Flooded Navara, Is it worth it?

[Jimmy1081]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum. i have posted this on another navara forum, I'm just trying to get opinions from EVERYONE.

My workplace went under water in the recent floods in Australia as well as every one else nearby. next door they repair/detail cars for a 4x4 car yard. They had a 1998 3.2 diesel, duel cab 5 spd. Has bullbar, side steps, tow bar, and ute lining, it went to the roof in water. They said to me they would sell it for 4k cash as it wont be covered by insurance, they will help me strip it clean it flush every thing out. My question is, Is it worth doing this? it has been just under a week since the water has gone down. I know this will take quite a bit of work. And on the plus side my brother works for nissan so i can get cheap parts.

What do you guys think? Opinions Wanted

Jimi

 

[Pinelli]

What are the bullbar, sidesteps, two bar and ute lining worth by themselves?

Doesn't matter how well they strip it down and clean it, there will still be mud in there somewhere and it will rust. Who knows what damage has happened to the engine, gearbox and drive components. If water got into the gearbox, hubs, CV joints etc, it'll have left mud. It may well run, but chances are it will become unreliable And it may well smell too. I wouldn't pay $4k for it.

On the other had, you may well get a few good years out of it if you're not going off road too far. Run it until something serious starts getting dodgy and then wreck it. Don't spend big money on it. Not sure how you'll go getting insurance for it if they know its been underwater.

 

[Jason]

I'd stay away from it.

 

[Matt76]

It's certainly pretty cheap, if you bought it you would just have to accept that it is going to let you down one day, and hopefully that day isnt in the middle of the bush. All the water in the electrics is what would concern me.

 

[BDW]

Ran away
You get what you pay for and that would require hundreds of hours to strip and clean. Things like starter and altenator, all diffs g/box etc i don't think it would be worth it.

 

[KraftyPg]

I'd go the other way and say yes but you need a lot of spare time to clean it up, if you can't devote the time then it's probably not worth it. If you went for it I'd still try and talk them down in price (just for the hell of it) and then put aside a minimum of 12 months (dependent on your own work load of course) to strip it completely and start again. Never know you might make it better than Nissan did in the first place.

 

[superiorcruiser]

It's certainly pretty cheap, if you bought it you would just have to accept that it is going to let you down one day, and hopefully that day isnt in the middle of the bush. All the water in the electrics is what would concern me.

me too,the electrics will have corosion and could play havoc with it running properly...
i would offer them $1000 and try your luck with it..
all they can say is no,but they might accept...

 

[Dion]

$1500 tops and you might be talking.

 

[tanz]

I'm with Dion.

 

[will]

Ran away
You get what you pay for and that would require hundreds of hours to strip and clean. Things like starter and altenator, all diffs g/box etc i don't think it would be worth it.

And clutch, gauges, fan / heater, relays, mud / silt in chassis, mold in dash etc. there would be crap everywhere.

It’s not like a normal vehicle drowning; these floods carried all sorts of crap in them that made it’s way into everything. I’d pass and let some other poor unsuspecting bargain hunter take the punt. Look at it like this, at best it is a lot of work and effort and possibly you get a reasonable car out of it after dropping $1-$2 k fixing and cleaning and replacing things. At worst, you will find it wont start, you cant start it (ever) and you cant do anything but wreck it after dropping $$ on a new battery, leads, time fault finding, etc etc.

Not worth the risk mate.

 

[scottybobcat]

What everyone else has said.I wouldn't touch i unless it was for parts and then again half the parts will be rooted.

 

[Dave]

Max Id pay would be $500.

Gonna need alot of work.

Dave.

 

[Aido]

Wowsers!
Grab it give it a bit of a clean. Dry out the electrics Drop all the fluids and replace, any residual water will dissipate as vapour from the breathers. Fluids, grease, cleaners, carpet plus time and effort couldn't possibly amount to more than $1500
Since its not covered by insurance then the damage has not been recorded so get it registered at market value. Have some fun and get some use out of it. Damage it and you get the pay out. Keep it running and you more than get your money worth.
Cars don't dissolve into iron oxide overnight. Besides it was predominantly fresh water.

 

[d22dave]

need to be sure no one has tried to start it. Needs glow plugs taken out before you crank it over, If the water was high enough to get over the motor and air intake

 

[Pinelli]

I like Aido's attitude drive it but don't trust it. Round town where you can walk home it'd be fine. Crossing the simpson in it would be nuts.

It may have been fresh water but it contained all sorts of mud and silt, which is full of salts. He's right in that it won't rust overnight but you might get corrosion in the electrics which will cause grief before rust in panels will.

 

[digbyj]

No chance. What's a normal one worth?
Could see if anyones keen on starting a submarine thread I guess?

 

[Jimmy1081]

Ok. well i bought it for 4k i tried 3 they said no. i have so far stripped it all down cleaned up and through the dash pulled the speedo out got my tooth brush out and contact cleaner the heater fan and relay box. all that sort of stuff i used a tooth brush and co contact cleaner. i have done work on the motor i did indeed take injectors and glow plugs out tried turning it over to clear junk out by hot wiring the starter motor. starter motor did no work. I pulled it out and realised the solenoid wasnt pushing the pinion out. got contact cleaner onto it tried it out of the vehicle and she worked put it back in. turned it over to get the crap out. put new oil in put everything together, new fuel air and oil filters. turned it over and she fired up quite easily i should have emptied the fuel tank first though cos i could imagine water got in there somehow and hopefull havent bent rods or anything (opinions). but i didnt run it for very long. all the inside is cleaned up seats are clean just have to get a heel pad sewed onto the vinyl (UNLESS some one has a spare vinyl mat i can buy off them or knows some where who has them) and the inside can all go back together. But so far everything is going smooth.

I have decided that im going to sell it off when im finish i should be able to get double what i paid for it and sell my commodore and by a truck that has not been flooded

Thanks for all your opinions, i wish i came on here before i bought it then i would have thought twice about it.

 

[crack]

if you sell it i personally beleive you should tell any prospective buyer. if it happened to me id hunt the person down.

 

[nismo4x4]

if you sell it i personally beleive you should tell any prospective buyer. if it happened to me id hunt the person down.

i concur u should tell the buyer...or get it insured and il knock it off and we both win ay

 

[will]

Ok. well i bought it for 4k i tried 3 they said no,

Thanks for all your opinions, i wish i came on here before i bought it then i would have thought twice about it.

I'm pretty sure you you were given lots of reasons not to buy it, oh well you could make back your $$$ on just the motor & gearbox. I agree with the others, tell the buyer it was flooded when you sell it. They may be fine with it if it drives ok an looks reasonable. Good luck.