Smashed a G35 yesterday!

[The Boston Dangler]

last night, the cops are banging on my door. "are you the owner of a blue infinti?" my reaction: deer in headlights, jaw hits the floor. it slipped out of gear and rolled into a parked truck, despite the parking brake being ratcheted tight. how does this even happen?

it rolled 20 feet down a slight grade, into the left rear bumper of a big chevy pickup. the grille is toast, the hood is all fucked up (didn't try to open it), the nose is wrecked and the fenders are pushed back. both doors open and close, there were no fluids leaking, and the headlights seem okay. i think the truck got scratched, but that could have been just a speck of dirt.

i notified my insurance this morning. after waiting all day to hear from an adjustor (i called 3 times, left 1 message), she called me to drive the car to her office wednesday. wtf?

pics coming soon.

 

[Safeway]

Bad parking brake?

 

[jagec]

Are you sure you pulled that parking brake tight enough? Lots of people don't realize how much they have to yank on them. Try parking on the same hill, pulling the parking brake as you usually do, and holding down the clutch to disengage the engine. Maybe get a friend to push on the back of the car to see if it can get moved...maybe someone bumped you while parallel parking?

That said, it is an oddball situation, and it shouldn't slip out of gear in the first place.

However, when you're on a hill, you SHOULD park with your wheels facing the correct direction, so that if all else fails you won't do damage.

 

[Arkaign]

Jeez that sucks ass.

On a side note, it might have been a good idea to check on repairing it yourself, rather than suffer through the insurance crisis. Not to mention this will probably be on the vehicle's carfax if/when you try to sell it later.

Looking at cost, I'd say fenders should set you back ~125-150/ea, a hood probably ~300-400, and the grill for ~50-80. Paint would probably be at least 500. So, probably fixable for $1,300, as long as there was no additional damage.

I did a front bumper/hood/fender on a '94 T-Bird V8, and by doing my own labor (was easy, really), saved a ton of money and kept it off my insurance.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

to clarify, it was in my parking lot. there are 2 rows of cars, and i rolled from my spot, 20 feet across the lot and into the second row. i couldn't have been bumped. this grade isn't very steep, just enough to notice. i unlocked the car in front of the cops, and the brake was fully engaged.

repairs are well beyond my means. besides, the $500 deductible is there for a reason. i'm guessing at least $5k damage.

my other car is a 10000 pound truck with a 28 foot lift. i've instructed others in the use of wheel chocks and correct road/hill parking. maybe it's time for some leather and chrome chocks for the infiniti?

edit:
insurance company: " so it was due to mechanical failure?"
me: "yes"

that's good for me, right?

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
to clarify, it was in my parking lot. there are 2 rows of cars, and i rolled from my spot, 20 feet across the lot and into the second row. i couldn't have been bumped. this grade isn't very steep, just enough to notice. i unlocked the car in front of the cops, and the brake was fully engaged.

repairs are well beyond my means. besides, the $500 deductible is there for a reason. i'm guessing at least $5k damage.

my other car is a 10000 pound truck with a 28 foot lift. i've instructed others in the use of wheel chocks and correct road/hill parking. maybe it's time for some leather and chrome chocks for the infiniti?

edit:
insurance company: " so it was due to mechanical failure?"
me: "yes"

that's good for me, right?

That sounds reasonable. I hope they don't raise your rates, insurance companies are so damned evil.

Is the damage worse than just body panels? $5k is astronomical for just two fenders, a hood, and a grille, with paint. But of course, much of the price you hear about for body work is due to the shops charging insurance companies out the ass in order to make a hefty profit. Buying aftermarket body parts can look sweet and save $$, check the posts below, including the Skyline grille, Carbon Fibre Hood (light!), and guaranteed OEM-flush fenders, even a Nismo front bumper. Put them all on yourself, then get it painted professionally, and you've got a sweet custom look.

