Killed my Car in Flood (Tropical Storm Issaac)

[///MGFX]

Sorry to hear that. Hope everything works well.

[kwike92]

Originally Posted by nbennettksu

You just hydra locked the engine. You didn't kill the car; but you're going to need a new engine. You better hope Geico doesnt put a reman in there. You sucked way too much water up, I bet your air filter is soaked!

Happens all the time here in South Florida. Your insurance is about to shell out at least 15k I have a F01 750Li right now thats getting a new powerplant, as well as a 535

EDIT: dude I see you're in Florida, have it towed to me lol... BMW in Pompano; I won't charge you all that diagnosis time!

Hydrolocked indeed...

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

sorry to hear it, but why drive in those conditions?

+1..flooding coditions should not be a time to drive unless you have the vehicle suited for it

[M3PO]

You shouldn't have been driving out there so I don't feel bad for you.

That said, I doubt that you hydrolocked it. If the water wasn't high enough to get into the interior, it likely wasn't high enough to be sucked into the filter. This car as three air inlets. If one is submerged, it will pull air from the hood or grill openings. The water would have to be up to the hood, to the point where it could physically flow through the filter, to hydrolock it.

You most likely fried a module or something.

[mjposner]

Thanks for all the well wishes.

for those who said I should not have been driving, let me make this clear, I was coming home from work in my only car (well I have a 66 Corvair), I followed cars through and got to a point where I new the car would not go so I turned around to go back through where I had gone before and was going slow when she stalled.

Took 20 minutes to push out (trouble to get dct into neutral).

Was towed to Braman BMW in West Palm Beach

They say the filter was soaked.

Geico set me up with a loaner, and have authorized more diagnosis to determine what is needed.

According to realoem, a new engine is $21k, a reman is 16K.

Braman says that what they replace has a two year warranty so on the bright side, I get to extend my engine warranty (which expires in October, 2012).

Tomorrow they "open her up" so I should have news by the end of the day, or Friday.

Thanks again (to most of you)

[m3an]

Originally Posted by M3PO

You shouldn't have been driving out there so I don't feel bad for you.

That said, I doubt that you hydrolocked it. If the water wasn't high enough to get into the interior, it likely wasn't high enough to be sucked into the filter. This car as three air inlets. If one is submerged, it will pull air from the hood or grill openings. The water would have to be up to the hood, to the point where it could physically flow through the filter, to hydrolock it.

You most likely fried a module or something.

from an insurance standpoint, water into interior= total loss due to all the computers and fear of the car always coming back so the insurance company will usually wash it up front.

I disagree w/ the quote though, as all it takes is driving to get some water in the lower duct of the front bumper left side and the water WILL get up there. I have seen it before. While the car is moving so is the water.. You may be lucky though; even w/ a wet filter, the shop SHOULD pull the plugs, put a new air filter on and crank the motor w/ out plugs to push the water from the cylinders. IF ANYONE TRIES STARTING IT OTHERWISE it'll lock up right away. I have done this on a z4 and it worked after being under water. Either way it sucks and it was pretty bad in South FL.

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by Parkanzky

Did the engine stop extremely abruptly/violently? If so, you sucked up some water and hydro-locked it and that motor is done.

Make sure that it ends up at a shop that you trust to do major work right. In the past, I've made sure to get cars I really care about away from the shop the insurance company chooses and to somebody I've read fairly consistently good reviews of.

Actually not entirely true. I ran through 4-5 inches of water in my old S2000 and it stopped abruptly and wouldn't turn over. Thought I hydrolocked engine. Had my Mercedes Master Tech look at it and in 30 minutes he got it up and running. My intake was saturated with water and he said I got water droplets in the engine but it was fine. He took it apart and in about an hour to two I was back on the road.

At that point I told myself I would never own just one car ever again. So X5 for snow, ice, rain.
M3 for sunny days and weekends. Much easier and no worries.

Hell buy a fricken beater for rainy days. In Seaside Oregon right before HWY 26 if it storms its like 3 feet of water and there is no way a slammed M3 or stock for that matter is getting through. My X5 was pushing it. I saw some folks trying to get through and I thought to myself there is no way in Hell they are going to make it and they got stuck. I would honestly park and wait. Know the road and weather conditions.

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by talontid

from an insurance standpoint, water into interior= total loss due to all the computers and fear of the car always coming back so the insurance company will usually wash it up front.

I disagree w/ the quote though, as all it takes is driving to get some water in the lower duct of the front bumper left side and the water WILL get up there. I have seen it before. While the car is moving so is the water.. You may be lucky though; even w/ a wet filter, the shop SHOULD pull the plugs, put a new air filter on and crank the motor w/ out plugs to push the water from the cylinders. IF ANYONE TRIES STARTING IT OTHERWISE it'll lock up right away. I have done this on a z4 and it worked after being under water. Either way it sucks and it was pretty bad in South FL.

