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You really need to know the level of flooding and taking somebody's word that it was to just over the door sills and got the carpet wet may not be the best thing. I have known people with flooded Corvettes that were lucky enough to have the amount of flooding you mention and all they had to do was replace carpet and some parts under the car. However, I had a neighbor that was trying to rebuild a Hurricane Sandy flood car and once he got into it he found it was a disaster. The electronics were a disaster but he was working through the various issues until he had to remove the car seat and take it apart to resolve a code. That is when he found the seat bottom pan the seat foam rested on was totally rusted out. Moisture (probably salty) was held between the pan and the foam for several months. Not only did he need to replace the electronics but he had to replace the seat track/metal seat bucket, seat foam, and seat bottom skin. The story on the car was it was flooded up to the door bottom but after finding the seat issue the possibility of even more hidden damage that could cause future problems was too high and he ditched the car.
On the other hand, collisions can generate a lot of hidden damage as well but Corvettes are really tough when it comes to surviving impacts. Depending on the severity of the impact a rebuild on a Corvette might be easier than on a car that had Unibody construction Vs the body-on-frame construction used in Corvettes. Repairs that might require straightening the body on a Unibody car (like an impact on the rear quarter panels) are just panel replacements on a Corvette.
I would rather have a clean honest base model 1LT C7 over a salvage C7 Z. IDGAF what anyone says no matter how good the technician is the car ain’t the same as the technician isn’t capable of building the car the same way it was built at the factory, even something as basic as seam sealer. The factory has a laser guided robot doing it, the technician is applying it with a caulk gun masking tape and brushes after a weekend of drinking, It’s just not the same.
Last edited by JD'S WHITE 93; Dec 26, 2022 at 04:23 PM.
Lots of misinformation on this thread. Currently drive a salvage 2015 3lt z51 from a flood. Car is great. Has put about 20k miles and 5 years since the salvage. Insured through Geico like all my other cars.
slavage cars get purchased just as easy as non salvage if they’re priced right. I see perfect c7’s on the for sale forum for months and months because they’re not priced to sell. Price a salvage car to sell and it will sell.
As for the question. Whichever one can show you the work done. I bought mine from a poster here who detailed the work done. There are tons of gypsies on Facebook selling salvage. Tread lightly if they can’t show you the work done.
flood titles can be great bargains as most insurers will total most cars if flooded above the door jam. Good luck!🍀
Correct, lots of misinformation in general on salvage. They're not for everyone, as one can attest by the numbers posting in this thread. I've bought and sold more salvage cars than post people will ever own in their lifetime. It really comes down to the information you can gather, and how much you trust it. I personally wouldn't be interested in a C7 flood car. Too much wiring, too many electronics, too much to go wrong later. If I were going to do it, I'd make sure to go freshwater, low water level.
Originally Posted by JD'S WHITE 93
Cars aren’t totaled for “minor” flooding a flood car can develop all sorts of crazy issues later as electronics corrode. So given that choice I would take the wrecked one.In real life I choose neither, save your money and buy a better car or stop being cheap, you’re not going to save anything buying a salvage car unless you want a track car and you’re going to gut it anyways.
I personally would take collision repair as well, but I'm trained enough on where to look. You can vin search the internet and usually find accident photos, or you can pay for them via a site like autoauction.io
Originally Posted by squirrelchew
If I had to choose between the two? Collision.
Flood is too much of a wildcard. I can inspect and fix collision damage. Flood damage has a high chance of wicking up wire looms and becomes an expensive nightmare to fix.
Agreed, I'd take the risk on something like a Gen 1/2 Viper with low water, but C7 you're taking a risk. It might work out like the poster above, but if you're not experienced with doing your own repairs, you could just as easily get more repair bills than you saved. I will say that insurance companies will generally total a car once the carpets get wet. That's literally all it takes. Once that happens, they are well aware that future repairs may be needed. Insurance companies aren't interested in ongoing claims after it's "fixed", so these are typically totaled quicker.
