[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by RGK

Ford has advised to replace all items viz., wiring harness, airbag units, bearings and bushes etc. When enquired with a local mechanic, he said " it is not necessary to do that. Cleaning the critical parts (fuses, sensor pins etc.,) should be fine and it is mandatory to check if the water is inside the manifold". I am in dilemma now whether to go for a local mechanic or to the ASC and claim Insurance.
I have taken photos of my car and I have removed the water from the floor to avoid rusting.

I know this is much, much easier said than done, but why take the risk. Since your car was completely submerged, what's to say there won't be a malfunction in existing parts; esp. important ones such as wiring and airbag unit.

Play safe and ask for a quote for Ford-recommended repairs and evaluate how much of that cost you'd have to bear.

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

Would be great if someone could clarify which 50% of expenses will be covered.

Typically glass, plastics and consumables are not entirely covered by insurance (unless it is zero-dep).

[cyberwhizs]

Originally Posted by RGK

As expected the ASC is full of vehicles. They say it will take a minimum of 30-45 days. When I asked for a rough estimate, one SA said, "till floor level the charges would come around 1.5 Lakhs and if it is more then it will be around 2 Lakhs" .
Ford has advised to replace all items viz., wiring harness, airbag units, bearings and bushes etc. When enquired with a local mechanic, he said " it is not necessary to do that. Cleaning the critical parts (fuses, sensor pins etc.,) should be fine and it is mandatory to check if the water is inside the manifold". I am in dilemma now whether to go for a local mechanic or to the ASC and claim Insurance.

30-45 days, well that's more or less expected. The service charges does look like on the higher side - but it is a ford that we are talking about so may quite possible. Ford service in my experience has been extremely iffy and some parts unreasonably expensive.

Post deluge, all Fluids - engine oil, transmission/gear oil, coolant definitely need a change, The electrical components are a *may be* case - typically alternator, starter will require service, relays, controllers may require to be replaced. Not a 100% sure on the wiring harness, ECU and other sensors though. They probably should work once they are dry if they haven't been shorted out already.

Mechanical items - bearings and bushes (other than those in electrical motors) should be largely unaffected hence not sure why they would warrant replacement.

If your vehicle is older, going with a local mechanic may be a faster, cheaper and a more pragmatic process. There might be some back and forth here, all issues may not get fixed in one go.

Do keep in mind, post immersion the reliability of all electric components will take a hit and you will see premature fatigue/failure in the coming years. Unfortunately there ins't much that you can do. Even when servicing it at ford, I doubt if they will replace/service each and every motor - alternator, starter, radiator fan, condenser fan, ac blower, power window, power mirror, wiper etc. So, you may want to ask Ford the specifics before you hand it over to them.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by cyberwhizs

30-45 days, well that's more or less expected.
Do keep in mind, post immersion the reliability of all electric components will take a hit and you will see premature fatigue/failure in the coming years. Unfortunately there ins't much that you can do. Even when servicing it at ford, I doubt if they will replace/service each and every motor - alternator, starter, radiator fan, condenser fan, ac blower, power window, power mirror, wiper etc. So, you may want to ask Ford the specifics before you hand it over to them.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I know this is much, much easier said than done, but why take the risk. Since your car was completely submerged, what's to say there won't be a malfunction in existing parts; esp. important ones such as wiring and airbag unit.

Play safe and ask for a quote for Ford-recommended repairs and evaluate how much of that cost you'd have to bear.

Typically glass, plastics and consumables are not entirely covered by insurance (unless it is zero-dep).

Just spoke to an Insurance Agent. Since my car is 5 years old, the depreciation will be around 45 - 50%.
As this was a catastrophe, I feel insurance companies may give some extra benefits .

[prithm]

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

Read this article dated yesterday. MSIL seems to be well prepared, considering the magnitude and unprecedentedness of the calamity. India's largest car maker sure is expected to have a good BCP (Business Continuity Plan). Hoping for the best. Would be great if other manufacturers also follow suit.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/auto/st.../1/542087.html



Curious to know the approximate number of Maruti vehicles in Madras.



