so, just after i posted about my fit needing coil pack replacements and valve adjustments...
my fit got hit by a flood in hoboken, nj-where i live.

i walked out to get in my car for work and it was sitting in nasty sewage flood water above the seats...
two of us got in that flood water (above our knees), put the car in neutral and pushed it out. when we got on dry land and opened the doors, the water blew out like a water fall.

AAA towed it to my honda dealership. they were able to start the car...but said it obviously needed a lot of work. the engine looks okay, but all the electronic units will need to be replaced, as well as all the interior and the liquids in the car will need to be drained and replaced.
geico is my insurance company. this happened friday morning, and they are finally getting an adjuster to look at it today sometime.

i think i want the car totalled, so geico can pay me what it's worth and i can finance a new fit...but i dont know what i should fight for.

i purchased the car july 31st. it's got almost 13,000 miles on it.

i just did some research on kelley blue book, and all the used honda fits cost more then what i paid originally and some with over 10,000 miles on it.

what do ya all think? do i want it totalled and if so, what price should i be requesting back? or do i want them to pay for it to get fixed.

man, this blows.

any advice i can get would be extremely helpful! thank you!

 

sucks man. I dont know about geico but my insurance will replace it with a new car. If you go buy value instead you may have to come up with the rest.

To me you got a flood vehicle which should be salvaged.

 

Unfortunately, you may not have an option. The insurance may total it. that is a lot of damage. I personally wouldn't want it back. The problems might start to pile up with time now that this has happened.

just my .02

good luck!

 

One thing about flood vehicle, you will NEVER get that smell out.

 

absolutely wrong. my civic was flooded about as bad as the original posters fit and it doesnt smell.

We offer a water damage service (detailing company) and we have never had anyone tell us the smell came back.

 

sorry to hear about your problem... is your fit a base or sport model? if they total it, please email me as i would like to see if you would be up for swapping my base model radio into your car and taking out the sport stereo for my car and putting some cash in your pocket. I'm right over in Maplewood by the way.

thanks!
chris082406@gmail.com

 

flood damage is /should be worse than other damage....
if it is possible.. total the car and try to get new one...
it is a better choice for "long run".
hope it resolves quick...

 

I live in Hoboken too, sorry to hear about your flood. Sometimes it just a matter of where you park, certain parts of town flood real easy. I guess I was lucky, I hope everything works out for you, I'm thinking as long as you didn't try to start the engine and suck any water into the engine you might not be in that bad a shape. Did you see it running? Any bad indications. My experience with the local dealers is they will do anything to make a profit on you. Just a thought, maybe have it checked out elsewhere for a "second opinion". Good luck to you!

 

If they do write it off you might want to look at buying it back and parting it out. I know for me I need a VBP rear bumper and I suspect enough other people here could use still-good parts that maybe you could make enough off of parting it to cover the buy back and maybe make a few more bucks to help offset whatever you end up being out if you have to get another car?

A suggestion from someone who doesn't really know what they are talking about.

Best of luck either way... sucky news

Digi

 

Buy it back, strip out the interior and make it into a racecar!

 

Sorry man, you can either clean it up and keep or sell it. Doubt Geico will give you money.
Once again sorry

 

Because most of those cars all end up in Carmax's lot

Just because you can cover the smell with tons of lysol doesn't mean you got rid of the smell, it's still there. Unless you replace every single piece of the interior which insurance company won't do due to cost. Usually they just pay for "clean and disinfect", try that with sewer water, good luck.

 

I would try to get a new car. I have a feeling that your Fit will never be the same.

 

Hahaa! So true. I worked at Carmax for over a year. I tell you theres a lot that goes on behind the gates in the back you wouldnt believe.

All those cars that "claim" have never been in wrecks. Huhhh! Thats a lie.
Clean titles my ass.

Try and get the insurance to total the car out. Water damaged cars are the same as a rebuilt title. They arent worth anything.
Think later on down the road when you want to trade it in. Your VIN will be ran and it will be on file. Not good.

 

Carmax.. Really?.. Oh man... i thought it's a great company...

 

my thoughts exactly!!! This is a perfect candidate for a full stripped k20 race Fit!

 

that's cool that you know what I do to my customer's cars! Do you work for me?

Oh wait, you are talking out of your ass.

I spend around 6 hours on a car the size of a fit when I do flood damaged cars, and that is strictly interior only.

Don't ASSume you know wtf you are talking about next time.

 

Dealt with two "flood cars" in my life as a mechanic. The smell, if it was a fast clean water flood, you can be OK, but if sewage or muddy, or in there for a while, that is the problem. Cleaning won't get inside the doors, under carpets, etc.

The worst of the two was a 1977 or so Mercedes 280SE (W116, this was years ago). Towed in, SAT there for months. Boss told me to see if the motor could be salvaged for a Euro W126 280SE with a spun main bearing....or that is what he wanted. He was quite surprised when an hour later I had a driveable car, and by the end of the day the windows, AC and other interior electrics (water was about armrest level) were working by the end of the day. He sold the car to a Nigerian that drove it for years, none the wiser.....

Chances are pretty good they will total it, I cannot state what your company's pay-off or replacement value will be. And as far as the "buy back" suggestion, new cars have high parts value, this is much more viable with a 5+ year old car.

Oh, and "bestfit", where did you find the Barbie power wheels Vette video? Seen the gas motor one on YouTube?