[i74js]

Can companies not make air-inlet and exhaust plugs (simple airtight solutions) as accessories for car owners? This will reduce the damage to a great extent.

[sharktale]

In our building in Kolkata, we suffered the same issue, and an indigenous step was taken after the Aila storm.
What the society members did was they ordered a construction of high wall but broad speedbump at the entry and exit points of the building to creating an effective barrier between the building and road, which is prone to waterlogging.

Works like a charm, and have faced minimal deluge post construction.
One may think that it would make the entry and exit difficult, but a resident's Panamera gets in the building absolutely fine.

On a related note, could anyone create a guide for how to wade your car through the water if? The only time I tried wading in a very old Santro, I ended up damaging the self-start.

[grevvity]

Another creative way to protect your car from flooding is to use inflatable pool. Something like this :



Drive your car over the pool and simply inflate the sidewalls of the pool with the help of pump and you are good to go for at least 2 to 3 feet of water. One can choose the size of the pool depending upon the car size. Combine this solution with the Tarpaulin to have better results. Cheap, easy and simple.

PS: Pool can be used in summers to spend some good time with kids

[sharktale]

Originally Posted by smartcat

This is too rare an event to plan ahead. There is no real solution either, because you will never know up to what level the water will rise.





Why don't you just lay the giant tarpaulin sheet on the floor and drive over it? The below pic is of a car parked in camping site - the tarpaulin cover prevents reptiles and small mammals from getting into the engine bay.

Attachment 1671855

I guess such a setup offers decent flooding protection too.

Excellent suggestion! However I think it would only work if the car was not exposed in the open, and in a parking slot. Since the tarpaulin is not sealing the car from all ends, rain might still get inside through the gaps and it can create a water bucket of its own!

[nishsingh]

Can I not wrap a cling film all around the car? Especially the lower half? I am assuming it would provide a decent protection?

Something like -



Although, in this case, the photo is from a prank done ostensibly by college kids in Birmingham!

[smsrini]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

One permanent solution I can recommend is the car lifts like they use in service stations or the multi level car parking lifts.

These can raise the cars by a good 7-8 ft and will also give you more space to park your cars inside in normal conditions. They should be able to save your car from such flooding. However you may need to ask the supplier to make it flood proof and have the electricals mounted high and waterproof.

This is an excellent and permanent solution, if you have the means. Since GTO has the full building, he can easily implement such a solution for each of his cars..

[silverado]

Great thread.My house in Mumbai is in Hindmata and most mumbaikars will know that its the first place which gets flashed on TV when it rains heavily.

People are so used to flooding here that most of them will ensure cars get parked in nearby lanes where there are no chances of flooding.
Most locals here expect the lane to get flooded when it rains heavily and hence park cars elsewhere in anticipation.

I guess it is those places which have never got flooded earlier , those have sprung a surprise.I have heard few examples during recent deluge where flooding took place in areas where it had not flooded even during 26th July 2005!

Such a deluge is extremely rare and hence many will not think about permanent solutions even now dismissing this as one-off thing.
Reason being most people in Mumbai park on road and do not have a permanent parking space.

I believe the best defence would be to hope that our weather forecast becomes accurate, which can help us take actions in advance.

[rrsteer]

I live in a low lying area and our house gets flooded during very heavy rains. Last year I planned ahead and the night when very heavy rainfall was predicted - continuing through the next day, I parked both my car in a nearby washing station (just walking distance) on the permanent ramp they have constructed for washing cars. While the Etios got parked comfortably at a height, Innova was parked at an incline.

Was a win-win. The flooding was severe and the station owner was only too happy to earn a few bucks, when he wouldn't have earned anything.

[famousshoes]

Great thread this and about time too. Apparently 1.5-2.5 feet of water with enough current is enough to get even an SUV up and going, so choosing an SUV over a sedan on the basis of better flood protection may not really work in the weather conditions we just witnessed in Mumbai.

Usually owners are not able to get to their vehicles in time to take preventive action. The best precaution one can take is to be prepped and ready for eventualities specially in flood prone areas. I hope vehicle owners in Mumbai and Chennai will be better prepared next time this happens, and it will.