Examples :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[dirtboy]

Depending on the direction your car was facing on the hill, leaving it in gear can have no effect -- I'll assume you know this. Beyond that, you really have a crank a parking brake. Also it is wise to turn the wheels towards, or away, from the curb depending on the direction your car is facing. That way, when things like this happen, the worst case is your car rolls into the curb instead of down the hill. But now you will know better for the future.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
to clarify, it was in my parking lot. there are 2 rows of cars, and i rolled from my spot, 20 feet across the lot and into the second row. i couldn't have been bumped. this grade isn't very steep, just enough to notice. i unlocked the car in front of the cops, and the brake was fully engaged.

repairs are well beyond my means. besides, the $500 deductible is there for a reason. i'm guessing at least $5k damage.

my other car is a 10000 pound truck with a 28 foot lift. i've instructed others in the use of wheel chocks and correct road/hill parking. maybe it's time for some leather and chrome chocks for the infiniti?

edit:
insurance company: " so it was due to mechanical failure?"
me: "yes"

that's good for me, right?

That sounds reasonable. I hope they don't raise your rates, insurance companies are so damned evil.

Is the damage worse than just body panels? $5k is astronomical for just two fenders, a hood, and a grille, with paint. But of course, much of the price you hear about for body work is due to the shops charging insurance companies out the ass in order to make a hefty profit. Buying aftermarket body parts can look sweet and save $$, check the posts below, including the Skyline grille, Carbon Fibre Hood (light!), and guaranteed OEM-flush fenders, even a Nismo front bumper. Put them all on yourself, then get it painted professionally, and you've got a sweet custom look.

Examples :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I'd be wary of buying any of those. Aftermarket never, ever fits as well as OEM unless you go all out and get either Factory sponsored aftermarket or extremely high end aftermarket(Real TRD, Nismo, Mugen, etc).

Also, the bumper cover in the last link is a definite knockoff.

On top of that Siebon isn't the highest quality name in Carbon Fiber so fitment probably will not be like OEM. It's a big company, but more value oriented than quality.

As for installation, a regular bodyshop will not be able to do a good job with aftermarket body parts. You should find one that has exprience with aftermarket components because installing cheap aftermarket parts are almost always much more labor intensive than OEM parts and takes specialized expertise to obtain OEM levels of fitment. When 1 side is too wide by 1/4 of an inch, or the hood is just a few degrees crooked and the gap is slightly wider than stock, there's either a lot of work, $$ and bondo involved or a poorly put together car.

Aftermarket parts are usually made from molds of OEM parts, which tend to warp and change size slightly as they are made. Now knockoffs of those parts are usually a real PITA to install.

<-Usually advocates OEM since there's rarely higher quality parts unless they are astronomically expensive.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
Depending on the direction your car was facing on the hill, leaving it in gear can have no effect -- I'll assume you know this. Beyond that, you really have a crank a parking brake. Also it is wise to turn the wheels towards, or away, from the curb depending on the direction your car is facing. That way, when things like this happen, the worst case is your car rolls into the curb instead of down the hill. But now you will know better for the future.

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
my other car is a 10000 pound truck with a 28 foot lift. i've instructed others in the use of wheel chocks and correct road/hill parking. maybe it's time for some leather and chrome chocks for the infiniti?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

edit: scroll down for pics

 

[CptCrunch]

dude that sucks, but not as bad as I was expecting. Hopefully the insurance company wont rape you for this.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
dude that sucks, but not as bad as I was expecting. Hopefully the insurance company wont rape you for this.

Yeah, that looks very fixable. You won't need any parts. That damage should be rather easy to fix.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
Depending on the direction your car was facing on the hill, leaving it in gear can have no effect -- I'll assume you know this. Beyond that, you really have a crank a parking brake. Also it is wise to turn the wheels towards, or away, from the curb depending on the direction your car is facing. That way, when things like this happen, the worst case is your car rolls into the curb instead of down the hill. But now you will know better for the future.

Damn. I haven't really been pulling my parking brake up very hard, and I don't leave it in gear at all. How hard should I pull it up? I have a rather heavy car too...

