Service Smart Saturday = November 23rd
Six Inches of Water is Enough to Cause significant Damage to
The best thing is to have a certified technician examine your vehicle for any damage if you experienced any of the following conditions:
- If you were in low water (be sure to have the brakes looked over)
- Vehicle stalled while driving through water (possible water in the motor)
- If you were in a higher water situation
- If water entered your vehicle and your carpets are wet (mold growth if carpet is not completely removed)
If your vehicle stalled while going through water, do not attempt to restart the vehicle. If you have attempted to start your car and it will not start, the vehicle needs to be inspected for the extent of water damage by a certified professional.
If your vehicle appears to be okay from the flood, again, be sure to take it into the shop sooner rather than later. Signs of water damage are not always immediate. Have your brakes inspected, the fluids which were exposed to water completely flushed, and replace any gaskets or filters that were in contact with water. Continuing to drive your vehicle without even a basic inspection could cause more serious long-term damage to a flood water damaged car.
Wheel bearing from Tacoma after high water. Notice the rust which has broken down the bearing.
To Claim or Not to Claim?
Car Flood Tips & Repair (This originally written in response to Harvey)
We have been getting quite a few calls about whether or not to claim vehicle flood damage caused by Harvey. If you have comprehensive vehicle flood damage coverage it may be in your advantage to claim it. With water damage it is important to act quickly. Water can cause serious damage to the engine, electrical and mechanical aspects of your vehicle-not to mention the obvious cosmetic and create a potentially harmful health hazard should mold and mildew be allowed to flourish.
Important fact, there is no precedence for insurance premiums to be affected due to a comprehensive flood claim by any carriers. This has been an act of God, or whatever external forces you choose call it. This was something out of anyone's human control that brought devastation to so many Texans. If you have questions about your insurance premium rising you can call your own agent to verify this information.
Many people have been calling with the concern of having a high deductible. Flood repairs can be expensive. Two important points need to be addressed when it comes to flood repair.
1) Flood repairs not being performed properly
2) The vehicle may not be economically worth repairing.
In the first case spending less than your deductible at first glance can be a sigh of relief. However, many issues from floods do not arise until later. In the end, costing thousands of dollars more than had they been performed properly from the beginning. We have found flood repairs to be broken down into four stages; engine, electrical, mechanical and cosmetic. These four parts must be addressed. Even if you do not see lights on your dashboard now does not mean they could not appear at a later date. There are many electronics in a vehicle and many of them are under the carpet. It is important to locate an auto care facility who has experience with flood repair and the knowledge on how to properly manage the flood damage evaluation. You have the right to choose any facility you deem fit to make vehicle flood repairs to your vehicle. You do not have to choose one provided by your insurance or the location the estimate was originally written.
Second point. Unfortunately, not all vehicles are able to be repaired at an economical expense per the vehicle's value. We highly recommend a strict process is followed to ensure the vehicle is fit for repairs. As stated, many times more problems arise after incomplete repairs have been performed. At our facility we have seen this first hand, where new clients had their vehicles 'repaired' only to have a plethora of problems in the future.
Opening a formal insurance claim has three parties working together. The client. The insurance. And the shop. The vehicle flood repair shop is the clients' and the insurances' connection point. It is imperative the flood repair shop works on the clients behalf to ensure the vehicle is worth keeping. If the flooded vehicle is not repairable at an economic stand point, the shop needs to inform the client and the insurance right away. Declaring a vehicle to be a total loss quickly allows the client to receive the funds for their claim and begin the search for another vehicle. The used car market will soon be inundated with flood damaged vehicles. Timing is extremely important with flooded vehicles.
Many cases vehicles we return to our clients are in better condition than previously from the flood. Carpets being removed and cleaned with an industrial vehicle carpet machine. Mats shampooed and washed clean. And the refreshing, just shy of a new car smell--minus harmful chemicals. Not to mention with new original equipment manufacturer sensors and electronics. The fluids being serviced allow for smoother vehicle operation. The peace of mind of knowing it was performed correctly and, if claimed through insurance, you have two years to reopen a claim if something in the future arises.
