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Looking at the pics, even though he may be able to salvage the car, the issues that can crop up after the restoration of a food damage vehicle is not worth it. The upkeep maybe high for this on the long run and the chance that something else going wrong is high. I think it is better to cut the losses and claim a total loss.

PS: I think it may have been better to park the car with the engine on the other end as that portion seems higher.

I think the rear of the cars have lifted up due to buoyancy and not due to elevation difference.

That car will never be the same.

You cant just wipe the dashboard or dry the carpet or seats.

Imagine kind of stuff hidden under the dash and inside the AC system or inside the door panels.

Not an accident but an automobile damaged in an accident with nature for sure.

Guys,

My 2015 red Polo GT TSI is dead. I am at a loss of words and would really appreciate some help. I seriously think the service centre is trying to fleece but I really don't know what to do. Here's what happened.

On the fateful night of July 2, I reached home safe but my by-lane was completely submerged. So I decided to find a safe parking spot in the main lane . I found a place where there was no water logging and a lot of cars were parked. Looks like overnight it rained like crazy. When I went to my car next morning to go to work, I realised the worst. The car wasn't in the position I had parked it. I opened the door and it was water everywhere. All the cubby-holes were filled with dirty water and entire floor of the car was submerged. I didn't turn the ignition on at all. AT ALL. I just switched on the battery and everything was working fine. The electric mirrors were working fine, no engine light, airbags light showed up. Simply put, nothing was wrong. But as a precaution, since I know if a car is submerged it should not be cranked, I didn't do that.

I immediately called a towing service, opened the gearbox flap, turned the gear manually to neutral and towed the car to the service centre. The service centre confirms that the engine is running fine and there is no water in it but they say the gearbox is gone and needs to be replaced. His exact words, "gearbox is jerking so we have to replace it." Then he says sensors are malfunctioning so have to be replaced. In total, he said the repair cost of the car would be around Rs 7 lakh!

I am flabbergasted. A new Polo GT TSI costs Rs 9.6 lakh. How can repair costs where enging isnt even touched cost Rs 7 lakh? Now, here things get interesting. The IDV of the car is Rs 5.5 lakh which means Tata AIG insurance is going to classify this as total loss. Unfortunately, 5 EMIs are still pending so the balance money I will get will be less than Rs 5 lakh.

The interesting bit is this: When on Saturday the service executive called and told me this, he said my car's IDV is Rs 8 lakh so I don't have to worry as insurance will cover it. I told him he was wrong that the IDV was Rs 5.5 lakh. He asked me to double-check. I asked him to double-check. Guess who was right? Me, of course.

So here's what I think. He mistook someone else's policy for mine and decided to make a bill of Rs 7 lakh to make most money possible. Now, when he realised his blunder as my car's IDV is only Rs 5.5 lakh, he is trying to cover up by saying that the estimate is Rs 4 lakh for now but as he will open the car more, this cost is going to go up to Rs 7 lakh. If I give an undertaking that I will foot the bill in lakhs after insurance pays its share, they will go ahead with the repairs else its a total loss vehicle.

I really don't know what to do at this point. I really love this car and was really looking forward to December when the EMIs were getting over and the costs of owning the car would come down drastically. I am shattered. I am just unable to understand how can repair costs of the car be Rs 7 lakh with engine excluded when the new Polo GT TSI costs Rs 9.6 lakh?

Can anyone suggest me anything? What are my options, if at all? This was my first car with my own money and I really paid through my nose to buy it. I cannot afford a new car right now and the financial loss caused by this is really spinning my head.

PS: I am in Mumbai.

There is a difference between gearbox is jerking and gearbox is totally gone. If it is the former, I’d like to believe that you should be able to drive the car to another dealership for reassessment. That is, if this evidently unscrupulous dealer hasn’t already killed off the DSG entirely in hope of making a killing at your expense.

What is certain is that you sent your car over to the wrong place, and you should get it out of there asap. Whether the car will live or not can only be looked into later, as they have pretty much written it off.

