Not gift-wrapped, but flood-proofed.
WITH all the flooding that has been happening in the country, people living in flood-prone areas who worry about potential damage to their cars may want to consider enveloping their vehicles in a plastic bag to protect their rides.
Simply called flood bags, it is being marketed by a seller who claims that the watertight properties of his product ensure that cars using them are protected.
You would need to anchor your car, though, to ensure it doesn't float away.
In one video shared on social media, a completely wrapped Tesla is seen floating in flood waters, snug, dry and protected.
Hiew Yit Thang, 21, who has sold 20 flood bags online, said he started selling them online three years ago. This was after his parents, who runs a school furniture business in Kajang, Selangor, saw firsthand how flood victims in Terengganu suffered from property loss due to water damage.
Hiew, who is now in charge of business development, said sales would drop to zero during the hot season. But, come the rainy season, he gets enquiries on his online sales sites every day.
“The flood bags are not only for cars but furniture and electrical items as well,” said Hiew, who sells his bags for RM350 a piece.
Hiew believes he is the sole supplier for the product – for now. The flood bags are made of plastic and are covered with a waxy coating as protection against punctures. They are manufactured locally under the label Floodsafe Carbag.
Car enthusiast Nicholas GomezIt said it was understandable why flood bags had come under the radar what with the current rainy season. Water damage from floods can be horribly expensive.
Depending on the make of the car, repairs can easily run into the tens of thousands.
But one question remains. While owners who live in flood-prone areas might be given ample warning on rising water, Gomez wondered if those at risk of flash floods were willing to go through the trouble of encasing their rides in a waterproof bag time and again, only to find their place is unaffected.
“I had friends whose cars were damaged in flash floods at the Dataran Merdeka car park while they were in town during working hours. So, if you have bought a bag but is keeping it at home, it won’t help,” said Gomez.
Davy Woo, a veteran from the automobile industry said it would be more convenient for the owner to get flood insurance.
Woo’s reasoning is that flooding is not a frequent event, and owners are going to find it tiresome to wrap and unwrap a car after the novelty has worn off.
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