Would be great if someone could clarify which 50% of expenses will be covered. Anyways, it is a welcome gesture by MSIL, if it provides some degree of monetary relief!

Peace.

Truly a welcome gesture by Maruti. They are representing for what they stand for. Car manufacturer of this nation.

I think we should not push the envelope, let them decide what they want to offer as a goodwill gesture and let us accept it as reciprocation.

Insurance agencies are the culprits who will play by the fine lines in agreements. So, lets be aware and vigilant.

I am really happy to see Maruti's goodwill for the flood victims.

[polopm]

My Vento was fully marooned , we had 12 feet of water and so all cars had no chance. VW told me they can pick up the car sometime this week and lift it to the workshop. Am not sure if it is worth getting it repaired. I had Pioneer 3250 BT + Amp, components and the woofer et al done at MetalEffect. All that is scrap now.

What is the rule for write off and what will be the approx % of the IDV paid ?

[RGK]

Originally Posted by polopm

What is the rule for write off and what will be the approx % of the IDV paid ?

I think if the loss is more than 75% of the IDV, then Insurance company will take back your car and pay the IDV amount.

[virage]

The insurance company representative just did a survey, he asked me to fill of the form and took a few pictures. Now he is asking me to wait for 4 more days, until which the car is not to be moved. Its been over a week and at the rate the car is destined to be scrapped. Any advice ?

[srinath.s]

This was in today's newspaper:



I am not sure how Maruti's scheme is going to work. There is mention of some scrappage option provided during J&K floods. Does anyone have any idea what this was about? Also, there is mention of Maruti "making up the differential cost after total loss claim to help a customer purchase a new car". This, though sounds far fetched, is not impossible for a company of Maruti's size. But how will it work? And what about write-off cars that are still under hypothecation?

[RGK]

Originally Posted by virage

The insurance company representative just did a survey, he asked me to fill of the form and took a few pictures. Now he is asking me to wait for 4 more days, until which the car is not to be moved. Its been over a week and at the rate the car is destined to be scrapped. Any advice ?

Generally after the surveyor's inspection, the ASC will start the work. I think the delay is due to pile up of vehicles and delay in approvals. I went to the Insurance office today to get the surveyor allocated and he has promised to do the inspection tomorrow.

Period.

My suggestion to the big auto giants (where the number of service centers are less in Chennai) is to ship cars to the other ASC's in places like Vellore, Villupuram etc., This will help in reducing the turn around time. The transportation cost can be shared between the manufacturer and the customers.

[virage]

Originally Posted by RGK

My suggestion to the big auto giants (where the number of service centers are less in Chennai) is to ship cars to the other ASC's in places like Vellore, Villupuram etc., This will help in reducing the turn around time. The transportation cost can be shared between the manufacturer and the customers.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but arent these so called big companies supposed to have contingency plans for all this. The service centers might be run by a bunch of incompetent idiots with influence, but what astounds me is the fact that the insurance company's are unable to cope with the number of customers. The government unable to handle this is expected, no surprises there, but these so called MNC'S failing. This is a worrying outcome.

Companys have detailed disaster management plans, they are mandated to gain recognition from various governing bodies, I see this as a major failure by the management of every company. If this is the case, just imagine the outcome if it was a national disaster.

[cyberwhizs]

Contingency plans will exist for continuation of service across X% of all service centers. So far the service is available at alternate nearby locations the effect of service disruption is taken care of albeit to a limited extent.

Currently the number of insurance claims are way higher and so is the complexity of evaluating those claims - not simple as a typical accident where damage is visible. Additionally, most of the claims are going to be high value claims so the validation will take time and with limited number of hands the process will be slow and companies will operate at reduced efficiencies - increasing wait time. Yes, companies can add additional surveyors to increase their reach and generally they do so at such times

The problem that the companies - insurance & others are grappling with are related to capacity management rather than disaster management - too much work - too few resources.

Once the insurance process is done, the car will continue to rot at the service center before able hands get to it and god help you if you own one of those german cars - spares scarcity will be serious add on issue to resolve. This may take much more time. 3 - 4 months wasn't uncommon after the mumbai deluge.

