by gregster on Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:39 pm
It aint only the rust mate....it kills the electrics too, and starters and alternators become a consumable...and carpets grow rather well too.
Yes they can do wading in deep water, but its best left for either sheds that will get binned after a year, or out and out offroaders that are carpet less and have rerouted wiring to keep everything out of murk.
In fairness you are alright if you stick to the depths that VX recommend...but going deeper is fun but will fook the car in the long run.
Its a bit "been there, done it" with me....had my 2.3td proper swimming about 8 years back, 8" from top of screen, just under the tailgate glass as floated off down stream cos it was a bit more buoyant that the 90's I was with. Luckily I pioneered my "through the bulkhead" snorkel mod on this car which kept it running and got me out. Had to pull the gearstick gator out to fill the car with water to get traction again!
killed the car though...different electrical fault every week from then on, it stunk inside where water was a foot deep in it, and all the underlay and seat foam started growing on all the bits you couldnt get to to clean.
So not really that interested in taking them deep swimming now, its not really that much of a challenge...just drive fast enough to give a bow wave and your car will either make it or die (and then you get a free swim)...I would sooner do more technical driving on dry land, with wheels in the air and major off angles...much more challenging (and no free swim!).
Bow wave is fun, once, then you have done it, and water is water, its gets everywhere and buggers everything.