Another notion is insurance will have my vehicle in the shop for much longer than if I pay out of pocket. This is true, given the magnitude of Harvey. It is going to take a while for everyone to move forward, but the key is to be proactive and do things right from the start.
If you have questions about insurance you are welcome to email Don Wilde of Allstate Insurance (donwilde@allstate.com). He is a friend of PAC we have been servicing his family's vehicles for years and he has held our insurance for years. Even if you do not have Allstate you can email him and he promises to respond to any general insurance questions--like insurance premiums being affected due directly to filing a comprehensive flood insurance claim. He will respond in the order he receives the emails. As always, you can count on the staff of PAC. This isn't our first rodeo and we have helped hundreds of Texans before and we're here to help you, too.
Email Karolena with any questions or concerns, pac9916@gmail.com. Write in the subject line - Flood Question for Karolena - You will be answered promptly and personally by her.
BMW Victim of Houston Flooding. You can see how PAC marks water line for insurance inspection.
Why Choose an Independent Automotive Repair Facility?
The top reason to choose an independent automotive repair facility is because they work for you.
The top reason to choose an independent automotive repair facility to repair your flooded car from the recent Houston flood weather is because we work for you, and only you. Here is a list of why choosing an independent shop could make all the difference when it comes to repairing a car damaged by flooding.
- They work for you. By far the most important, they work only for you. Independent shops are not in cahoots with the insurance companies, wreckers, or storage lots. They are your advocate. They oversee the parts being recommended for installation by the insurance company, ensuring safe, proper parts will be installed in your vehicle.
- Reflection of their reputation. The majority of independent automotive service facilities are locally owned and operated. They are seeking long term relationships with their clients. This relationship creates an opportunity for the shop owner to ensure you have the best experience possible as nothing helps a business more than locals sharing with their community.
- Seasoned veterans of Houston floods. The majority of long standing automotive repair facilities in the Houston area have plenty of experience with dealing with flood damaged vehicles. Flood work needs to be performed by experienced, certified professionals (especially for resale value).
Mazda interior completely removed.
THE PAC Difference
The Vehicle Flood Damage Repair Specialists
As many of our clients already know, we do not operate like most other auto repair shops and it is no different when dealing with cars damaged by Houston Flooding. Here are a few items that separate us from the dealer, chain stores, insurance fed body shops, and other independent car mechanics in Houston.
- Our Clients are our #1 Priority No Matter What. Our original tagline is "Our Reputation is Our Best Asset." We always put our clients first, above everything else. The same applies when we work to help our clients through this very stressful process, which we have been doing for every flood and hurricane since 1983.
- Only ASE Master Certified Technicians perform testing and repairs for Flood Vehicles damaged by Houston floods. From start to finish. Period. No exceptions. The reports and documentation is just as important to this process as the repairs themselves, which is why we believe it is in the best interest of our clients for our ASE Certified Master Technicians to perform the work from the moment the vehicle arrives to the moment the vehicle leaves (with the only exception being of the final car wash, not many shops can guarantee this).
- Only ASE Certified Service Consultants work with the client and the insurance adjuster. We do not believe in cutting corners with our products and this belief certainly extends to our customer service. At this point our staff is on first name basis with many catastrophe team members.
- Detailed Documentation. Each MT (master technician) thoroughly documents test results and work performed. These reports are for the client so, in the event they choose to resale their vehicle, they can show with confidence that their vehicle was correctly repaired, building a tremendous amount of value as the vehicle will most likely be in much better shape than it was even before the nasty Houston flood.
- Log of Contact Activity. We keep every point of contact logged and we communicate with insurance companies via email whenever possible for our clients. (Many insurance companies gladly do this as sometimes adjusters will have to go visit at least 30 vehicles per day.)
We gather and keep samples to ensure proof of findings to show insurance companies and our clients.