So, disaster stuck last Wednesday night. My beloved 2007 IP/graphite G35S 6-speed got caught in a quick flash flood and water got into the car. I walked out of a restaurant and water was up to about 6 inches high inside the car. Looks like it got all the power seat controls/motors etc but doesn't look like it got quite to the leather, to the best of my knowledge, ie the seats were still dry. I crawled in thru a window "dukes of hazard style" and got the car started, stayed on the gas and got the car moved to higher ground. Had I not, surely the rising water would have filled the car up another foot or more.

So, that said, it looks like the local body shop (associated by the same name with the local infiniti dealer) is going to be able to fix the car, and it won't be totalled. I am being told the main computer is okay, but that the seat electronics will likely have to be replaced, the seatbelts will have to be replaced, and lots of padding in the car. They are telling me the engine is fine. So my questions are, what should I be looking for here in a repair? Should they be required to replace the leather in the car (it has been sitting since last Wednesday, just got looked at yesterday I think), although i did get a good deal of the water out the night it happened. Headliner? What electrics? Harnesses, etc? What about the aftermarket stillen exhaust (they are saying they won't likely need to replace the exhaust)? Repack bearing in the wheels? CV joints? How about the brake system? Differential? Clutch? All kinds of things I'm sure I'm not thinking about at this moment?

Now I know some may chime in and say "fight for a total loss." I don't know what the estimate is going to be on the car yet. But if this is not an option, then I would very much appreciate some feedback/advice from the forums, b/c honestly, I have NO experience with flood cars. I am particularly concerned about mold, b/c this being Texas means it is going to get hot (and potentially steamy) inside the vehicle. Also, any ideas how this might affect the remaining factory warranty (and 3 year factory extended warranty)? Thanks in advance everyone.

 

Oh man... that sucks big time.
sorry to hear about this

Are you keeping the car long term?
I shouldn't say it, but you should have left it to get completely flooded & written off.
I wouldn't trust anything to last after being fixed, electrical system especially.

..sorry I know that's not a lot of help.

 

Ya especially in these cars the electrical systems are so delicate.

 

shouldve drifted in the floods, poor some flood water into the oil... drift more into the flooded roads, BAM! totaled..

 

If your version is the same as mine, the ecu is up pretty high behind the glove box so that's probably okay. As long as the water hasn't risen up to the electronics under the dash, you're probably fine. I don't think there is alot of electrics down below the seat area. Maybe the stereo amps? You've already mentioned the seat stuff. There might be some wires for the airbags or for the tail lights running down there but no electronics perse.

 

yeah, hindsight's 20/20 fellas. i certainly wouldn't have done anything fraudulent, but all i saw was my pride and joy filling up like a glass of water. i wouldn't be able to get a new white on black g35 6 speed even if i wanted (07 was the only year) and mine was a special order 4-month wait kind of a deal to get it completely stripped etc etc. so i dove in to the rescue. thanks for the responses so far, i hope you're right about the electrics jeff...

 

^ I hear you, I'm sure most of us would have reacted the same way.

 

Wow.... I am sorry to hear about that. I don't know that I can say much more than others. I would think the diff., trans., etc. should be ok. They are all sealed units, and can handle the water. Parts on the outside would be less of a concern, as it sounds like you car was only in the water for a few minutes. I would be more concerned about all the sensors, interior electronics, and carpeting. I don't know that mold would be an issue if everything is completely dried out. The way things are going, I am not sure it is going to stop raining any time soon though. Make sure they remove everything in the interior and let it dry out before they do anything. Anything, like door panels, that has any signs of wafer damage should be replaced.

If they total it out, can I get my lugnuts back? I am thinking about putting my stock wheels on for the winter.... Just out of curiosity where were you, so I can stay away from the place?

Keep us posted. Good luck!!!

 

i'd probably have done the same.
you'll be alright, luckily nothing under/behind the dash got wet, that's where I'd be worried after.
As for seat controls, that's no biggie, a few wires and clips to the seats, as long as they let the car fully air out/dry out, you'll be alright.

good luck with everything

 

Well the shop should offer you a warranty on all the repairs they make and if there are any flaws in the electronics or so you will find them within the first week of getting your car back and then you can have it fixed. I would worry more about avoiding any mold and mildew...

As someone said before dont worry about tranny, diff etc and the exhaust should be fine since you got the car running within a few minutes which should have taken care of that...

 

Sucks big time. Sorry to hear that. As someone mentioned it before. I would of left it flood away. Hope they will total it. The seats alone are fruickin expensive. There are not many electrical equipments at that level. Maybe seat heater and motors with all the wiring. Demand for new carpet for the hole car/ interior,trunk) and a mass cleaning with it. You should pick the shop and make sure they have written warranty for a good amount of time and you should ask the insurance for compansating your resale value drop. All this might trigger them to total it.

 

make sure the shop replaces ALL of the sound deadening, pads, etc... on the lower part of the car as well as all of the plastic, etc... I would seriously consider having them replace the headliner, etc... as well. Basically anywhere the car can grow mold. Even though the car wasn't completely submerged, the headliner could easily have gotten "moist". I once left a sunroof open during a downpour. The headliner didn't appear to get wet at all. However the moisture inside the car did just enough to have mold grow on in it.