Introduced my XF to a swollen brook...

AlexWard · October 27, 2019

After a catalogue of misfortunes yesterday, driving home i got diverted due an accident... Followed the Sat Nav, ended up in what can only be described as a 'Raging Torrent' after driving into a Ford that had turned into rapids due to the adverse weather....

Did i see it? Nope... Dark, single lane country road, concentrating on looking for standing water... Well... i found it...

Re creating the famous 'OLIVER!!!' scene from Top Gear, it hit the water, floated, got pushed into a low slung wall and sat there for near on an hour before one of our neighbours arrived to tow me out...

So.. The ignition still comes on... Turned over - so it looks like she has not sucked any water into the engine

Water level came up to the driver seat base and we have managed to get the majority of it all out, however until i get it recovered when dawn breaks, i am unsure of any other issues.

Interior will need to come out regardless, luckily i have modules available that are under the carpets if indeed i am extremely lucky, but with that amount of water it looks like i will be saying farewell to a car that i waited 30 years to own... 😞

Insurance company reckon that as the water didn't come up to the instrument cluster (??) then its generated a 'Repair' recommendation but i am pretty sure its toast...

Any thoughts on what i should do? Cut loose and lick my wounds, try and find another with the same spec or try and dry it out and get her back on the road?

Old Peter · October 27, 2019

Hi Alex, and welcome to the club.

I can't say "Enjoy your Jaguar", but I can commiserate on your misfortune.

It might be a successful repair but that depends a lot on how long it takes to dry out.

One of my sons who works for the Environment Agency was called out yesterday afternoon to assist in evacuating premises in Shropshire that was suffering because of the floods.

Let us know how you go on and good luck.

Regards,

Peter.

AlexWard · October 27, 2019

Did as much as i could today resulting in...

Central Locking Back online
OS rear window not working - Door module clicks, but no movement
Ignition Wont come on demand, it comes on when it wants to - Centre console shifter does not rise
USB, BT and DAB modules full of water - dried out but untested.

Engine tries to start for about a second, then no power

Gearbox Fault, Pedestrian Impact Fault, Engine Fault all displayed on Instrument Cluster message centre...

Doesnt look good so far, and then i also broke a finger trying to get the carpet out so now off to A&E.... 🥺

Old Peter · October 28, 2019

That's a start, Alex.

PeteL · October 28, 2019

Alex, it looks like your car is telling you something:-))). I hope you get it sorted out soon, and once it dries out things all work for you. Get your finger sorted out and it will hopefully things can’t get any worse. By the way, will the insurance cough up?

AlexWard · October 28, 2019

CoPart have contacted me today to arrange collection for an assessment of the damage. I know enough about this Marque & the actual car over the past 3 years of ownership to know that its going to be a loss...

Even IF the electrics dry out, the interior, carpet, BCM Front, Pedestrian Impact Module, DAB, USB and bluetooth Modules need replacing as they were under water for over 12 hours.

Sucked out 32 Litres of water from her yesterday also.. No frogs or Carp so that is a good sign i guess.

Gearbox is stuck in Neutral with the centre console gearshift not playing ball either. Exhaust is more than likely full of water and after we initially dragged it out of the watery grave, she tried to start herself! Frantic efforts by me to disconnect the battery in time were further hampered by the cold and wet that night...

Had to drive to Weston today for a meeting in my daughters Fiesta, and it seemed that every other car i drove past was an XF... further adding insult to injury!

With regards to my finger, i had dislocated it and the sneaky Triage Nurse distracted me whilst she then popped it back in.. swiftly accompanied by some expletives from me...

!Removed!....

JOE-DOT-COM · October 28, 2019

hi

I would of not connected the battery back up till it was dry

I would on put in a garage and covered it in polythene and put a desiccant dehumidifier under there with it, would pull all the moisture out with a day easy

hope you get it fixed, but all those modules are expensive and most need programing to the car, might not be cost effective to repair from a insurers point of view

cheers

Joe

AlexWard · October 28, 2019

There is more moisture in the car than the Dead Sea...

I really don't think its recoverable.....

And i have just read up on the potential settlement i will receive also... Its not good reading...

As far as the electrics go, its everything below the height of the drivers seat thats affected. Minimal water ingress into the front BCM and the boot filled up over the battery

Anyway... Its in the lap of the gods now... Just a waiting game...

