Question for Joshua Flood Damage 2014 Sunseeker 3010DS

[chucknviv]

My Sunseeker was in a flood while parked in storage and had 2 1/2 feet of water. There is a water line 2/3 up the first step. Everything in the outside bays had water along with the generator, propane tanks, and the electrical box located on the left by the first step on the inside of the coach. Everything Underneath was damaged along with my automatic levelers. There is a huge amount of rust and my dealer says because of the way the walls come down and attaches to the outside bays they cannot get to every place to remove the rust without removing the upper part of the coach so they want to total it. My insurance company, Progressive, is looking for ways to repair it so they do not have to total it. Also my dealer says there is mold on the walls behind the bays plus the rust as it also sat in the water. Do you think this can be repaired completely?

[AquaMan]

I would say no. There is plywood floor and laminate walls, all of which are affected by water intrusion. Failure may not be immediate but is likely.


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[youroo]

Was it "Salt Water"? Youroo!!

[Joshua Cavitt]

It sounds like it was in water for a long enough time to cause a significant amount of damage.
I used to buy salvage vehicles and rebuild them but I'd always stay away from flood vehicles because you never know what damage the water has done.

[doc73]

I cannot believe that they would try and fix it! Flood vehicles are never right even if you fix the visible stuff the inside and especially the electric/electronic side is never right.

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[Total Loss]

Walk away from it.
If Progressive does not total it, tell them that they will be called on EVERY problem that pops up in the future as long as you own it.
Did it intrude into the cab? Over the rocker panels?
If so- there will be cab/chassis wiring issues potentially also.
Were your batteries disconnected? (chassis and box)
If there was 12 volt running- chances of every module being damaged are good.
The potential issues are long.
Mold- sure
Good luck.

[Papa-t]

Yea I agree. The problem (some) may be fixed now but long term is another story. I would not only be concerned with wiring issues but mold that could possibly be a health risk. Put it to them that way and they will probably total it out. I wouldn't want to take the chances. Good luck and let us know the outcome.

[trbomax]

When I was in the marina bussiness we delt with quite a few "sinkers". The rust that you are seeing is not just from being in the watr,it is a result of the electrolytic action between th pos batt terminals an ground. Everything that in anyway is connected to the ground terminal will "plate off(like reverse electroplate)" to anything that is connected to the hot side.The water is the electrolyte.The more "active" the metal,such as zink hardware,aluminum,the quicker the destructive process. It will continue untill the batterys are totaly dead or the unit is removed from the water.Anything with an electrical connection will be junk.

Depending on the length of time it was submerged,any steel could suffer what is known as :nitrogen embritlement" from the electrolytic pricess.Bearings,springs,even the frame if it sat long enough.A friend of mine back in toledo owns a metal pickeling shop where they clean rusty metal with a process similar to what happened here. They use a sacrifical anode attached to the steel at key points to reduce the embritlement process.

[Mr Havercamp]

I am impressed this has not morphed into the Progressive sucks, they really put a screwing to me, my insurance is better than yours thread by now. It has been over 6 hours too.

That's SOP for any insurance company on a flood damage claim, especially for something only a few years old with a high replacement value.

They tend to look at motorized RV's more as they look at cars, trucks and other motorized vehicles and do not take into account the "wood factor". If it was a trailer they would total it without even looking. Now they have to go through all the procedures or some bean counter up the corporate ladder would be handing someone their A## in a hand-basket.

[RedLdr1]

"Repaired" flood damaged vehicles are a nightmare waiting to happen... Even if all the visible damage is repaired you won't know what unseen damage wasn't repaired. When you start having problems with the electrical system, mold, de-laminating floors, or whatever in a couple of years good luck getting the insurance company to cover it...

Don't forget the water also contaminated your chassis. The axle, transmission, front suspension, brakes, wiring and frame were also soaking in the flood gunk. Everything is suspect in those areas as well. Ask your Chevy or Ford dealer what they think as well as the RV dealership.

I'd be telling Progressive to come pick up their RV...

[MilCop4523]

It is always a bad thing to get water damage. even a little bit will cause mold in the walls.
Over 75 units were destroyed in Sussex NB a few years back on the lot when the river came up.

I would be very persistent in the fact that you will be sick using it and since they will have to gut the entire unit its not cost effective for them to do so.

the insurance company will not risk medical claims for something they neglected to do and look at the bad reputation they are already getting by their not writing it off - wanting to repair it to save a few dollars.

Find someone neutral - like the manufacturer and get their view. Also find someone with a good (not decent) moisture meter and take readings. We saw several trailers at a local auction that had black mold on teh wall to ceiling lines and moisture count off the scale and they sold to a dealer in Newfoundland for thousands. They were all junk and i got sick just looking inside.

