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Damaged cars flood into auto shops after Sunday's street flooding

Vehicles now finding their way to auto mechanics and vehicle upholstery shops

NEW ORLEANS — Cars that flooded in the heavy rains that fell on New Orleans on Sunday are now finding their way to local auto repair and vehicle upholstery shops.

The water came up so fast, a lot people didn't have time to move their vehicles to higher ground.

"I got an emergency alert on my phone at 5:30 in the morning and I looked out the window and the water was about, I couldn't see the exhaust pipes," Anthony Fazzari said.

Fazzari's vehicle flooded in Uptown.

He brought his car to an Calamari's Trim Shop and Auto Upholstery after trying to dry it out himself. 

"The floors are still really wet," Fazarri said.  "You can smell it in there." 

Shop owner Joe Calamari told Fazzari his car needed to be extensively cleaned and serviced.

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"We're going to have to remove the carpet and change all the felt padding that's under the carpet, shampoo it and put it all back in," Calamari said.

Even if the carpet is dry, water can still collect between the floor board and the felt padding.

"That will create like mold starting to grow inside it," Calamari said. "So, you do have to remove it."

Auto mechanic Charlie Hamback recommends that before you even start up a flooded vehicle, check the dipsticks.

"Look at the oil level on the dipstick," Hamback said. "If the oil level is higher than full, you may have water in it. Don't start it. Never start it when you've had it in water, same thing with transmission."

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Water can also damage your vehicle's electronics. 

"If you don't know what you're doing the best thing to do is to get someone who does, bring it to a shop," Hamback said. 

Back at Calamari's, Fazzari said unfortunately he's had a lot of experience with flooded cars.

"All three cars I've owned in this city have gotten water in it at some point or another," Fazzarti said. "It seems like it's only a matter of time."

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