On collision, so many cars are totaled that are relatively easy to fix. I picked up a C5 last year that ran through a puddle and engine took in water. No water intrusion to cabin. I fully expected to be replacing the engine, but it ended up being fine. I replaced spark plugs and throttle body, and spent several hours making sure no other damage was done - but the car was fine. Then again, sometimes I'll buy a car that has more damage than I was expecting - it's the luck of the draw.
If buying after fixed, make sure to take it somewhere to have it looked at if you're not qualified to do so. A PPI is not sufficient. First, get accident pictures. Then take it to a body shop and pay them for several hours to inspect the repairs. It's not rocket science. A properly repaired car can be just as nice as one that wasn't damaged - but most aren't, so be cautious. FWIW, I've never had problems insuring them. I don't finance vehicles. I've never had problems selling repaired Corvettes when I'm ready to move on, but Porsche/Mercedes buyers are way different, so this does not apply to all vehicles. Also, this is not my profession, I am a pharmacist, so there are others more knowledgeable than I on the subject.
The Auto Dealer I'm looking at ONLY deals in minor flooded cars. Water that just went over the door sills. They've been in business for many years, so I believe if they were dealing in cars that had major flooding problems, they wouldn't be around for as longs as they have. Plus, they offer a 3yr. bumper to bumper warranty, with an option for 5 years. That right there gives me a boost of confidence, and they seem to have a good reputation of no BS. I haven't decided yet on my decision, but if I were to go the salvage route, I don't think I would have a problem dealing with them.
The Auto Dealer I'm looking at ONLY deals in minor flooded cars. Water that just went over the door sills. They've been in business for many years, so I believe if they were dealing in cars that had major flooding problems, they wouldn't be around for as longs as they have. Plus, they offer a 3yr. bumper to bumper warranty, with an option for 5 years. That right there gives me a boost of confidence, and they seem to have a good reputation of no BS. I haven't decided yet on my decision, but if I were to go the salvage route, I don't think I would have a problem dealing with them.
That's not a bad option, but consider what happens when you go to sell the car; I'm guessing you're not going to offer the buyer the same warranty. Because the retail will be quite a bit less when you sell, accordingly your purchase price should take that into account.
Also consider if you need to return to that dealer for any warranty work (i.e. are they local to you) and if there is a max limit to what they'll cover. I've come across warranties capped at $5k, which is worthless on something like a C7 or a Cayenne.
That's not a bad option, but consider what happens when you go to sell the car; I'm guessing you're not going to offer the buyer the same warranty. Because the retail will be quite a bit less when you sell, accordingly your purchase price should take that into account.
Also consider if you need to return to that dealer for any warranty work (i.e. are they local to you) and if there is a max limit to what they'll cover. I've come across warranties capped at $5k, which is worthless on something like a C7 or a Cayenne.
This would be my last Vette, so resale doesn't really enter into it. As far as the warranty goes. it's an after market warranty that's honored just about everywhere. That right there gives me a vote of confidence. But like i said I haven't made any decision just yet.
This would be my last Vette, so resale doesn't really enter into it. As far as the warranty goes. it's an after market warranty that's honored just about everywhere. That right there gives me a vote of confidence. But like i said I haven't made any decision just yet.
Just read the fine print, many warranties exclude rebuilt vehicles, hate to find that out when you really need it and they just give you your money back instead.
This sounds like a great way for you to get into a C7 at a lower cost, no doubt you'll enjoy it and won't even give a second thought to it being a flood car.
Insurance companies do NOT total cars for minor water damage. That CAN happen however it usually involves a very incompetent adjuster or insurance fraud. Why do you suppose the insurance company totaled the car ? Why didn’t they write an estimate to replace the carpet and detail it ??
The Auto Dealer I'm looking at ONLY deals in minor flooded cars. Water that just went over the door sills. They've been in business for many years, so I believe if they were dealing in cars that had major flooding problems, they wouldn't be around for as longs as they have. Plus, they offer a 3yr. bumper to bumper warranty, with an option for 5 years. That right there gives me a boost of confidence, and they seem to have a good reputation of no BS. I haven't decided yet on my decision, but if I were to go the salvage route, I don't think I would have a problem dealing with them.
