electronics screwed, seat motors, etc. From what I have described relative to the depth of the water, up to the bottom of front bumper, middle of tires, above bottom door sill which allowed water to get into the cabin, do you readers think that I have engine damage??? What other damage might I have??I have been so careful with this car, yet based on reports from my parents, I did not go out and pick up the car. IDIOT! FLOCKING IDIOT!
Ken
Ken
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Plano Texas
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Ken,
From the description of the water level, the engine and drive train should be okay.
I would suggest that you change the oil in the engine, transmission and rear end as a precaution.
I would also suggest that you contact Ken Fethner (sp) a forum vendor, and get a complete set of carpets for the cabin.
Hope all works out for you, remember, **** happens.
From the description of the water level, the engine and drive train should be okay.
I would suggest that you change the oil in the engine, transmission and rear end as a precaution.
I would also suggest that you contact Ken Fethner (sp) a forum vendor, and get a complete set of carpets for the cabin.
Hope all works out for you, remember, **** happens.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: New York NY
Yeah, whatever. Anyway, if indeed water did marginally get into the engine bay, what is my max downside in terms of damage and can a reputable shop fix the problems good as new?
Thanks,
Ken
Thanks,
Ken
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
From: Queens NY
Ken - sorry to hear this, as a fellow New Yorker, I feel for you. Which repair shop will you be bringing the car to? Although flood damage is obviously not covered under warranty I would still bring the car to a dealership since Geico is covering the repair. May I suggest Meyer Chevrolet in Queens? I've had all my warranty work done there without any glitches. Perhaps you should also post in the NE section and hopefully others will chime in with recommendations. And, of course, don't forget VetteDoctors since the car is in Long Island anyway - if the engine is shot then no better time than now to drop in a 427! 
Good luck and keep us posted.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,298
Likes: 4
From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Sorry to hear the BAD news ...It will never be the same..it is a LOST...collect the $$ go out and buy another one...hope you didn't have a lot of MODS if so maybe the insurance company will let you strip them off...Good luck 
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: New York NY
ttt, I need more replies, car probably won't be in the repair shop till Wednesday or Thursday, too long to wait for answers. I have had Camaro's, Firebirds, I now also have a Mustang Bullitt as the family car, and the first Vette I get after waiting all these years, gets flooded. Oh Brother!
Ken
Ken
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 740
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From: Eastside WA
Recent column about flooded cars: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/wheels/244329_talk14.html Hope it helps you.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
Sorry to hear, but I think the Car Talk article by Tom and Ray and posted above by C5 Dawg pretty much covers it. May well be best for you if the car is totalled and you get a fair settlement from your insurance company. Best of luck to you with the settlement. 
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,308
Likes: 1
From: The Beautiful Greater Bay Area California
Originally Posted by Half-Life
Ken - sorry to hear this, as a fellow New Yorker, I feel for you. Which repair shop will you be bringing the car to? Although flood damage is obviously not covered under warranty I would still bring the car to a dealership since Geico is covering the repair. May I suggest Meyer Chevrolet in Queens? I've had all my warranty work done there without any glitches. Perhaps you should also post in the NE section and hopefully others will chime in with recommendations. And, of course, don't forget VetteDoctors since the car is in Long Island anyway - if the engine is shot then no better time than now to drop in a 427!
Good luck and keep us posted.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Hang in there, Ken.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 395
Likes: 4
From: Addison Il
Dont call yourself a idiot, you called and check on the level of the water. Sometimes the water is fine and when it breaks the flood level, it just rushes in quicker then you think. When your parents checked it, it was not that high. You will get it fixed and wont be able to tell that it got flooded. Good luck.
Steve
Steve
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: New York NY
Thanks for all the kind repliess. I hope this coming week will give me some answers. I anticipate the Geico adjuster checking out the car and the car being flatbedded to the repair facility. Given that the car is only 1 1/2 years old, doesn't the repair facility have to be a GM dealership so the repairs can be within what is required by the warantee? I realize that flood damage is not covered by the warantee, but don't the repairs that Geico is paying for have to be performed by an authorized GM dealership?
Thanks,
Ken
Thanks,
Ken
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,088
Likes: 1
From: NC
Originally Posted by Yule
Thanks for all the kind repliess. I hope this coming week will give me some answers. I anticipate the Geico adjuster checking out the car and the car being flatbedded to the repair facility. Given that the car is only 1 1/2 years old, doesn't the repair facility have to be a GM dealership so the repairs can be within what is required by the warantee? I realize that flood damage is not covered by the warantee, but don't the repairs that Geico is paying for have to be performed by an authorized GM dealership?
Thanks,
Ken
Thanks,
Ken
No, Geico will pay for the repairs and you can have them done
anywhere as with any insurance coverage.
One problem I do see is that maybe the water rose higher than you
think. Hopefully not.
As has been suggested, any repair will include a complete fluid
change of all systems....Engine oil, coolant, steering, trans, diff and
don't forget the brake fluid. Inspecting and repacking wheel bearings
and maybe brake pads.
A prudent move would be to have the oil pan dropped and the
engine inspected.
Most are minor though. The big ticket it the BCM located in the
passenger footwell and the PCM located underneath the battery.
Both these items are low enough to have been immersed in water.
The carpet and seats (surfaces, padding, motors) are another.
The door panels should also be replaced as well as the window motors.
Though these things are expensive, insurance should be able to cover
them. It is no where near a "total" loss.
You can have all this work done at any independent shop. I might
suggest Vette Doctors (vendor...look down list on left) for the
mechanical work and a dealer for the rest if they won't do it.
Body shops do interior work as well.
I think you'll do OK though.
You might want to post in the Northeast section too.
...GeorgeC
PS...Sent you a PM
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Cincinnati Ohio
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Ken,
Cant change what happened, it will turn out for the best as things always do.
Just do what ever needs to be done and look forward to the better side.
Make sure you tell your folks, no problem, thanks for watching it in the first place.
Cant change what happened, it will turn out for the best as things always do.
Just do what ever needs to be done and look forward to the better side.
Make sure you tell your folks, no problem, thanks for watching it in the first place.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,161
Likes: 8
From: Beverly Hills Florida
CI 7-8 Veteran
Ken, my GF and I were up in Stonybrook this past June, we love NY and the city, her brother lives there in Stonybrook, anyway, the main computer is just below the battery, so if the water was not that high, then that would be good. But the passenger fuse block is just above the place where your feet go in the well. I think you need a written estimate listing all the things that were inspected and the damage result, so if you fix it you have something in writing to fall back on later. If the engine and tranny are ok...you still have alot to clean up hopefully it works out. Keep us posted...Jesse
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Really can't add a lot to the discussion since I have never experienced water damage to a vehicle, but I do hope things turn out OK for you and your car.