E28 was in flood

[JackySon]

Been daily driving my 86 528e for 8 years,Have a lead on a free e28 in pretty good shape, only issue it was in a flood for 1-5 days. I’m assuming it was submerged about 2-3 feetThe car is free if I wasn’t to get into it, is this a headache or is it something new gas/oil and some carb cleaner can get going?Thanks

[stuartinmn]

It's a gamble, do you feel lucky?  Like any flood car the biggest concern is corrosion damage, not only to the body shell but also to electrical connections and electronics.  The ECU should have stayed above water, but other components and connectors will have been exposed, and as they've aged electrical gremlins are often an issue with these cars anyway.  That's in addition to damage to carpets and upholstery, mold is a real concern.  Flood waters are usually full of nasty pollutants as well, and they will have gotten inside rocker panels and other inaccessible areas where it will be nearly impossible to completely clean up.  Besides the gas tank and engine oil, the transmission and differential will need to be drained and flushed.  Wheel bearings and universal joints may have been contaminated with water and sediment.

[e28Sean]

The general rule of thumb with cars is flood = f**ked.   "In good shape" and "in a flood" are mutually exclusive.   You are going to have to go through every bit of that car, and you will probably end up with something that isn't going to be as good as a car that you've put the same effort into that hasn't been drowned in poop water.   Water likes to wick along wires and rot them from the inside out;  Something that works now will likely stop working in the near-ish future.   Do you really feel like replacing every bit of wiring in the car, along with all the relays, etc...?  

My advice would be to look for a car that hasn't gone for a swim.

[turbodan]

I'm eternally optimistic with e28s. If it's free I think it's hard to lose on the deal.

 

[Technician117]

I agree. For free, that's a gamble I would take. It will be a lot of work though as the entire interior needs to come out. Have you seen any pictures of the waterline to confirm it was 2-3'? I've seen flood cars where the water never got in the interior.