This car looks almost new: no rust, never in an accident. Power everything, ABS brakes, sunroof, bluetooth radio, heated leather seats, etc. Driven by seniors—my wife and I.

Our insurance adjuster says it will be written off. Water was up to the seats, no higher. Console (heat/fan controls) appears untouched. A local Volvo service shop says it's not salvageable, but I'd really like a 2nd opinion.

This is my first post on this forum. If anyone can suggest a course of action, or recommend a Volvo aficionado who would take an interest in this, I'd be extremely grateful.

Please post here or PM me...thanks.

Welcome to CVC, sorry it had to be under the current circumstance. Sorry I can't help you out with any suggestions, sounds like a nice well loved car, hope it all works out for you.

You could buy it back from the insurance company and see how it goes. Water up to that level shouldn't have hit any of the electronics. You'll have to clean the carpets and use a shop vac to clean out the water. Take the seats out pull the doors apart to dry it out.

Good luck.

Sounds like good advice 122_Canuck, thanks...

Yes, I will buy it back, I discussed the possibility with the adjuster. Before I fire it up, do you think I should check the engine mechanics e.g. could there be water in the engine? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question.

The battery was dead when I put the key in the ignition. The next door neighbour has an older Ford Explorer that also sat in water; he got it going today...it's sits higher off the ground, of course.

One more question, and I'll put this out to anybody out there who might have some ideas: I don't want to rely completely on the insurance company's estimate of the vehicle's value. I'm expecting they'll come in on the low side because of the car's age (1992) so I'd like to be prepared. Any ways (online, or otherwise) of obtaining counter evaluations of the car's 'worth'? The adjuster told me they look at prices on Kijiji, etc.

One thing I read the other day relating to flood cars you might want to check with a registry office is if a flood titled car can be put back on the road. I thought I read that flood salvage is different from a regular salvage title where the car can be registered again after a body shop inspection where a flood titled car can never be registered again. Sorry I'm not being very positive, but better to find out before you buy the car back from insurance and can't register it again.

As far as values I would use ebay and try and find the nicer cars that sold well, there's not much for sale on kijiji right now and some of it is rough and low priced as a result.

I'm not sure about the flood damaged thing, Jim. I do remember that one of our former members lost a car in the 2005 flood and he wasn't allowed to buy it back, because the insurance company said "it discourages people from sinking their own cars in floodwaters and making a quick buck". I'm paraphrasing of course.

So, Nick, you might not be able to buy the car back from the insurance company if you let them take it in the first place.

If you are allowed to try and resurrect it, the motor shouldn't get any water in it and if it does, just drain the oil and refill, do a quick oil change (100 km or so, so use cheap oil) and you're good. This is assuming that the car only got wet up to the level of the floorboards.

There's a vent on top of the transmission, it may or may not let water inside. If it did, you might have trouble but again, a flush and fill would be your friend.

The rear axle might have a vent tube on top and if it's still connected to the axle and to the body, you should be good. If the tube is gone, you're going to want to change fluids in there too.

If the water got up to the seat cusions, you've sunk the engine computer in water. That's not good. The ECU is sitting on the passenger side kick panel, quite low. If the water got barely above the floorboards, you're probably good.

You'll want to pull the carpets and thoroughly dry everything under them to prevent anything from holding moisture against the steel, and make sure that all your body drain holes are clear & free to drain. Pull out the front & rear seats, the carpets, the underlay, and anything that got wet. Take the carpets to a car wash at night and spend $20 or so with a pressure washer to get the gunk out of them - they'll be fine. The seats might be a bit trickier to clean if they got soaked. The front seatbelt retractors may have gotten wet if the seat cushions got wet, and they're probably candidates for replacement too.

Gee, I can't think of much else.

Best of luck!
Matt

Hey Matt, took me a bit to find the info again, I attached the pdf from the Alberta Registry. It classifies a "Flood" vehicle as being submerged at or above the bottom of the dash. At the bottom they state a flood vehicle can not be registered in Canada? I have no experience with having a vehicle written off, flooded or otherwise, but the attached pdf makes it look grim?

