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A very wild morning drive...
- Thread starter swift6
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Brosky
Great Pumpkin
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Shawn, I'm happy to hear that you are OK, or at least feel that way now. As advised, wait a few days and see before making any statements.
The car I fear is far from being OK.
Looking at the pictures, I would NOT accept any settlement until the car was put on a laser frame machine, for I fear that you have a twisted car, no matter how easily the door will open. That will probably total it for you, but you will know that you are not getting paid for something that may not be fixable in the sense or restoring it back to it's original condition. I hope that you have a good agreed upon value for the car because I know that it is worth a lot more to you than the book.
And after seeing hundreds and hundreds of these types of accidents, I will guarantee you that the suspension parts are more than stressed at this point in time, no matter how they look. Again, I'm only saying this for your FUTURE protection, as I would want a real serious look at the entire suspension system while on the laser frame machine.
Just an FYI....my TR8 is Hagerty covered for $25,000 and due to go up 10% in the fall.
The car I fear is far from being OK.
Looking at the pictures, I would NOT accept any settlement until the car was put on a laser frame machine, for I fear that you have a twisted car, no matter how easily the door will open. That will probably total it for you, but you will know that you are not getting paid for something that may not be fixable in the sense or restoring it back to it's original condition. I hope that you have a good agreed upon value for the car because I know that it is worth a lot more to you than the book.
And after seeing hundreds and hundreds of these types of accidents, I will guarantee you that the suspension parts are more than stressed at this point in time, no matter how they look. Again, I'm only saying this for your FUTURE protection, as I would want a real serious look at the entire suspension system while on the laser frame machine.
Just an FYI....my TR8 is Hagerty covered for $25,000 and due to go up 10% in the fall.
OP
swift6
Yoda
Offline
Thanks Paul, It has already been measured and checked to specs in the ROM. It will also be gettting checked out on a new laser alignment machine before and after the suspension bits are replaced. The body is not twisted. Both doors open and close without issue and so does the bonnet and boot lid. Even the headlights will rise and fall normally. The coupe doors are pretty tight too, not much slop in them and they have always been that way. The initial impact was not all that hard, it was just in THE perfect spot to spin me out. It was essentially a perfectly performed Pitt Manuever.
The Traffic officer reconstructed the scene with me and from the weight difference between the Mustang that hit me, where it hit me and the short wheelbase of the TR8, he told me that I didn't have a chance to save it. From the placement of the scuff marks from the tires as I was spinning, not skid marks even though I was on the brakes, the curb strike was not direct, it was a glancing blow and thanks to a broken spot in the curb where the rear tire hit the car was able to go up and over the curb, though it did it backwards at 45-50mph. Each wheel slid up over the curb one by one. From the officers experience he told me that if the curb hadn't been broken there allowing a relatively easy transition over the curb then one of three things would have most likely happened. The car could have flipped, though even he thought that improbable based on the low center of gravity and relatively wide track for the size of the car. It could have continued over the curb and completey collapsed the suspension, or it could have bounced off the curb and back into traffic. Instead I hit the curb in the only spot that would allow that "easy" transistion and slide to a stop, through the small tree, on the lawn and sidewalk of a church.
The tree actually did the most body damage and it was very localized to the sheetmetal in front of the wheel. Ted Schumacher asked me if the photos showed a stress buckle above the door but it is not a stress buckle. That is actually a piece of bark from the tree. but no evidence of impact from the tree anywhere above the body crease near the top of the fender other than the broken arieal.
The suspect suspension pieces are all being replaced though along with the obviously damaged pieces.
The tow truck couldn't remove the car from where it sat after the accident without causing some additional damage, dragging it off a high section of the curb. So instead we drove the car about 150 feet down to the driveway of the church so it could be loaded much easier on to the tow truck. We drove it half on/half off the sidewalk keeping the flatted tires in the grass.
The girl that hit me (she is 23) basically admitted that she was driving while ability impaired. She claims that prescription medication she was on was making her drowsy and she was falling asleep. That all she felt was a jolt to her car that woke her up and she saw her car veering into the center lane so she corrected it and continued, not knowing that she hit me she continued on. The above is paraphrased from her voluntary statement that is in the accident report.
Physically for me, each day has been a little different as different things surface. My doctors also told me that it could take two weeks for all the effects to actually surface. Still have muscle spasm going on in my back and seeing my docs again today too.
The Traffic officer reconstructed the scene with me and from the weight difference between the Mustang that hit me, where it hit me and the short wheelbase of the TR8, he told me that I didn't have a chance to save it. From the placement of the scuff marks from the tires as I was spinning, not skid marks even though I was on the brakes, the curb strike was not direct, it was a glancing blow and thanks to a broken spot in the curb where the rear tire hit the car was able to go up and over the curb, though it did it backwards at 45-50mph. Each wheel slid up over the curb one by one. From the officers experience he told me that if the curb hadn't been broken there allowing a relatively easy transition over the curb then one of three things would have most likely happened. The car could have flipped, though even he thought that improbable based on the low center of gravity and relatively wide track for the size of the car. It could have continued over the curb and completey collapsed the suspension, or it could have bounced off the curb and back into traffic. Instead I hit the curb in the only spot that would allow that "easy" transistion and slide to a stop, through the small tree, on the lawn and sidewalk of a church.
The tree actually did the most body damage and it was very localized to the sheetmetal in front of the wheel. Ted Schumacher asked me if the photos showed a stress buckle above the door but it is not a stress buckle. That is actually a piece of bark from the tree. but no evidence of impact from the tree anywhere above the body crease near the top of the fender other than the broken arieal.
The suspect suspension pieces are all being replaced though along with the obviously damaged pieces.
The tow truck couldn't remove the car from where it sat after the accident without causing some additional damage, dragging it off a high section of the curb. So instead we drove the car about 150 feet down to the driveway of the church so it could be loaded much easier on to the tow truck. We drove it half on/half off the sidewalk keeping the flatted tires in the grass.
The girl that hit me (she is 23) basically admitted that she was driving while ability impaired. She claims that prescription medication she was on was making her drowsy and she was falling asleep. That all she felt was a jolt to her car that woke her up and she saw her car veering into the center lane so she corrected it and continued, not knowing that she hit me she continued on. The above is paraphrased from her voluntary statement that is in the accident report.
Physically for me, each day has been a little different as different things surface. My doctors also told me that it could take two weeks for all the effects to actually surface. Still have muscle spasm going on in my back and seeing my docs again today too.
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
Offline
OK that is indeed good news. The damage pictures are somewhat deceiving and I'm glad everything works as it does on the car. Having both doors open and close along with the boot and bonnet, as well as the headlights is great to hear, Getting it on the laser will insure that it's right after the fact.
Now make sure that you feel OK before signing any release.
Now make sure that you feel OK before signing any release.
G
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Guest
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smaceng said:
Try 50%.
OP
swift6
Yoda
Offline
Good news for my TR8. I didn't even have to argue with the adjusters. They have agreed to repair it with no issues. No salvage title involved. Check is in hand and property side of the issue is on the way to be closed with the involved insurance companies. I only wish my healing were as rapid.
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Shawn, I hope that you're feeling better soon.
When you get the car in the shop, be sure to get complete pictures of the work being done, before, during and after. For your own piece of mind and to prove that everything was fixed properly should you ever decide to sell it.
When you get the car in the shop, be sure to get complete pictures of the work being done, before, during and after. For your own piece of mind and to prove that everything was fixed properly should you ever decide to sell it.