Q: Flooded car please help, potential damage? write off?
My 2006 mazda 6 tiptronic was parked on roadside and caught in a flash flood water level above bottom of car. carpets soaked. i tried to move to higher ground only 10m away but car died/stalled 4 times. finally got there. today (5 days later) carpets still soaked and car turns on but it wouldnt move, felt same as when you try take off with handbrake on but the handbrake was off. an hour alter i tried again and was the same but then a big crank/crack sort of sound and it moved i was able to drive forward and reverse. what could this be?? would it be due to water damage? would it be severe damage? would it be enough to have insurance write it off? Even if it could be repaired would insurance write it off due to high risk of future problems?
Thankyou.
PS. im really hoping it will be severe enough insurance will write off as i cant afford excess but with write off and insurance payout id be alot better off financially. I paid 7000 for it and it is insured for agreed value of 14100 NZD
My car has an automatic transmission.
When the under vehicle got soaked and sat in the water the brakes tend to lock up after that if you had the parking brake on and then when you go to release it the rear drum brakes may stick until you moved the vehicle and then they came loose and should be okay after that but should still be inspected for any damages. As far as the water getting in car depending on how deep it got you may start to have electrical issues from water getting into wiring of the car under seats and in modules that can cause problems down the road not to mention carpet will be ruined from flood waters.
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