[chucknviv]

The water did not get into the engine or the inside of the motorhome (that I know of now anyway!). My dealer took pictures of the underside and it looks real bad with the visible rust. Progressive's person who looked at it told the dealer he would total it also and took additional pictures to show the agent. I am told now that they have emailed the pictures with a description to their "RV experts" to see if they have suggestions on how to fix it. I cannot imagine what they would know that my dealer would not know. I think they are stalling as my policy says total value replacement so they would write a check for 78K. Meantime I am sitting around doing nothing as we had a 2 month trip planned. I must have my motorhome by mid June as I am volunteering 3 months at a COE park in northern Arkansas. Time is ticking!

[Myrle]

Originally Posted by chucknviv

My Sunseeker was in a flood while parked in storage and had 2 1/2 feet of water. There is a water line 2/3 up the first step. Everything in the outside bays had water along with the generator, propane tanks, and the electrical box located on the left by the first step on the inside of the coach. Everything Underneath was damaged along with my automatic levelers. There is a huge amount of rust and my dealer says because of the way the walls come down and attaches to the outside bays they cannot get to every place to remove the rust without removing the upper part of the coach so they want to total it. My insurance company, Progressive, is looking for ways to repair it so they do not have to total it. Also my dealer says there is mold on the walls behind the bays plus the rust as it also sat in the water. Do you think this can be repaired completely?

Where does the storage yard fall into this picture? Did they warn you you were in a flood prone area? Surprised the insurance company isn't going after them.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by Myrle

Where does the storage yard fall into this picture? Did they warn you you were in a flood prone area? Surprised the insurance company isn't going after them.

It probably falls right here or something along these lines.

Tenant assumes RESPONSIBILITY for any loss or damage to property stored by Tenant in the
premises and may or may not elect to provide insurance coverage for the same. OWNER DOES NOT
MAINTAIN INSURANCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF TENANT; WHICH IN ANY WAY COVERS ANY LOSS
WHAT SO EVER THAT TENANT MAY HAVE OR CLAIM BY RENTING THE STORAGE SPACE OR
PREMISES AND EXPRESSLY RELEASES OWNER FROM ANY LOSSES AND/OR DAMAGES OR RIGHT OF SUBROGATION FOR LOSSES TO SAID PROPERTY CAUSED BY FIRE, THEFT, WATER,
RAINSTORMS, TORNADO, EXPLOSION, RIOT, RODENTS, CIVIL DISTURBANCES, INSECTS, SONIC
BOOM, LAND VEHICLES, UNLAWFUL ENTRY OR ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER, NOR SHALL
OWNER BE LIABLE TO TENANT AND/OR TENANTS GUEST OR INVITEES FOR ANY PERSONAL
INJURIES SUSTAINED BY TENANT AND/OR TENANTS GUEST OR INVITEES WHILE ON OR ABOUT
OWNER’S PREMISES.

[doc73]

It came to me that at least here the vehicles title would now need to be branded as a "flood recovery" . Say goodbye to resale.

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[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by doc73

It came to me that at least here the vehicles title would now need to be branded as a "flood recovery" . Say goodbye to resale.

I think that's correct here in PA. If its not totaled they have to note the title as flood damaged and if it is totaled and then auctioned for resale it would then have a salvage title noted as flood damaged.

Evidently LA has no such provision? I'm sure no one would know the rules more than the insurance companies.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

I think that's correct here in PA. If its not totaled they have to note the title as flood damaged and if it is totaled and then auctioned for resale it would then have a salvage title noted as flood damaged.

Evidently LA has no such provision? I'm sure no one would know the rules more than the insurance companies.

I do not know if they would care even if they do know. Their goal is to clear the claim. You'd be stuck with the aftermath when the insurance does its report to the state. Then they will send a letter saying your titles been branded.

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[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by doc73

I do not know if they would care even if they do know. Their goal is to clear the claim. You'd be stuck with the aftermath when the insurance does its report to the state. Then they will send a letter saying your titles been branded.

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Oooops, should of been clearer. I didn't mean that from the standpoint of them knowing the rules and the OP to follow their lead

I meant it from the standpoint of them knowing exactly what they can and can't do such as what they can get away with so to say. They are going to do, or attempt to do, whatever benefits them the most from a financial standpoint within the law of the particular state.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by trbomax

When I was in the marina bussiness we delt with quite a few "sinkers". The rust that you are seeing is not just from being in the watr,it is a result of the electrolytic action between th pos batt terminals an ground. Everything that in anyway is connected to the ground terminal will "plate off(like reverse electroplate)" to anything that is connected to the hot side.The water is the electrolyte.The more "active" the metal,such as zink hardware,aluminum,the quicker the destructive process. It will continue untill the batterys are totaly dead or the unit is removed from the water.Anything with an electrical connection will be junk.

Depending on the length of time it was submerged,any steel could suffer what is known as :nitrogen embritlement" from the electrolytic pricess.Bearings,springs,even the frame if it sat long enough.A friend of mine back in toledo owns a metal pickeling shop where they clean rusty metal with a process similar to what happened here. They use a sacrifical anode attached to the steel at key points to reduce the embritlement process.

Pretty cool tidbit. Thank you.

Bruce

[CaptnJohn]

Flooding over the axels = totaled. Mold is already growing inside the walls