[Thad E Ginathom]

Anything over the rubber of the tyres is too deep for me, and even that much is worrying! Maybe quite a lot of people here might go as deep as the exhaust pipe, especially if they are used to flood driving, but not for me thank you!

It is not only the depth of the water, but the extra amount of the splashes and waves caused by your own and other vehicles.

[shipnil]

It is really amazing that this guy thinks it was some kind of challenge that he and his swift won. And his biggest worry is now how to dry the carpets of his swift

As many bhpians have already pointed out, it was sheer carelessness. There are enough incidents of cars getting stuck inside waters caused by flood and people inside them getting stuck. Had it been a bridge instead of an underpass that was flooded, you'd have been driving in the river!

Is it really hard to choose between waiting in traffic jams by taking U turn or risking your own as well as other passengers life inside the car?

[rajatsingh78]

wooooooaaa! guys cool down, specially shipnil, I already admitted my mis-judgement

I also admitted my mistake and there is no need to corner me. I didn't realise the depth of the water until I was in a situation of "no-turning-back", I was almost following the I20 and only realised when I was almost midway. Plus the people on two wheelers were crossing it normally, so I thought if two wheels can do it, my car is far more heavy and powerful so can manage it as well.

And let me also make it clear, I was no way trying to take this as an urban "challange", but yes after I crossed the area I did feel like a winner because failing there would have meant damage to my car and injuries to me and the passengers.

Anyone coming out of such a situation would feel a like a winner, considering never ever faced a situation like this. I could have panicked, car could have stalled, and I would have ended in a hospital along with my wife and friend.

And once I have survived this, as a normal person my worries would definitely would be to take care of the damage or prevent it from happening...is it not normal ? Or shall I after posting here and asking for advice write 1000 time "I am sorry and I will not repeat it" and die on a bed due to this guilt that why did I crossed that water logged area!

Oh I forgot to mention that I checked the airfilter, it was bone dry, plus the engine compartment was dry too, infact there was a lot of dust on the engine cover, battery, and other parts that I could see, so I guess the water was till around the radiator level,

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is really amazing that this guy thinks it was some kind of challenge that he and his swift won.

But... in a way it is. Some of our greatest adventures in life arise from taking stupid decisions: afterwards, when we have survived, when we are safe, when we are home and dry, we can look back on it all as an adventure.

It's like, when I was sailing, I used to say, "I would like to have experienced sailing in a full gale". There is no way I would have been stupid enough to seek the experience, or even to knowingly risk it, and I know, from the worst weather I did sail in, that it would have been just a horrible time, but it is a teat that never came my way, so I never had the chance to pass it.

Underpasses in heavy rain frighten me! Despite my sailing experience, I don't swim, and I can imagine an underpass filling up like a bath

Is it really hard to choose between waiting in traffic jams by taking U turn or risking your own as well as other passengers life inside the car?

No, you are right, and I do agree that he should never have been there in the first place.

<Crossposted>

wooooooaaa! guys cool down, specially shipnil, I already admitted my mis-judgement

Right And yes, I'd feel the same if it had been me.

.

[rajatsingh78]

Exactly, a few years back I went on a regular trekking trip with my friends, we decided to see the sunset from Chandrashila (near Ukhimath, Uttarakhand), but forgot that on our way back to the base we had to cross a dense forest. All was well till it wasn't too dark. Once it was dark the forest became quite omnious and we were even confronted by a leopard who was after a Bhutia dog that was tagging along us. But we made it in single piece to the base, only to gather a lot of learnings and an experience of a life time.

I believe most misjudgments would always carry a lesson to be learnt. But all will carry a story that you can share with others. Had I taken a U-turn along with the 800 (which would have been a right thing) I would have not even started this thread and guys who are enojying spicy comments on a lazy saturday would have been doing something else

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

But... in a way it is. Some of our greatest adventures in life arise from taking stupid decisions: afterwards, when we have survived, when we are safe, when we are home and dry, we can look back on it all as an adventure.

It's like, when I was sailing, I used to say, "I would like to have experienced sailing in a full gale". There is no way I would have been stupid enough to seek the experience, or even to knowingly risk it, and I know, from the worst weather I did sail in, that it would have been just a horrible time, but it is a teat that never came my way, so I never had the chance to pass it.

Underpasses in heavy rain frighten me! Despite my sailing experience, I don't swim, and I can imagine an underpass filling up like a bath
No, you are right, and I do agree that he should never have been there in the first place.

<Crossposted>


Right And yes, I'd feel the same if it had been me.

.

[dadu]

You are lucky to get the Swift to swim through such waters. But now you have a big task to get the inside dried like it never went through water, otherwise all exposed metal will start rusting and can impact electricals too due to high moisture inside.

Also never cross water if the levels are more than half of your tyre's diameter.

