Auckland floods: Luxury cars to be assessed for damage after North Shore dealership flooded

Staff at a luxury European car dealership on the North Shore scrambled to save customers’ vehicles from flood waters and now face an anxious wait to see how many vehicles have suffered damage.

Specialising in high-end Range Rovers, Jaguars and Volvo cars, Archibald & Shorter has a showroom and service workshop in the suburb of Wairau Valley which was hit particularly hard by rainfall on Friday night.

With a storm drain in front of the building overflowing from the deluge, and a nearby creek steadily rising, staff became concerned about the risk of flooding about 6pm on Friday.

“About half an hour later, our portacabin outside started moving,” said James Archibald, a service adviser at the dealership.

“Half an hour after that, water started coming into the dealership. We just couldn’t stop it.”

A decision was made to move customers’ vehicles on the premises for maintenance or repairs to higher ground.

“There was very limited space but we managed to save quite a few,” said Archibald.

Around 30 luxury vehicles are being assessed for damage after Archibald & Shorter North Shore was flooded on Friday night. Photo / Supplied

Archibald estimated that up to 50 cars - with an average price tag of between $180,000 to $200,000 - might be unsalvageable.

However, a spokesman for the Giltrap Group later emailed a written statement to clarify that around 30 second-hand cars would be assessed for damage. That number could rise, said the spokesman, but checks so far showed that no brand new vehicles had suffered damage.

“Our dealership was severely impacted by the flooding, as were many businesses and homes in Auckland. We were heartened by the generosity and team spirit shown by our staff from both Archibald and Shorter and other Giltrap Group dealerships, who left their homes to assist with the clean-up,” said Shawn Rushby, the manager of Archibald & Shorter North Shore.

“Right now our main focus is on the families of our teams, and the wider community who have been hit so hard by this weather event.”

Around 30 luxury vehicles are being assessed for damage after Archibald & Shorter North Shore was flooded on Friday night. Photo / Supplied

The next step Archibald & Shorter is to organise professional cleaners for the premises, and for electricians to repair the flood-damaged lights and wiring. Photo / Supplied