Ida's fury sweeps drowned cars to repair shops where, often, they are pronounced 'totaled'

Waterlogged cars, many with "hydrolocked" motors, are flowing into Long Island tow truck operators and auto repair shops in the wake of Ida's flash floods.

Hydrolocking, also known as hydrostatic locking, occurs when the engine seizes up after water enters the combustion chamber.

"We saw an exponential increase in calls for tows" around Long Island and the metropolitcan area, said Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA Northeast. Call volume spiked to levels 450% higher than normal on Wednesday night, he said.

"When drivers abandon cars in heavy snowstorms, when they return to them, they start," Sinclair said. "Cars abandoned in floods are essentially junk, won't restart and have to be towed."

Long Island's North Shore was among the areas hardest hit.

Fishing cars from puddles

"We fished about 11 cars out of the water," said Richard Covino, owner of Glen Cove Auto Salvage & Towing, the impound garage for the Glen Cove Police Department.

Covino said the process of towing the disabled cars began around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday night and ended late Thursday morning.

"People don't realize how deep the water is," he said.

Tony LaCorte, owner of LaCorte's Family Auto Repair in Port Washington, said he had three cars disabled by the flooding at his shop, with two more on the way.

"They tried to drive through the water," he said. "They got hydrolocked. The motors are totaled."

The engine can be revived if damage has not been too severe and the car gets rapid attention.

George Hyams, owner of Port Jeff Car Care Center in Port Jefferson, said he was able to resuscitate a woman's car that was parked in a low-lying area near the ferry.

"She's lucky," he said. "The front of the car was submerged up to the top of the motor. The engine was locked."

Getting the car to the attention of a mechanic is crucial, Hyams said. "The biggest thing is, time is of the essence."

Jim Maiella, founder of Maiella and Associates, a Port Jefferson insurance broker, said auto policyholders who don't have comprehensive coverage are out of luck should their cars get damaged by a flood.

'Buyer beware'

Prospective car buyers should be alert to waterlogged vehicles that have been "fixed" and put up for sale, Sinclair said.

"Watch for mud lines in the trunk and under the hood and newer looking interiors in older vehicles," he said. "Flooded cars might be able to run again after diligent effort, but they won't last long."

He said the issue may be particularly acute given the current high demand for new and used cars.

"You can be sure we'll see lots of write-offs coming back on the market. Let the buyer beware."

By Ken Schachter

kenneth.schachter@newsday.comkschach

Ken Schachter covers corporate news, including technology and aerospace, and other business topics for Newsday. He has also worked at The Miami Herald and The Jerusalem Post.