[dkcrpl]

i would suggest u call the Service Centre guys. they shall remove the front seat and carpet. dry it out completely. Also the flooring may need to be cleaned inside. I had my Zen in such a sorry state of affair. Called the MASS Guys and they did this procedure. Else ur car shall smell a lot and may even corrode the flooring from inside.

[raghu230506]

Water till a level of rear windshield and you still dared to drive through.

I would say it was your day to get through without any issues.

Please get a thorough service at MASS.

[rajatsingh78]

Yeah Raghu, it was my lucky day,

I was discussing with one of my friend about the situation, he told me that had the car engine stopped or sucked in water, the entire engine would have damaged which would have led to an engine overhaul, because too much water when the engine is running will cool the pistons etc suddenly and damage most of the stuff.

And Yes, I called M.A.S.S but being week-end they were all occupied and since I just have the car for commuting I can only give it on the next Friday.

Originally Posted by raghu230506

Water till a level of rear windshield and you still dared to drive through.

I would say it was your day to get through without any issues.

Please get a thorough service at MASS.

[pulsar56]

Rajatsingh,
It has been a old joke among the Hyderabad folks who live on the other side of Hitec City MMTS that they swim to work & back during the monsoons! BTW, You were really lucky to have got out that much amount of water!

When it rains, it is always better to avoid the Malaysian Township road as the Hitec railway underpass has always been a problem.

Alternative route would have been via the Hafizpet flyover but also has a history of swimming pools!

Another alternative I discovered yesterday was the Lingampally route which had no traffic till Miyapur!

[SDP]

Rajat,
I have been in a situation when water came inside the car. Tried to soak up the water, but since the floor of the car is not a flat-bed but a corrugated area, soaking did not work. Tried the hair-dryer which gave temporary results. Read up stuff on the net to find a DIY solution, but instead came across lot of horror stories about permanent foul smell in the car and even maggots developing under the carpet. So eventually took the car to MASS on the 3rd day. He removed the complete carpet and asked me to let it dry in the sun for a week. The carpet has a soft-padding pasted underneath it and the padding was in a bad shape. While removing, the carpet also got a little bit torn at a couple of points. Since the water has sipped in through the door rubber beadings, luckily there was no dirt to clean up either from the carpet or the car's floor.
Another thing that MASS advised and I got it done was, all 4 wheels were removed and the entire brake-pad assembly was cleaned up because water had reached above that level and it would have caused rust leading to poor performance of the brakes.
When you go to the MASS, its very important that you give them a fairly accurate idea about the level of water, because that is going to decide whereall the damage is. All the best and drive safe.
- SDP

[rajatsingh78]

Guys just came back from M.A.S.S, following are the options available -

Option 1
Carpet Drying, Cleaning - 600
Labor Charges - 400
TOTAL - 1000
Option 2
New Carpet - 1450
Labor Charges - 400
TOTAL - 1850

In option 2 labor charges might be negotiable since I know the works manager there.

As per the works manager, option 2 is more feasible because as per him, the smell will not go completely and the car would always smell "stale",
He also added though option 1 is where he will make more money since all charges are labor charges and no spares would be used, he recommends a new carpet.

What do you guys suggest ?
Following are the two other options that I explored -
Mobil Workshop - They would charge Rs.500, all they would do is suck the water out using a wet vacuum and then leave the car to dry in the sun
Glitz Carz Spa - Entire car clean package, Rs. 800, this will include carpet washing and cleaning, and again would be using just a wet vacuum.

In both the above options the seats will not be removed, so the dirt under the carpet would just stay there and might lead to rusting of the floor, when this dirt absorbs moisture (what I think)

[SDP]

@Rajat -> In option 1, the 400 Rs labour charges -> are those for both removing AND fixing the carpet? What I don't understand is the 600 Rs for carpet drying and cleaning. The carpet just needs to be dried (preferably in the shade) and it should be fine. I genuinely doubt if the carpet needs to be cleaned in this case (unless it was already having dirt). Not sure if they mean to dry the carpet using a hot air dryer or something.
Have not experienced wet vacuums yet, so can not comment on that option.

[vasanthn21]

Let me start by saying, you took a very big risk.

And to tell you the truth, if I knew you were going to do this and if I had a chance to be in your car, I would be in there just for the experience.

I bet you wont forget it...

But, if your car is sale... I wont be buying it (no icon saying "I am not that stupid")

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by rajatsingh78

Now my question is how to dry the carpet completely, will just leaving the car in the sun with windows rolled down a bit be helpul or shall I take it to M.A.S.S

Half of the car went under water and your only concern is how to get the carpet dry. I don't know whether to laugh or

have you ever given a thought that there is an air intake and that engine could suck up water?

What you did was not a good thing to the car, that too after seeing a car in front of you almost immersed in water.