So if Nick's car was submerged lower than the above criteria maybe he can avoid having it titled as a flood write off? Might take some wrangling with the adjuster as to how it's written off, if that even makes any sense...

http://alberta.ca/albertacode/images/Fl ... hicles.pdf

Thanks for all this information!

The electronics that control the heated seats were on a 'centre console'. That part was submerged because it's below the top of the seat cushions. If I go by the AB government link that woodenshoes provided, then technically the car can't be registered.

And Ugly Duck wrote:

If the water got up to the seat cusions, you've sunk the engine computer in water

Didn't know a '92 240 had an engine computer...

So, it's sounding more and more like our car is goners. Oh my. Well, I tried.

The Volvo shop that it's at didn't seem too interested in if for parts. The car was very well maintained (new brakes, for example, only a couple of weeks before the flood). Engine did not burn oil, automatic transmission very smooth, body in excellent condition, leather like new, blue tooth radio, etc, etc...is it worth trying to sell it as is for parts? Also had 4 newer Michelin snow tires on extra rims. The car had a bit over 200,000K on it.

Or maybe I just have to take the settlement the insurance company offers (still to be determined) and walk away from the car.

What "Volvo" shop is it at? Of course they won't be interested until you get so depressed about it you give it to them. Then they'll be all over it like white on rice.

Resisting the temptation to grab it for parts for my car...

I'd be interested in the 92 all black grille/trim etc., seats if they're tan.

I would still try and see if it's possible to have it not written off as a flood write off, argue that the water level was below the criteria in the pdf I attached. The car doesn't sound that bad, if all it needs is cosmetic work on the interior and a good used ECU that isn't too bad. If it was just a straight Salvage title then it could be re-registered, then the trick will be finding a shop to do the work. I'm also curious which shop it's at.

The Volvo is at a shop in SE Calgary. I've had them service our last two Volvos and, although I didn't consider them inexpensive, their work has always been beyond reproach. On a few occasions, they have taken care of minor issues—when I've just showed up at the shop—without charging. They have also serviced the Volvos of friends of ours (who initially recommended them) and they, too, have been happy with the work that was done for them. In the dozen or so years I've dealt with them, I never had to go back to have work redone.

I'm a member of various audio-related forums and I've seen the naming of audio dealers/repair shops turn into mud-slinging bouts. I deliberately want to avoid this kind of scenario. My interest in getting a 'second opinion' is not dissimilar to a person seeking another opinion on a serious health-related issue.

I haven't talked to the adjuster since his first visit, but I'm thinking that if it can be written off is such a way that it can be re-registered, then that is probably an option. It is certainly worth a try (thanks woodenshoes for bringing this point up).

Many thanks again for everyone's posts...

lol...we have a grand total of about 10 members here who are the slightest bit active. I don't think we could create mud slinging even if we wanted to...

OK, I've decided to step away from our old friend. Registration is likely an issue as has been pointed out and, at this point in my life, I decided that I simply haven't the energy or time to follow through resurrecting the vehicle.

If someone wants to buy it for parts, they're welcome to it. The price would be whatever I could buy it for from the insurance company (maybe $500, I'm not sure) plus a bottle of single malt scotch—so I can toast the car goodbye.

Please PM if you're interested...

Thanks again for everyone's input!

Sorry to hear about the car.

I wonder if, since insurance hasn't written the car off yet, you could just tell them to go away and get it goin. On your own? I understand not wanting to though.

I'd buy the engine if someone else wants the rest of the car for parts.

My son-in-law has been urging me to make a last ditch effort to salvage the car...

To that end, I'm requesting suggestions for shops to take it to. I keep thinking about the guy next door (whose house is due to be demolished because of water damage) getting his Ford Explorer to go.

Burt and Jack's seems to get favourable reviews on this site, anyone else I could try?