Many of the affluent Brisbane suburbs inundated are also known for their upmarket luxury cars which are now useless.

The demand by these owners to remain mobile is likely to put even more stress on the ability for dealers to source replacement cars because overseas luxury car makers place lower allocation numbers for RHD Australia from their prestige car plants trying to meet demand closer to home.

Most of these vehicles simply cannot be repaired by law and will have to be written off and be dismantled for spare parts.

The problem is finding cars in the market to replace them.

Mercedes-Benz Brisbane saw flood waters lapping at the ground floor cafe but the building escaped the floodwaters

Factory production disruptions from Covid, chip shortages, and now the unknown impact of the war in Europe, have all conspired to create the greatest shortage of cars in decades.

How owners of flood-damaged cars are going to get mobile again will be a serious challenge for insurers and dealers.

Dealers are already holding orders for new cars that will take them out to the second half of this year or longer.

Some dealers in February have reported taking twice the number of orders than normal for new cars but they only have enough stock to deliver half the number of cars than normal.

Normally, many flood damaged cars would be replaced by the equivalent used cars but that larder has already been raided.

Used cars are now also in very short supply and, as a reflection of the demand, are now running at all-time high prices.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index just released shows auction prices hit a record 172.7 per cent in February – up from 163.6 last January and up from 104.8 in February 2020. The index was 147.6 per cent in February 2021. The index dates back to 2006.

Dealerships escaped the worst of the Queendland floods, but many dealerships in the northern rivers of NSW were under water and will have suffered stock losses and serious business disruption.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index has taken off in January and February to an all-time high

Frizelle Sunshine on the Gold Coast’s Southport escaped damage but a contingent of employees travelled on Friday to a sister dealership in Lismore that was underwater to the roof.

The working-bee party was headed by Southport dealer principal Chris Garland.

In Brisbane, some dealers took the precaution of moving their stock to higher ground but one panel shop lost around 25 cars in for repair; including a Ferrari California that was in to have the rear bumper repainted. It is expected to be sold to a racing car enthusiast for club racing.

Some dealerships and car sales offices in the Brisbane area reported no significant water damage.

Eagers Automotive chief executive Keith Thornton told GoAutoNews Premium that there had been no damage at any of the company’s dealerships.

“But we had two feet of water in our corporate offices and that meant everyone had to work from home,” he said.

“What made it worse was that the water was polluted with petrol and oil,” he said.

Brisbane’s landmark Mercedes-Benz dealership, which is located at the confluence of the Brisbane River and Breakfast Creek, escaped flood damage; the ground floor kiosk was sandbagged in time to meet the rising waters and only the creek-side decking was submerged.

The company reports that the building includes several high-capacity pumps which managed to keep the basement parking area dry.

Meanwhile Manheim Auctions in Brisbane has leased additional land which will be used to handle the thousands of salvaged cars for disposal on behalf of its insurance company customers.

All flood damaged cars have to be written off by law and cannot be repaired for reuse. They will be purchased mostly by local dismantlers but many will be sold to overseas buyers for parts. Some will be crushed by metal recyclers.

By John Mellor and Neil Dowling