1) Leave a spare key at home / with a friend so that even if you are in office someone has access to the car and can move it to a safer place
2) If you are travelling out of station in the monsoon park your car at a higher place / family / friends place and not in the basement or low lying areas.
3) keep car stands handy, you could get about a foot and a half of clearance that way
4) its also important to secure your car with straps (?) to prevent it floating away or ramming into nearby cars, structures etc
5) make sure your insurance covers flood damage

The tarpaulin idea seems good, like someone mentioned it would be a good idea to put one on top as well to prevent inadvertent rooftop rainwater harvesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCvq6DNJi0

This car lift option seems interesting though i suppose these are all solutions that would work in about a foot or 2 of waterlogging. If the waters rise above this height the only option seem to be moving the car out prior to flooding or car bags like shown below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcmc6JAEhUU

[IshaanIan]

I just head onto the smoothest highway and go for a drive My house in Hyderabad is close to the Ring Road and my home in Bangalore is close to the Bangalore-Hyderabad highway. Both close to the airports in both cities. That means beautifully well laid tarmac

On a more serious note, the tarpaulin idea is absolutely brilliant but yes it will constantly need to be checked to ensure that it has no holes.

[mmxylorider]

Since I read this thread earlier today, I have been trying to think about this from a very disassociated perspective. Seeing the Harvey victims losing lifelong possessions, mortgaged house, sentimental things, worrying for a car seems almost a crime.

With His Almighty's grace, I have not been in this situation yet. But, and with all respect to prior posters, Mumbai history tells us to deal with it alone - before and post facto. At the first indication of such flooding, I would
1. Move vehicles to safer place .
2. Use public transport, uber etc till the time it's safe.

Above are practical, no person/infrastructure dependent ways. If I have to be innovative (practical?), befriending a local crane operator is helpful. Lift the car in the air till it's safe!!!

On more whimsical ideas, investing in a 20' shipping container if you have the place for it is worth a thought. Used ones are not so expensive, they are water tight, tough and can serve as outdoor usable space (storage, bar, workshop) when it's dry. You can get one for under 20K if you know the right people and especially in a port city like Mumbai.

[DuHasstMich]

Not sure if an inflatable airbag type of device will be useful, can be wrapped around all four tires and then inflated. The car would actually float and stay above the water level always. Would have to be a strong enough material to hold the car's weight and not burst..
You would only need to tie it down like a boat, to ensure it doesn't float away!

[GTO]

Some truly innovative solutions on this thread - thanks!

Originally Posted by abhishek46

- Please reference our very own Gannu_1's excellent DIY for making a set of wooden Ramps. (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-do...car-ramps.html)

That is really good.

Originally Posted by vigsom

Prevention is better than cure.So raised surfaces, jacks, ramps, chain pulley blocks to raise the front of the car are all the right solutions.

Will still ruin the rear of the car.

Originally Posted by Behemoth

One permanent solution I can recommend is the car lifts like they use in service stations or the multi level car parking lifts.

Originally Posted by sharktale

What the society members did was they ordered a construction of high wall but broad speedbump at the entry and exit points of the building to creating an effective barrier between the building and road, which is prone to waterlogging.

I thought of this, but it'll make it difficult for senior citizens to walk over it.

Originally Posted by grevvity

Another creative way to protect your car from flooding is to use inflatable pool.

Heavy rain will fill the pool up no? The water level could go as high as it is outside the pool!

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by GTO

Heavy rain will fill the pool up no? The water level could go as high as it is outside the pool!

The buoyancy of the air filled part in the pool or in inflatable toys are more than enough to lift a car up.

Proof: A simple auto rickshaw tyre tube can hold a 100kg person afloat in deep water.

[GrammarNazi]

• Put a plastic bag around the air intake & even exhaust, a few rubber bands around it to keep water from entering.
• Buy & Keep 12-16 light weight 6" concrete solid blocks (hide them or integrate them in the garden) to keep the car on a raised level. Keep safe while you're raising the car, 2 good jacks are a must while raising the car IMO.
• My friend had bought 4 jack-stands during some sale 3-4 months back. He said its an investment and comes of use when you want wash, change oil, to check for underbody damage etc. Now it's saved him a fair bit of car cleaning work when his street flooded. This thought me that foresight matters. Keep in touch with such BHPians.
• Buy the insurance add-on cover that includes flood-damage & even covers alternate transport during the possible long service time - because if many cars across the city need flood-damage related repairs, you'll not be left without a car for the extended wait.

Not just for floods, but street parking (rather the lack it) has often caused strain among residents & neighborhood visitors. We should demand that the govt make vertical paid parking lots in small buildings in every urban locality. Apartments should be allowed to build & monetise such facilities for those living close-by.
Humble apologies, but this did come to mind!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oxxY45KdDU