Old Peter · October 29, 2019

Hi Alex,

Joe [as always] has given you some very good advice, and a lot depends on cost even when dried out.

It is probably the cost of restoring the electrics to working order that the insurers are looking at and pricing accordingly.

I have only experienced a write off once -- June 1971 when a butcher in his van wrote off my Austin 1100 - the offer was a poor £140. I managed to convince them with a receipt of two months before, the cost I had incurred with an engine repair of £90. The settlement of £195 was much better.

Regards,

Peter.

AlexWard · October 29, 2019

Clutching at straws i think is what i was trying to do...

Anyway... had the dreaded E Mail from Hastings this morning... Total Loss...

Car is off to CoPart in Wolverhampton on Thursday for her assessment, then its a waiting game for the payout figure...

I really want to get another, but slightly swayed by the Cam cover issues, Intercoolers and the such... All the things that i had done on this one, it was mechanically perfect and just finished a TV module and Adaptive Cruise retrofit also....

Anyway.. As always with Forum input, i appreciate all your comments and the time you took to respond to my whingeing...

Facelift XF or XJ i think may be the way forward...

PeteL · October 29, 2019

Hi Alex, why not buy it back off them so that you can re-use all of the parts that you have lovingly put and and looked after. Only a thought.

Pete

AlexWard · October 30, 2019

Um... Guess what is running outside right now?...

.... Yup... she started... with a few niggles below but otherwise it seems as right as rain (or at least it may not be a write off after all)

DSC Not available - Need to log into ECU and find out whats wrong
Pedestrian Impact System fault - More that likely its water in the module - Passenger footwell
Battery monitoring system not available through SDD - Wont connect to car as its reading 0 volts..

But heck... Its a start!

AlexWard · October 30, 2019

Full Gearbox control now restored- DSC / Winter / Adaptive / ASL

Miracle on 34th Street? Nearly....

Old Peter · October 30, 2019

Sounds good,Alex.

Maybe you will get the insurance to pay up.

You could mention that you are doing much of the work and they should take that into account.

Regards,

Peter.

AlexWard · October 30, 2019

I am hoping that someone there will see sense! I got a bit ratty with the young Doris on the end of the phone (after being totally wound up by the 'Press 1' , Press 2 etc etc phone systems) when i was attempting to make her understand that all apart from some soggy seats and a replacement module, the car is pretty much as it was pre incident

Got underneath today to peel all the twigs, beavers and fish off the underside, and it all looks pretty good. Engine bay has a fair amount of sediment dotted about, but nothing that a good clean out will sort...

The patient IS alive, needs an IV drip and a dehumidifier, and i reckon i am good to go! Lets see what the insurers and CoPart engineers come back with tomorrow.

Old Peter · October 31, 2019

Hi Alex,

When my X Type was stolen form my driveway the Insurance company refused to pay anything due to the key being in the ignition. The fact that I was remonstrating with the driver of the car parked across the driveway and which stopped any car getting out was not taken into account. The driver and the thief were in collusion.

The hire car that was given to me by the insurance was a taken away without telling me, and some conversation [quite polite] took place with the insurance company, who told me that I could appeal against the decision. I indicated, again quite politely, the i would not appeal but would have a word with "Joe Bloggs" who happened to be the CEO of the company. They assumed i knew "Joe Bloggs", which `i didn't, but I had looked him up on the internet. No further discussion.

A phone call the next morning from the PA of the CEO said that they had discussed the matter and the company would pay up with a satisfactory amount,

Peter,

PS> The two scroats and a third scroat who looked after the hiding of the stolen vehicle were caught after my description of the two who actually stole the vehicle to the police were caught and `i had call of thanks from the police as they had been after them for 3 years. They all were given 8 years in one of HM,s properties.

AlexWard · November 4, 2019

So... to update... She has gone... Written off - So sad (and mad) that it happened but hey... gotta move on... Looking for a Face Lift XF or an XJ now... However VERY tempted by a sub 100K 5Ltr SC XF but really concerned about the economy after having a Diesel for the last 3 years... Does anyone know if they suffer any major engine problems at all, i can find little on them and the posts i do find are more weighted towards someone abusing them and not servicing...

Anyone who owns one, i welcome your feedback!

Alex

AlexWard · November 11, 2019

All sorted... Take delivery of this beast in a couple of days.... Will miss my first Jag, now commonly known as Dad's XtraFlooded.. my kids have a cruel sense of humour...