Flood damage.

[blaine996]

1999 996 C2 Cab 6 speed, 24K miles, good-to-excellent condition, "sunday driver", flooded by hurricane Ivan (river water) halfway up the windows. Engine, dash, everything exposed to the water. No insurance. No FEMA. Is the rule of thumb to have it repaired, or just sell it as "totalled"?

One local independent Porsche mechanic said he wouldn't touch it, that it would never be reliable.

Another local independent Porsche mechanic said it didn't look bad at all, and he was very confident he could repair it to be a reliable machine. Mostly labor, he says, could cost $5-10K. Worst case, he says, if electronics, control modules, etc. were destroyed, it might cost closer to $20K tops. Battery was disconnected at the time of the flood.

I'm assuming salvage/auction would bring me $5K. If repaired, I may have to register it as a flood car. Even if I am able to avoid that, a close inspection by a future buyer might detect flood indications.

Any advice appreciated.

[Tool Pants]

In California you get a salvage title if an insurance company totals the car and pays you off because they then get the pink slip. If you pay for the work out of your pocket then the title is clean.

My local dealer has had 2 flood impacted 996s in. Fresh, not salt, water. But the water did not go as high as the windows. Insurance totalled one and one of the mechanics bought it and fixed it. The other more recent one had water just over the door sills and the mechanic I talked to said it was an easy fix, but it is up to the insurance company if it will be totalled.

Of course, your water damage is more extensive.

Both cars I have mentioned were parked. So water never got into the engine. I assume your car was parked. Can you start the car or are there electrical problems which prevents it from being started.

[P.Viby]

So sad to hear, could you post some pictures of the car from inside and outside ? That could maybe give us an idea how bad it is.

[blaine996]

Tool Pants, the car was parked. Mechanic #1 (above) said that the 996 engine has breather vents (?), and therefore water would get into the cylinders, etc. I don't know if this is correct or not.

[blaine996]

P.Viby, great idea. I'll try to get some, even though the car is at Mechanic #2.

[magcuda]

why isn't your comprehensive car insurance covering this? in the Tampa bay area we would always get flood cars and it went through that way. being fresh water they probable won't total it but make them sign an agreement that future water problems is covered by them.

[blaine996]

magcuda, I dropped all but liability after the car was in storage over a year. shoulda dropped all but comprehensive. Thanks for the info.

Edited November 10, 2004 by blaine996