I am assuming that like any normal intelligent person driving a $70k car through water, that he was moving very slowly. Judging by the fact he was out there in the first place, that may not be a good assumption.

[tibra1]

I suppose I have some sympathy b/c its the OP's only car..it lends more credence though for the argument to have a daily driver other than this car.

[MMME30W]

OP - Best wishes, hope it works out for the best.

[m3an]

Originally Posted by M3PO

I am assuming that like any normal intelligent person driving a $70k car through water, that he was moving very slowly. Judging by the fact he was out there in the first place, that may not be a good assumption.

can never assume anything. Water was pretty bad down here. It's my only car as well, and I had to go to work.. It is what it is and I'm sure it'll work out for OP; your remarks sound a little condescending. I don't really think that's what he's looking for

[Team Plutonium]

Man, you guys are a bunch of dicks. OP, good luck with the car!

[m3an]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

Man, you guys are a bunch of dicks. OP, good luck with the car!

right; guy comes on here probaly distraught about the incident and everyone's like, man should have another car, shouldn't be driving etc... Damn... give the guy a break!

[positiveions]

sorry buddy about this. I hope everything will be fixed.

[mamadub]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

Man, you guys are a bunch of dicks. OP, good luck with the car!

+1. OP sorry to hear this. At least you are okay and that's what really matters. Good luck with the repairs!

[car_fan]

Originally Posted by Endless619

Actually not entirely true. I ran through 4-5 inches of water in my old S2000 and it stopped abruptly and wouldn't turn over. Thought I hydrolocked engine. Had my Mercedes Master Tech look at it and in 30 minutes he got it up and running. My intake was saturated with water and he said I got water droplets in the engine but it was fine. He took it apart and in about an hour to two I was back on the road.

At that point I told myself I would never own just one car ever again. So X5 for snow, ice, rain.
M3 for sunny days and weekends. Much easier and no worries.

Hell buy a fricken beater for rainy days. In Seaside Oregon right before HWY 26 if it storms its like 3 feet of water and there is no way a slammed M3 or stock for that matter is getting through. My X5 was pushing it. I saw some folks trying to get through and I thought to myself there is no way in Hell they are going to make it and they got stuck. I would honestly park and wait. Know the road and weather conditions.

You speak the truth - although we have flat terrain here in SoFla its best to have a vehicle with some ground clearance when inclement weather is due. Even if you have to rent one for a couple of days until the weather subsides..

I feel you OP. I hope there is a satisfactory resolution for you - where you are not out of pocket too much - if at all

[ec_E92]

What have we learned?
-OP should have 5 cars for all variations of weather possible.
-OP should have a meteorologist on-staff to advise what vehicle to drive each day.
-OP should be financially independent and not have to work or go anywhere during inclimate weather.

Seriously though, it's not like the OP said "hey decided to go have some skid pad fun while Isaac's in town in standing water and now my car is dead, feel bad for me".

OP: Good luck, lower grade rentals can be tough, especially for extended periods of time. Hope yours gets sorted soon and you're back in the M quickly.

[nuespeedgti]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

Man, you guys are a bunch of dicks. OP, good luck with the car!

[Totti]

Man there are some douches on this forum! Commenting saying you have no sympathy for him when you dont even know the circumstances of how he was out there.

[Darth One]

people who make judgments without knowledge of the man's situation, or how crazy it was during Isaac should take a moment to shut the fuck up.

i don't know if this happened Monday but we were only under a TS warning and most businesses were open, except for schools. what if he would have lost his job if he didn't go to work? what if he was a police officer or EMT that needed to report to ensure public safety?

also, we received reports Sunday night that the worst was over and Monday would be better - but Monday rained like a mofo and the flooding got much worse. a lot of people at work, particularly those who lived in west palm beach but worked elsewhere, got caught out.

anyway i hope it works out for you, OP.

[McKenna Performance]

OP - We wish you the best of luck with this unfortunate situation! Let us know if there's any way we can help you.

[BMRLVR]

Man there are a lot of people in the world who have no sympathy at all, that and they think that that would have done better in the same situation. The fact of the matter is that no one expects emergency type situations and no one knows how they will react when faced with them! So basically shut up and don't add to a bad situation if you have nothing positive to say!

To the OP, I am sorry to hear of your misfortune and I hope the car is the only damage you or yours suffered in this terrible storm. I am sure your car will be repaired or replaced by your insurer. Best of luck.