So these folks have figured out how to get cars that were totaled by the insurance companies that truly shouldn’t have been totaled ?? Lol 😂 The owner decided to pass on the car, they could’ve kept it and the insurance company thought is was in their best bet to total the car than repair it. Amazingly the seller has it all figured out, run Forrest run 🏃♀️
Insurance companies do NOT total cars for minor water damage. That CAN happen however it usually involves a very incompetent adjuster or insurance fraud. Why do you suppose the insurance company totaled the car ? Why didn’t they write an estimate to replace the carpet and detail it ??
Care to back up your comment with actual facts? Every time a major hurricane hits, this is common practice. You can go to copart and see the water line marked by the adjuster on nearly every car from Ian. Many are very low water. I myself would rather have a car that had been in an accident, but to each their own. Light floods do exist, many are salvage.
I have a 100$ bill to anyone who posts on this thread to look at my car and tell me where the damage was. the shop I found specializes in rebuilt corvettes especially c7 z06 cars. I know of at least a dozen cars they have repaired with only new oem gm parts . they are always available to me when I had questions spent close to 6 months looking for the car with the specs I wanted and finally found a 17 z07 3lz car with 4k$ alcantara upgrade c/f front splitter and sideskirts and had grand sport gloss black wheels installed at my request. 14k miles a8 and car runs and drives like new. spent 60k$ for a car that normally brings 77k.
to the o/p I would pass on a flood car unless your absolutely sure not wasnt a salt water flood. if you want the number of the shop I use he currently has 4 z06 cars and a 19 c7 zr1 he rebuilt. he has a 17 z07 m7 black /black with 20k miles for 58k ready to go. also a yellow a8 z07 a chalk white non z07 m7 and a chalk white zr1 he has a torch red m7 z07 but I think its sold. heres a couple pics of mine.
was it hit in the front the sides or the rear? zero vibrations, zero alignment pull in any direction, fully insured and bank was happy to lend on it. 75% of full retail value.
My commuter car is salvage (collision) and I got it for a awesome deal. I've had it for a year now and it has never left me stranded. I just finished a 3500 mile road trip with zero issues and would certainly use it again. I used to work as an insurance adjuster and so I'm not too concerned about branded titles
If you're buying a salvage/rebuilt vehicle, search the vin number on Google and you should be able to find pictures of the car at auction (copart, iaai) and can tell what kind of damage it sustained and proceed accordingly.
The perfect salvage cars would be salvage due to vandalism, hail, or stolen & recovered. Hail would be the best as it's just cosmetic and if you have a good PDR guy he could fix the damage for cheap.
I would never touch a flood vehicle just due to all the electronic grimilins that can arise later on and cause a major headache. If you're looking for a non registered track only car, than this might be an option if the price is 45% or less than a clean title car.
My concern with the minor flooding of a car is the electronics. You did define minor flooding as: Just over the door sill onto the carpeting. If the electronics did not get wet, I pick the flooded car.
I agree - as long you know for sure exactly how wet it got. I got my own flooded to that extent a few years ago in a freak downpour that surprised us, and never have had any issues. I dried it out thoroughly - had it open in the garage with fans going for several days just to be sure. I did have a broken spark plug that I suspect was related to driving though water, but nothing other than that. (Of course, if we are talking salt water, forget it.)
Related video. Guy picks up salvage flood c8 from copart insurance auction and drives it home 600 miles. Tears it down and only finds a passenger seat with a minor malfunction.
have to do your research but this happens more than you think.
If it were a pre-1981 (non-computer) car I would have no problem with some minor flooding. Old Corvettes are not that far from a boat and trailer combination. Never on a new car though, there is just so much that can go wrong with the corrosion that occurs inside electrical components that is accelerated by water can be devastating over time. It may work right now but what about in the net five minutes? From experience, the most expensive car I've owned was the "cheapest" one I've bought. Like the old AAMCO commercial said "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later."
