Yay!!! Update on drowned car (happy ending ;-)

[(H)]

Well, turns out, the post as of this morning just got overruled. Here is the latest:

Since I couldn't wait any longer, I went to my BMW dealership and turns out that the car is running perfectly fine. I guess indeed, it was not hydro locked at all and the initial assessment was incorrect. My service advisors (Frank, Mike, you are amazing!!!) and the mechanic (Tom, equally amazing) were as excited as I was. Tom took me for a test ride and my Singapore Bird flew as flawless as ever before. A good array of parts had been exchanged and of course all the filters etc are new. They will keep her in for another two days with more tests to be performed. But I will definitely have her back before the end of the week.

Thank you all for living through this with me. What a great community. Time to organize a larger meet'n'drive to celebrate the return of my baby ;-)

I will send another update once I have the car back in my hands.

#H


Dear All,

You are probably aware that I drowned my car a couple of weeks ago (see post http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1006476).

Up to this day, the insurance (Geico) has been requesting further and further investigation into the repair. They had BMW disassembled some of the engine but apparently not even that much. All I saw was spark plugs taken out and air intake and filters etc. removed.

Now the latest verdict is that the engine is actually running. I don't know how it is supposed to be running now after the initial analysis being that it got hydro-locked.

I am awaiting a final verdict of repair vs. exchange today. It definitely looks like I will be getting my car back rather than the incident being evaluated as totaled and a new car being due. That makes me very happy as I really really miss my car dearly.

However, I am obviously concerned that my car might not be the same as it was before.

With this little information, I would appreciate all of your input on: Should I fight for a replacement engine or should I be fine with BMW fixing the engine?

Thank you!

#H

[mstmng]

I dont see reasons for bmw not willing to swap your engine!
They would make much more money than just fixing yours!
I would insist on getting new engine!

[RPiM5]

If you bought the car, I'd fight for new engine. If you leased the car, call it a day and enjoy your car until the end of the lease then dump it.

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by mstmng

I dont see reasons for bmw not willing to swap your engine!
They would make much more money than just fixing yours!
I would insist on getting new engine!

From a dealership revenue stand point there is more money to be made from repairs, not from replacement. The labor charges will probably be higher and take longer to repair then to swap the engine. Plus, the who knows what the dealership margin is on a new engine, but I'm guessing that it isn't that much.

At the end of the day, it may not be up to the dealership though. The insurance company is going to call the shots on what will be covered and if they are told that the engine is repairable they are just going to look at the bottom line: what is cheaper for them? Repair the engine or replace the engine.

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

If you bought the car, I'd fight for new engine. If you leased the car, call it a day and enjoy your car until the end of the lease then dump it.

Yup, I agree.

Besides the engine, was there any water damage inside the car? I'd be more worried about that (if there was any).

[Spinny02]

Check the lemon law In your state to see what $$ amount would be considered a lemon. My flood damage was $40k and still not a lemon as per Texas law.

As RPI said lease then no worries. If you own it I would go sell it and purchase a new one if you hold on to your cars.

Mine was a lease so I kept it for the remainder 1 year and turned it back in.

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by Spinny02

Check the lemon law In your state to see what $$ amount would be considered a lemon. My flood damage was $40k and still not a lemon as per Texas law.

As RPI said lease then no worries. If you own it I would go sell it and purchase a new one if you hold on to your cars.

Mine was a lease so I kept it for the remainder 1 year and turned it back in.

I don't think any Lemon Law would allow action for flood damage. Pretty sure that Lemon Laws were designed to protect against manufacture defects.

[Fantasm]

It doesn't sound like it was hydrolocked then. If it's running, something else way less drastic just ended up dying.

[Spinny02]

Originally Posted by GNALUZU

I don't think any Lemon Law would allow action for flood damage. Pretty sure that Lemon Laws were designed to protect against manufacture defects.

the correct term maybe "total loss" claim

[skypx]

Awesome news! Now stop driving the beast in those damn puddles!

[Used2be]

Originally Posted by (H)

I guess indeed, it was not hydro locked at all and the initial assessment was incorrect. My service advisors (Frank, Mike, you are amazing!!!) and the mechanic (Tom, equally amazing) were as excited as I was.

Up to this day, the insurance (Geico) has been requesting further and further investigation into the repair. They had BMW disassembled some of the engine but apparently not even that much. All I saw was spark plugs taken out and air intake and filters etc. removed.

Now the latest verdict is that the engine is actually running. I don't know how it is supposed to be running now after the initial analysis being that it got hydro-locked.

With this little information, I would appreciate all of your input on: Should I fight for a replacement engine or should I be fine with BMW fixing the engine?

It sounds like you have a good relationship with your service people, but like Geico, I would have questioned the initial diagnosis of a hydro-locked engine from driving through a puddle. The burning wiring smell would have led me down the electrical path to a solution, not the ingestion of water. Do your service people have any idea of why it's running now? Nice that they are excited for you, but did they tell you why their first diagnosis was wrong, and what actually caused the problem?

[NlckyBlack]

Originally Posted by (H)

;-)
With this little information, I would appreciate all of your input on: Should I fight for a replacement engine or should I be fine with BMW fixing the engine?

Thank you!

#H

Nothing to replace if they fixed it. They don't hand out $20k motors.