Dear Tom and Ray: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I’m rethinking a new car. I live in the barrier islands off Georgia. Several times a year, when the tide rises exceptionally high, I can’t get home (or leave) at high tide. We always evacuate in case of hurricanes. Which cars are the safest and most reliable to transport me through water?
– Celia
Tom: Even a modest amount of water – anything over the axles – can cause big troubles. The key things you should look for are high ground clearance, a high-mounted air intake and an engine-management computer that’s not mounted low (like under the seat).
Ray: Right. The air intake is probably the most important. If water gets in through the engine’s air intake and fills up one or more of the cylinders, the car will become as useful as a large fishing weight.
Tom: Some vehicles are designed to ford moderate amounts of water: Land Cruisers, Land Rovers and Jeep Wranglers, for instance. But if you buy one of them to get you through 2 feet of water once a year, you’re stuck with it for the other 364 days too.
Ray: The big SUVs, like the Land Cruiser, are costly to buy, costly to maintain and drink copious amounts of gas.
Tom: The Jeep Wrangler, on the other hand, is less expensive to buy and maintain. But it drives like a basketball.
Ray: You have a few options, Celia. One is to buy an old beater SUV or pickup that you use only for evacuation.
Tom: If need be, you can have your mechanic install an air snorkel, which is just like the thing you use with flippers and a snorkeling mask. It attaches to the air intake, and extends it up above the hood.
Ray: But there are three downsides to that plan. One is that you have to have room to store an extra vehicle. Two, you have to keep it maintained to make sure it’ll start when you really need it to. And three, what if you’re not home when the flood comes? If the vehicle is at home, it’s not going to help you get home.
Tom: So I’d recommend a compromise vehicle, like the Jeep Liberty with the diesel engine. The Liberty has many of the off-road qualities of the Wrangler. But its ride and handling aren’t nearly as barbaric as the Wrangler’s, and it gets mileage in the mid-20s. You could drive it every day.
Ray: The diesel engine is another plus concerning water. Diesels don’t need “spark” for combustion. So you don’t have to worry about washing out your ignition system and stalling mid-puddle.
Tom: But do be careful, and get some instruction before you take on any serious amount of water. If the water is moving, your vehicle can be washed away. And remember, the only vehicle that’s really designed to handle high water is the one we call “a boat.”
Listen to the Car Guys in the metro area on 1340 AM and 1490 AM at 10 a.m. Saturdays and noon Sundays. Write to them in care of The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202, or visit the Car Talk section of cars.com.