The suggestion of mass transporting cars to alternate locations is an interesting one. It is something that dealerships can surely do - pack up 20 odd vehicles in typical container truck that ships new cars to an alternate location and get them repaired there.

It is a win-win situation for the customer, dealership and the service center.

[virage]

Originally Posted by cyberwhizs

Currently the number of insurance claims are way higher and so is the complexity of evaluating those claims - not simple as a typical accident where damage is visible.

The problem that the companies - insurance & others are grappling with are related to capacity management rather than disaster management - too much work - too few resources.

My outrage is directed towards the insurance companies alone, the service centers are a different story. My basic question is why are the employees overwhelmed?
Disasters happen, and if they do these guys are going to be busy. That's the deal right, isn't that their duty to ensure that the job is done, they should have expected and planned and educate their workforce. It screams unpreparedness, pooling staff from other states, forming a tempory and dedicated division for this, those guys are paid in crores not manage the company everyday, but at times like this. All I hear them give me is a bunch of excuses.


Theres a difference between a retail store unable to service customers during a disaster and a insurance company unable to service a customer.

Disasters and unexpected accidents are the reason for the existence of an insurance company. A small delay is expected and forgiven but the system coming to a near standstill means a failure.

I'm pretty sure they can't give the same excuses to industries. Heck even these so called companies dont cut the customers slack. Why should we tolerate their ineffectiveness. ( I was asked to pay my emi by hdfc on time regardless of the fact that my city was sinking).

[satanic_dude]

Spoke to a known SA today. Got to know that the estimate to repair a fully submerged Alto will be ~ 2.10 lac. That's close to my IDV of 2.35 lac. Insurance company can decide to mark it a total loss if repair amount exceeds 1.7 lac. If at all I decide to get the vehicle repaired under insurance, the SA said I may have to shell out close to a lac.

Common sense says go for a total loss and take the IDV, and hopefully a huge discount Maruti may offer on a new car, for flood affected customers. The SA said we may get to know about this scheme soon. Besides, it may not be advisable to try and repair the vehicle and face issues in future. Better to end it's misery.

Like most of us, I am most definitely emotionally attached to the car, as there are a lot of great memories, culminating in the most eventful and highest mileage year, 2015. It had started returning a mileage of close to 25, as measured in the last highway trip. Maybe it's the car's way of going out on a high, while it is absolutely at the peak.

I don't think it's too soon to say RIP Alto K10, Silver Knight, 2011 - 2015. Four memorable and absolutely trouble free years.

That said, I have made up my mind and have already accepted a total loss scenario. However, any advise from BHPians on what more is to be done, will be more than welcome!

Peace.

Reagards,
Abhishek.

[Thad E Ginathom]

recovery of flooded Polo.

Pole 1.6 Highline, 2011 model, purchased Feb 2012

I'm shocked that, in this country, a write off means, to the insurers, that when and if they sell the remains, then only the customer gets the money. I'd like to see those guys try doing business anywhere else in the world.

But that is not the point of this post. My wife and an auto driver friend (who has been our savior through our flood experience) have persuaded me that there is nothing to lose by trying to get the car back on the road ourselves.

I'm convinced that the engine will be fine. It wasn't running when it got engulfed and no attempt was made to start it. Also, the car was parked with the front higher, and landed with it higher, after its float.

High water mark was the top of the bonnet. Inside, that means top of instrument panel. Mats and upholstery soaked in dirty water.

So, assuming the worst in terms of electronics and instrument damage, what could the project cost us? Leaving out the actual cleaning, just how big a job would this be?

A guy at a VW dealer has already told us that they are not repairing flood. Polos because they can't source the electronics. One guy... I don't know how true it is. We have someone who is willing to source parts in Singapore, and bring them over. He travels regularly. In fact, he exports cars from there.

[DRIV3R]

Thad, was the battery disconnected and removed or was it intact?

If it was the former, am afraid the ECU, body computer, battery and wiring need to be changed.

With most modern cars, if car has flooded above doors, it is a total loss.

They have 3 levels A, B and C. A being the highest, C being flooded at the carpet level. Here is an example of Level A.