So my S2k was damaged in Hurricane Sandy about a year ago and I've been dealing with my insurance company since. I was deployed at the time so my neighbor took some pics which showed the water may have gone up a little less than a quarter of the tire. The water had receded when the pics were taken. An adjuster came to inspect the vehicle and called it a total loss do to the car not starting. They figured the electrical system was shot. On my last visit home, I tested the battery and it was completely dead. Put in a fresh battery and she started right up. All the dash lights, headlights, brake lights etc work. I did not drive it though. The insurance company is insisting it's totaled and wants to cut me a check. What would you guys do? Take a check for the whole thing and let them take it, or a check minus the salvage value ($2500) and get it inspected and/or repaired. Its a 2000 with 83500 miles and comptech s/c, aem ems, gears, exhaust etc.

 

If you're confident that the car is problem free and it was just the battery which was the issue, I'd definitely take the check and buy back the car. Especially since it seems like you have some money and time invested into it with the S/C.

It cant hurt to get it inspected before you do that though.

 

I would take the check and keep the car. You have > $2,500 in parts if the car is not repairable.

 

I'd do the "partial check and the car back". If the damage was as how your neighbor described it then don't be afraid keeping the car, whether to have it inspected or to sell it on the private market. FYI I bought a several s2k's right after Sandy with some of them fully submerged under water and after verifying no water had entered the engine they all started right up and drove perfectly fine. YMMV. As for taking it to NY salvage inspection get ready to wait 2-3 months to receive the rebuilt title from the dmv so you can drive the car. You could just sell the aftermarket parts on here and the car itself on ebay for more then $2500.

 

If you plan on keeping the car long-term, take the salvage payment and be done with it.

If you're planning on selling the car in the next couple of years (to buy an AP2?), I'd fight the insurance company on it and have them re-inspect it. Salvage titles make cars harder to sell (financing problems for the buyer), and it also decreases the value because the new owner has no idea what kind of shape it's in. Being in the northeast, the next several years will be full of dealing with people burned by re-sold Sandy cars just as Louisiana residents (my family among them) is still dealing with Katrina cars today.

 

Take the money and run ..go buy another S ...one thats safe .If a car has been underwater for even a short time the damage is unreal from the salt water , in a few months it will start the process of eating itself from within ..wires , hoses , any rubber etc. Sorry to say but your S is toast...and completely unsafe to drive

 

The car didn't go swimming FYI.

 

My PO (personal opinion):

Neither option listed above describes what I would do. I would call autoclub, have the thing put on a flatbed, and hauled off to a trusted shop to have it fully inspected for damage as much as possible. After a complete inspection by a shop of my choosing whose reputation is good and who I already know does great work either because of firsthand experience or because of other's excellent reviews/recommendations, then I would decide what to do regarding insurance.

I would want to know the full extent of the damage *before* making the decision, not after.

 

One caveat: You may want to drive it up on the flatbed (and off) if possible. Lots of damage occurs from Ss getting hauled on one. Billman has said he has never seen an S2000 NOT have damage from one!

 

I had mine put on one last month, no damage at all. As long as the person knows what they are doing you should be fine.

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