Mathi

Hi guys,

My c63 was in water for a brief time less then 8 hrs I had it towed and immediately took the interior apart completely. I removed all moisture from the interior took set covers off dried foam cushions ect. I also changed and flushed oil in motor and Trans and diff. It is back to full operation no issues I drove it several times. The car looks and drives as it did before the damage.
But what do I need to do next? Do I need to be aware for wiring problems? Any suggestions?

Regards

NotABaller

Part out!

Mathi

I prefer to keep it together....

jptaylor

as much as you may WANT to keep the car i can give you no stronger advice than to SELL THE CAR AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!!!!! Even if it was fresh water the damage is done almost immediately although it may not show up for months, but it WILL show up. Corrosion is already starting INSIDE of the wiring insulation and also on the pins inside of every connector that was exposed, this will lead not only to failure down the road but failure that is VERY hard to diagnose as initially the symptoms will most likely be intermittent.....if it was SALT or even brackish water then you may want to just set it on fire this afternoon, either way my Friend if it was in water it is fooked

Mathi

Ok thanks for you advice!

w204nyc

I had my vents clogged and the water started leaking inside my car. There was a small puddle of water by the back seat. It was a pain to remove it. I had to remove all the water with a wet vacuum. Had fans and an air blower on it two nights straight and every other hour I would spray lysol to keep it from smelling. Thos happened about 2 and a half years ago. Lucky no damage. Didnt remove the carpet so Im not sure if there is any corrosion by the wires but I haven't have any issues. In your case, I would sell or part out. If your carpet hasnt been charged, it might start to smell and it will be hard to remove the smell.

Adam Chambers

should have given it to the insurance company. Now it will just be another flooded vehicle on the road with a 'clean' title for the poor guy that buys it next.

Mathi

It has a 'parts-only' title, I was just wondering if I could use it for track use...

zcct04

Can you tell how deep the water got inside the car?

Adam Chambers

Gotcha.

Mathi

Till the wheel arches at the top

Dogtag114

Just pack it in rice over night.

m a x i m u s

Lol. That’s a lot of rice!

zcct04

So that suggests water was completely over the seat cushions, over the console, over the controls in the armrests, over the HVAC controls and lapping into the radio, and into the lower parts of the dash.
If it was mine, I'd be scared to death.

Jasonoff

Crack the fuel line, go for a drive. The heat from the fire will dry it out...

AMG6.3

Water will be a nightmare with electrical system. My suggestion is to trade it in or a better option is to leave your car running in a parking lot unattended, it will be gone when you return hopefully for good and you can get full retail from insurance

Alex.currie44

LMAO!!!
And if he packed it in rice at the same time he would have popped rice!
All humour aside I would sell it to the insurance company for what a replacement in like and kind would cost. That is what you pay insurance for.
This car may seem ok but I agree, a world of hurt is coming and there is a huge difference between a leaky window or vent and being submerged.

JimGnitecki

Note the above by the OP! The car already has a "parts only title". That means an insurance company has already totaled it (perhaps for a different reason than flooding). An insurance company won't pay again on an already totaled vehicle.

Jim G

Alex.currie44

An assumption on your part not a fact. It is possible that an other insurer would sell loss coveage based on the diminished value. He hasn't said what the situation is.

JimGnitecki

My statement is based on fact. I had a hail damage incident some 2 or 3 years ago on my wife's car at the time. Geico Insurance assessed the damage as amounting to about 40% of the then current value of the car. I had a $1000 deductible. Although the damage estimate was 40% of the value of the then 5 year old car, it was only that high because virtually every sheet metal panel on the car had barely noticeable hail pock marks which only became visible when within a few feet of the car and looking for them.This combination of circumstances created a situation in which it made sense for me and my wife to accept a check from Geico for the amount of the damages less the $1000 deductible, and then turn around and have my wife continue to drive a well maintained and reliable car with a questionable cosmetic overall defect, and pocket the cash.

We figured that yes of course when we ultimately resold the vehicle, it would simply bring us a lower price that reflected the damage, but most buyers wanting a Korean 5+ year old car that was inexpensive to begin with would rather pay a LOT less for one that had relatively subtle damage and just live with it.

HOWEVER, the Geico rep did inform me that if I elected to do that, which I did, neither Geico or any other insurance company would pay for any SUBSEQUENT sheet metal damage to the vehicle, of any type, without first deducting the loss claim already made and not actually repaired. i.e. no "double dipping". Any subsequent sheet metal claims would only pay for any "new" damage not already present as a result of the hail claim. Apparently, there is a giant database of vehicle damage claims open to insurance companies to use for just this reason.

When we much later sold the vehicle to a local, lower end used car dealer, with full disclosure, he said these kinds of vehicles are naturally bought at a lower price by dealers, but sell quickly to used car buyers with tight budgets who value reliability over cosmetics, and will choose the cosmetically flawed but aggressively priced car when given a choice. We came out notably ahead on the deal handling the situation this way versus doing the repair.

So, if the OP's C63 already has had prior damage sufficient to burden it with an actual "salvage" or "parts only" title, no insurance company is going to "pay again" on a vehicle that has already been FULLY paid for (That's what the "for parts only" title brand means ).

Jim G

krazzdav

have fun with the car Mathi --- when you start to have problems don't even waste your time looking for the problem and start parting it out; it will be a never ending story chasing your tail.

for the rest -- a "parts only" or " CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION" you will not be able to register to have it back on the road so will not be able to have it insured. Any flooded vehicle will be one of these type of certificates/titles and not able to be put back on the road again "legally" because of all the electrical problems that will come up in the future.

A "salvage" or "rebuilt" title was totaled at one time and you will be able to insure and put that vehicle back on the road again. This is where whatever damage was payed out by the insurance company then that damage was fixed and had the vehicle recertified to be put back on the road.

The OP has no insurance options and only the 2 that I suggested and what they intended -- track it , have fun; then part it out

jptaylor

Good catch and very well stated!!!!!

Although i will say this about the "parts-only title" being a "once it's done it's done" as far as insurance goes....I deal with auction cars literally every day as my other business and see cars from all over the United States and can tell you that there ARE States that will revalidate a "parts-only title". I am NOT saying that it is legal, nor will i call out any States by name, FLORIDA, but on many multiple occasions i have bought cars with "repaired/reinspected/revalidated titles" that seemed good, then later developed issues and after some digging and found that the "repaired/reinspected/revalidated titles" were in fact "parts-only titles" but through whatever levels of corruption had been manipulated back into the "Clean Title" pool....not saying that this is the case nor that it is a common experience but it DOES happen.....Soooooo move to Florida, i wont tell you which city to move to, JACKSONVILLE, get your Merc's title manipulated back to clean, insure it, drive it till it starts to go sour, then collect full $$$ on your full coverage comprehensive claim.....just saying

krazzdav

too funny lol that's how i know about the different title status and flood vehicles is from auctions as i buy mercs from there...and how i got into my c63

I did read about these too but have no first hand knowledge....maybe I should ship my own c63 after i fix it to some sunny state on the east coast, have the title washed from salv, drive it cross-country to cali and ship back to Hawaii...hmmm lol

jptaylor

...sounds like a plan

...and when you get to Jacksonville just keep going to horrid used car lots until some sweaty heavy breathing gentleman tells you "....I know a guy."---- and then boom goes the dynamite!!!!

JimGnitecki

And this is exactly how some unfortunate future forum member will get cheated. Don't even joke about doing it. In plain terms, it's stealing other people's money - an insurance company's money AND a future buyer's money. Makes you too much like the slimy politicians and clever crooked lawyers we all claim we detest. I'd hope we are all better than that.

Jim G