What you did was correct but if I am not wrong the automatic transmission have a hole in them for ventilation and as you stated the water had risen very high, most probably in order to fleece money from the ASC might have driven the car without changing the transmission fluid and there might be water present in it and before driving the car did they change any of the fluids at all?

I would say if your car is not in warranty, have a second opinion from a reputed FNG maybe all it needs is a transmission fluid change along with some other fluids.

Just hope they have not killed your car by not changing fluids and driving it.

Please mention the name of the service center friend, so that other owners stay warned of this dealership.

How did they know that the gearbox was jerking. They definitely tried to drive the car and must not taken enough precautions.

Where is the quotation & detailed break up of that Rs. 7L estimate?

Without that break up it's hard to judge what they are planning to do for the repair. Which parts & how much is the labour?

Usually it's best to stay with the car at the time of diagnostic to get an idea yourself. Service centre may try to avoid or flat out refuse but one should try hard to stay with the car to avoid stupid & this type of unrealistic estimate.

It's no secret, usually for insurance claim, ASC try their level best to squeeze as much as possible. So being present can prevent some intentional action to increase the damage.

So ask them to forward detailed break up of this estimate in proper readable format.

This is Autobahn Jogeshwari West.

They have disassembled the car... so driving it anywhere is out of question..

I think they killed it else how can they tell me that the car is jerking... but what can I do now..

Current estimate is Rs 4 lakh. He says gearbox and all sensors etc need changing, etc. He says once he inspects more and goes further deep the costs are likely to rise to Rs 7 lakh.

Since insurance wont cover so much, they are asking me if I will cover the costs else they will just declare it as total loss.


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If I were in your place, I would ask them the cause of the jerking. As it is evident from the condition of the engine, you have not attempted to start the engine. Also, the electricals seems to be fine. Even if water has entered the transmission, what damage can it do if it was not started? Can't the issues be fixed by draining the water and transmission fluids, and filling the transmission fluids?

Any damage could have been due to mishandling by the ASC. Another possibility is that the gearbox had issues before the flooding happened. In either case, you should try for gearbox replacement through warranty or goodwill warranty.

All the best!

My heart goes out to you. I faced similar situation when my Jetta was claimed as a total loss with a repair estimate of over 8 lacs in an accident.
Insurance company will call it a total loss even if the bill is around 4.5 lacs since their liability usually is only around 60% of IDV. Rest is by salvage buyer. Any repair bill over 3.5 lacs will lead to total loss in your case by insurance company.

If you are dead sure to keep your car in this situation, You have following options in my opinion:

1) Let it go for total loss, take your 5.5 lacs. You will know for how much salvage buyer has bought it for. You can later on buy from that buyer again without change in ownership. He will charge his repair + investment opportunity costs.

2) Dont claim the insurance at all. Take it to a known FNG. DSG should cost you around 1.2 lacs and about 50K for sensors etc. Even stealership would be interested to perform the job on your car.

3) There is a provision to get your car. Insurance company will put this on auction and whatever the highest bid received, insurance company will pay you the difference. The case is closed. This option is advised only and if only you are dead sure you wish to keep the car at any cost.

Another option: Get your 5.5 lacs. Close the loan and then add some and get a sparingly used 2017-18 model with additional features. Good Luck!

They cannot disassemble anything without your consent. If that is the case, you can escalate this to VW

Thanks! This is exactly what I am asking them. But the car is out of warranty since when I bought the warranty was only up to 4 years as against 5 and 6 year options now..

I am pretty sure they screwed up but they are getting away with it..


This is the last option that I too am thinking...


I have done that. Written emails to their customer care, India CEO, etc. Trying my best...


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Hey, so I would suggest the following -

First please go to the service centre and have a look. Meet the service manager. What do you mean they have disassembled it? Have they removed the gearbox from the car?

Ask them to show you the damage on the gearbox. Also find out how it was removed from the car without your authority.

Also see if you can get the engine started and see for yourself that it is running smoothly. Please do ask for a detailed break up of his 4l estimate.

Water damage is an easy way for dishonest people to make a buck, don't panic and think logically, ask them questions the members here have posted above. That should put them on the back foot.

Does your insurance cover water damage?