Hurricane damaged
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Princeton, NJ
2020 C300
Hurricane damaged
My leased 2020 C Class got stuck in water last week.
Taken by Roadside Assistance to a dealer, I'm told car is hydro-locked with water in the engine and will likely be declared totaled by GEICO.
I'd like to know if I might have any options to push to get the car repaired and what those might be?
Even if I break even on the deal, there are no cars around at all.
Much less one as nicely optioned-out as this one.
Thanks for your help!
Taken by Roadside Assistance to a dealer, I'm told car is hydro-locked with water in the engine and will likely be declared totaled by GEICO.
I'd like to know if I might have any options to push to get the car repaired and what those might be?
Even if I break even on the deal, there are no cars around at all.
Much less one as nicely optioned-out as this one.
Thanks for your help!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,247
Likes: 935
From: New Orleans Area
2015 E400 Sedan
DONT
Let it be totaled....
Way more electronic damage then you can shake a stick at since probably everything electric got wet and damaged.. and in future will fail or cause issues.
Let it go... get a new car...
Know this from living thru Katrina & IDA..
Flooded cars are the worst let them be scrapped and hope you never even get a used part from them....
Let it be totaled....
Way more electronic damage then you can shake a stick at since probably everything electric got wet and damaged.. and in future will fail or cause issues.
Let it go... get a new car...
Know this from living thru Katrina & IDA..
Flooded cars are the worst let them be scrapped and hope you never even get a used part from them....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Princeton, NJ
2020 C300
Thanks for your reply. I'm leaning towards taking this advice, but mind if I ask you to elaborate?
If there was another car waiting in the wings, I'd have no hesitation but there are no cars around!
Love NOLA. Going back in December.
If there was another car waiting in the wings, I'd have no hesitation but there are no cars around!
Love NOLA. Going back in December.
MBWorld God!
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 32,558
Likes: 6,364
Forum member ygmn has a point, even though you have a lease I am sure it isn't fun if the car spends more time in the dealership's lot than your own driveway. Not to mention the dealership has the right to deny any warranty repairs because it is a natural cause and not a factory defect. I guess getting it untotalled is going to end up as giving yourself a headache. Yes, chip shortage isn't our friend but see what the dealership/insurance offers you as a replacement and go from there. Good luck and sorry to hear about this ordeal, hope things work out for you in the end. Please keep us posted on your decision and the outcome.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,247
Likes: 935
From: New Orleans Area
2015 E400 Sedan
I am unsure where all the modules are or how deep the water was in your car.
But look at it this way. every electrical part underwater is not suspect and could fail anytime it wants and in a way where you do not know where.
Example:
One day your speedo does not work... and no one can figure it out because a little wire from one sensor ni the middle of the harness is now corroded and creating too much resistance.
A computer module decides the corrosion inside is too much and goes on the fritz and cause all sorts of things to happen... and well you change that and then find the harness and connectors need replacing and then something else...
The only way to fix one of these flood cars properly is to replace everything that got wet. from the bottom up and that my friend is CRAZY as you then likely do more damage to car then good as all the trim and interior parts have beeen Removed and replaced and will now squeak and rattle and drive you nuts...
Just move on.... nothing to even think about... Move on from this ride as fast as you can
and pray to the CAR GODS you do not lose too much money with insurance and leasing company or bank or whomever with this WET SOCK of a car.
For fun - go google = HURRICAN KATRINA USED CAR
Huge issue when people started buying cars that went thru the floods down here as there were probably a 100K cars that were flooded and hit the AUTO auctions and unscrupulous dealers got them running and let them back on open market with Salvaged titles and peeps who bought them well they out a bunch of $$$
But look at it this way. every electrical part underwater is not suspect and could fail anytime it wants and in a way where you do not know where.
Example:
One day your speedo does not work... and no one can figure it out because a little wire from one sensor ni the middle of the harness is now corroded and creating too much resistance.
A computer module decides the corrosion inside is too much and goes on the fritz and cause all sorts of things to happen... and well you change that and then find the harness and connectors need replacing and then something else...
The only way to fix one of these flood cars properly is to replace everything that got wet. from the bottom up and that my friend is CRAZY as you then likely do more damage to car then good as all the trim and interior parts have beeen Removed and replaced and will now squeak and rattle and drive you nuts...
Just move on.... nothing to even think about... Move on from this ride as fast as you can
and pray to the CAR GODS you do not lose too much money with insurance and leasing company or bank or whomever with this WET SOCK of a car.
For fun - go google = HURRICAN KATRINA USED CAR
Huge issue when people started buying cars that went thru the floods down here as there were probably a 100K cars that were flooded and hit the AUTO auctions and unscrupulous dealers got them running and let them back on open market with Salvaged titles and peeps who bought them well they out a bunch of $$$
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Princeton, NJ
2020 C300
Some closure: The car discussed was a lease through MBFS, declared as totaled by GEICO. Just received a check from MBFS for $8200 and went out and got a new car. If I had to do it all over again, I'd have stayed home the night of the forecasted hurricane. But not a terrible ending.
