Hi, my name is Jim. I,have a2001 C5 contv. I'm here in Va, had saltwater come into car, up to almost the bottom of the seats, it stayed there for a couple of hours. Front pwr seat dosen't work and the connections have corrosion. No water into engine, the bottom half of motor also sat in water. Insurance adjuster almost totaled the whole car, but changed his mind and now wants to send it for evaluation, thinks it can be repaired. Give me some ammunition to tell him about possible future problems. What is under the carpets and seats ,or anything else that maybe problems. I, don't want this car back. Had a couple of inches of water. Also had C4, in garage carpets got just a little wet, don't think it went into speakers, gave me a $600.00 to get it cleaned, what do ya think? Mostly concered about C5. Thanks, Jim :confused:


[Modified by harley2, 6:09 PM 9/22/2003]

 

My Aunt lives in Hampton, VA. Her new Mercedes was totalled.

Was there water in the passenger side? If so there is a fuse panel in the passenger footwell and the Body Control Module (BCM) is down there as well. If they got salt water in them then your car is toast.
Saltwater is an excellent conductor of electricity. If the car doesn't run then likely your entire electrical system is shorted out.



[Modified by gonbad, 4:55 PM 9/22/2003]

 

With the water, saltwater at that, having gotten that high, the car is totalled. Can't imagine an experienced adjuster wanting to have the ins. co. take on the problems-to-come on this car.

The BCM and that entir fuse box were under. Now way to salvage the electrical to make it right. I can also imagine the myriad of little crevices the water got into and didn't drain from when the water receded. That'll be ongoing corrosion.

Best of luck in resolving this. :(

 

Sounds like you have a Corvette anchor....

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Do not settle for anything less than a "complete total". I am sure with all the damage from Isabela, insurance adjusters are not going to be too picky.

 

After racing offshore boats for many years if a boat flipped and was exposed to saltwater the boat had to be de-rigged to nothing. Anything electrical would always come back to haunt you. It was a no win situation. How long was it submerged?

 

thanks, it was in the water for a few hours till the tide receded. it was above the carpet 2-3 inches.

 

Here's a pic of my exposed BCM and fuse panel in the passenger footwell - it's what's surely toast in your car.

Click on image to zoom.



[Modified by Patches, 6:55 PM 9/22/2003]

 

Not only the electrics, but you will not be able to stop the rust. Inside the frame, all the rivets and fastners (metal ones) the skid bar, everything. Even if the car was under for a half hour, if it was salt water it is in fact toast. The best you could do would be to go and soak it in fresh water and then you still would not get it all out.

Sorry guy, Your insurance adjuster should already know all this. He is looking into your eyes to see what he can get away with. Tell him it is toast and you know it!

That car would need to be pulled all the way down to the frame with each piece being scrubbed and rinsed. No way it is not a total.

Jer



[Modified by BlueDragon, 6:13 PM 9/22/2003]

 

THe longer you wait the worse it will be, I used to tow cars off the beach, if it was under water you had to immedietly start the process to save it, flushing it with clear water first ( I even dunked a car in a fresh water pond one time), then spraying it down with WD40 or whatever to combat corrosion, then lastly worry about drying it out. If you are asking for help and have not started the saveing process, it is too late. Oh yes drain and fill all fluids.

 

[Modified by r0lands, 8:11 PM 9/22/2003]

 

Sounds like you have Allstate Ins. Some guy here on the forum drove his car into waist deep freshwater and the insurance company totaled his car. Can't remember who it was. I would fight it. Also, the floor board has a sheet of balsa wood sandwiched between metal. What happens when that dries?

 

Your car has ground terminals ALL over the frame. Hell there must be 30-40 of then. Its hard to get them to work right when they are only exposed to normal moisture let alone being soaked in SALT WATER! You will have reprecusations from this incident for the rest of the time that the car is road worthy. I TOTALY agree with the above post in reguards to aluminum rivits. Any dis-simular metal and SALT WATER will start a galvanic corossion process that will destroy the less nobal material!!!!! I. E. Steel and Aluminum. The aluminum will turn into a WHITE powder and they joint will virtually disolve :boxing. If he/she wants to dispute your claim for a totaled vehicle ask him to go to the library and research the process of corrosion.

I work on submarines and they use nickel copper, stainless steel and even titianum on a lot of the systems. These "noble" metals play HELL with the HY80 and HY100 steel. We have to load the hull up with zinc so that the thing doesn't rust away. Zinc is one of the least nobal of all of the metals. By the way, Titianum is the worst material of them all in the corrosion process. It is way up there on the noble scale. It will cause Stainless Steel to rust away!!! :eek: :eek: Gold is the most nobal of all of the metals!

Fight it to the hilt!!!!!!!! Good luck and sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Bill Curlee


[Modified by Bill Curlee, 7:14 PM 9/22/2003]

 

I graduated from Phoebus (current 2 year AAA state football champs and running). I feel your pain. Hope everything works out in your favor. :cheers:

 

It's totalled....time for a new one! :thumbs:

 

I'm a Hugo veteran in Charleston. I put my cars several stories up in a city garage, but for the folks that didn't, the cars were all totalled. It is possible generally to get the thing running for a while after the obvious immediate damage is repaired, but the car will continue to deteriorate. Hear me on this. That car is totalled. DO NOT let the insurance guy tell you anything different. He DOES NOT work for you!

 

I'm a claims VP for a small auto carrier in California. The above posts are correct--No adjuster with any knowledge of flood claims would attempt to fix a car that had been in salt water above the door sills.

If the adjuster still wants to fix it, call and write to the adjuster's supervisor. If that doesn't work, keep moving up the ladder. You'll get to someone who has dealt with this before.

 

Could be worse. At least you're not this guy!








[Modified by Sandstone_VR4, 9:27 AM 9/23/2003]


[Modified by Sandstone_VR4, 9:27 AM 9/23/2003]

 

Aluminum and salt water dont get along well!!!
:flag :auto: