MANILA - It is every car-owner's nightmare: vehicles floating around in muddy flood waters brought on by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” and later, stacked on top of each other in odd angles in the storm's aftermath.

Already, organizations like the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) have received calls for assistance from numerous car owners a few days after the storm which hit hardest on September 26 (Saturday).

CAMPI Technical Committee Chairman Jun Francia said they have received 126 SOS calls from car-owners, as of 12 p.m. on Tuesday, with no signs of them letting up.

Francia said they expect the number to reach 200 on Monday.

CAMPI, considered the country's lead organization in the Philippine automotive industry, participates in formulating government policies, programs, regulation, and standards for the automotive industry.

Cost of damage

CAMPI Secretary General Homer Maranan said in an interview on ANC that the group will be holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss discounts and price adjustments for replacement parts and repair services "to give back to society" instead of making a killing in the business.

"Member [organizations] and dealerships are busy towing and servicing vehicles submerged or damaged in the floods. We are discussing how to provide relief to motorists, in terms of how to service them more efficiently and the costs involved in servicing vehicles," he said.

The Department of Trade and Industry is also reportedly considering regulating prices of car parts and components.

CAMPI members have assured that they have not increased or decreased prices of car parts and services yet.

Francia, who is also part of the Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC) - the exclusive distributor of BMW vehicles in the Philippines - said repairs for flood-damaged cars can range from P10,000 to dry up carpets to P300,000 for repairs of computer boxes and electronic parts.

He said ACC-BMW is offering free towing services for its customers.

What to do with flood-damaged car

Francia and Maranan also gave out tips for car-owners or passengers on what to do in case they encounter floods on the road, and how to respond when their vehicle is damaged in a flood.

Here are some of them:

1. Park it somewhere safe. Park your car on high-ground or places where floods are not likely to hit. Even if you don't know what will happen when a storm of flood hits, this is your best bet.

2. Avoid flood waters. If you are in traffic and floods are rising, turn off the engine, get out, and lock the car. Do not try to wade into the floods.

Go to a safe area while keeping an eye out for your car. It is not safe to stay inside a car while flood waters are raging, as this will also require you to struggle out of a car and climb on top of your vehicle. It is not safe to stay on top of a car.

3. Document what is happening. If you have a camera and are in a sheltered area, take pictures of what is happening to your car amid the floods.

This is for insurance purposes and shows that your car was damaged in a flood. (see related story on whether your insurance will cover flood damages here).

4. Don't touch the car. After your car has been submerged in flood waters or damaged in a storm, wait for the water to subside.

Do not start the car or open the hood to check the engine. Do not open the engine or doors since this sometimes triggers a locking mechanism.

Do not act as if you know it all. Resist the urge to salvage your investments by doing things to your car without professional advice, since this might lead to more problems.

Call an authorized or reputable repair shop or serviceman to have it towed or put in a car carrier. Leave it to professionals, they know what they are doing.

5. Engine trouble. Those who left their cars in the garage are relatively better off than those whose cars were left in traffic conditions, because it is logistically easier to call an authorized service person to have it towed to a nearby workshop.

Have your car checked for engine breakdowns or block damage, which means you have to replace the engine.

6. Depreciated value. Flood damage or water damage will affect a vehicle's value substantially. It will naturally depreciate in value, depending on the extent of the damage.

Normal depreciation for vehicles is 10% per year. Supposing the car owner has the car repaired, Francia said the value would still go down to about 20% per year, off the car's original value.

7. Trade up. A good option is to trade-in your flood-damaged car with a reputable dealer. You can sell the car, and disclose that the car was damaged in a flood, or trade it in with your car manufacturer to get a good deal.

Car manufacturers like BMW, Honda, and some auto-exchange establishments usually have a trade-in program. The company will then re-sell the flood-damaged car as a pre-owned vehicle. abs-cbnNEWS.com. Report based on ANC.