Towing the line: what happens to flooded cars left behind?

Eight to ten inches of rain in Cape Coral on Monday evening left many drivers stranded in flooded streets. 

“We’ve had a lot of people calling us, a lot of cars being towed in. AAA bringing a lot of cars into us with severe water damage,” said Rob Ledger, owner of Mitch’s Firestone in Cape Coral.

What is left is the repair bill. 

“Depends on the vehicle, but anywhere from two to upwards of $8-10,000. It depends on what it is,” Ledger said.

Ledger said they are swamped with customers. 

“Some not as bad; we were able to save a few cars. But a lot of them were the motors need to be replaced, and somewhere insurance have totaled them out as well,” he said.

And he is not the only one. Over at Morgan’s Auto Repair Shop…  

“We got a few not as many as last time, but we did get a few. A lot of splash panels underneath from hitting the water really fast. We had one that had internal engine damage,” said Ronnie Morgan, the shop’s owner.

That’s what can happen when you drive through standing water: internal engine damage.  

Very bad for your car and not great for your wallet either, experts say.  

“Just everybody slow down. It’s not that serious. Just slow down. It’s not worth an engine. I’d tell you that,” Morgan said.

“Just try to keep out of the deepwater. I mean, little puddles would be okay. If you do go through or have to go through something, try to go slow. Don’t let it splash up. Don’t let it come over the front of your car,” Ledger said.