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: amdhunter

Originally posted by: dirtboy
Depending on the direction your car was facing on the hill, leaving it in gear can have no effect -- I'll assume you know this. Beyond that, you really have a crank a parking brake. Also it is wise to turn the wheels towards, or away, from the curb depending on the direction your car is facing. That way, when things like this happen, the worst case is your car rolls into the curb instead of down the hill. But now you will know better for the future.

Damn. I haven't really been pulling my parking brake up very hard, and I don't leave it in gear at all. How hard should I pull it up? I have a rather heavy car too...

You don't leave it in gear? Why not?:shocked:

Try this. Stop on a hill with no traffic around. Put the car in neutral. Pull the parking brake like you would if you were parking. Release the footbrake, and see if it holds. Maybe try getting a friend to push on the back to see if it's borderline (do NOT get out of the car and push yourself, for reasons I shouldn't have to mention!). If the car remains solid, you're pulling it up hard enough. If not, try pulling it up a couple more clicks and repeating the experiment.

And leave it in gear...1st or reverse.

dirtboy--putting the car in gear DOES have an effect, no matter which way the car is facing. With steep hills, heavy cars, tall gearing, and small engines, sometimes leaving it in gear isn't enough by itself to prevent it from rolling...but it will ALWAYS provide more resistance than just using the parking brake. Use first gear or reverse. I like to use the gear that corresponds to the direction that the car WOULD roll if everything else failed, simply because I don't want to accidentally turn the engine over backwards (which shouldn't cause any issues, but I'm just paranoid).

But either gear will prevent motion in both directions.

 

[ayabe]

I always put my car into first when parking, for the parking brake I get a good amount of resistance, then go two more clicks.

Keep in mind that your cable needs to be adjusted every so often to keep the tension up.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

UPDATE

the front end damage is roughly $4000.

MUCH JUICIER UPDATE

i got a call from the shop today. an 18-wheeler backed into my car and did this.. the left rear quarter of the car has to be chopped off and a new quarter welded on. value of the damage: shop mgr said $4000, in reality at least $8000.

will this car ever be "right" again? the value of the damage doesn't reach 80% of the vehicle, so it won't be totalled. even if it was, i can't replace it with the check i'd get.

i am pretty fucking :| right now.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
UPDATE

the front end damage is roughly $4000.

MUCH JUICIER UPDATE

i got a call from the shop today. an 18-wheeler backed into my car and did this.. the left rear quarter of the car has to be chopped off and a new quarter welded on. value of the damage: shop mgr said $4000, in reality at least $8000.

will this car ever be "right" again? the value of the damage doesn't reach 80% of the vehicle, so it won't be totalled. even if it was, i can't replace it with the check i'd get.

i am pretty fucking :| right now.

Oh, lovely. Well, the semi's insurance should pay for this second repair...you shouldn't have to pay a single cent.

Since it is the quarter panel, not the frame, it shouldn't affect drivability/car "feel". You're sure they said "welded"? It looks to me like changing the quarter panel (which is usually bolt-on) ought to cover the new damage.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
UPDATE

the front end damage is roughly $4000.

MUCH JUICIER UPDATE

i got a call from the shop today. an 18-wheeler backed into my car and did this.. the left rear quarter of the car has to be chopped off and a new quarter welded on. value of the damage: shop mgr said $4000, in reality at least $8000.

will this car ever be "right" again? the value of the damage doesn't reach 80% of the vehicle, so it won't be totalled. even if it was, i can't replace it with the check i'd get.

i am pretty fucking :| right now.

Oh, lovely. Well, the semi's insurance should pay for this second repair...you shouldn't have to pay a single cent.

Since it is the quarter panel, not the frame, it shouldn't affect drivability/car "feel". You're sure they said "welded"? It looks to me like changing the quarter panel (which is usually bolt-on) ought to cover the new damage.

shop mgr definately said "welded"

he also mentioned the trucking company is likely to want to pay out of pocket, rather than go through their insurance. would it be better for me to get their insurance involved?

tomorrow, i'm going to the dealership (where i bought the car and have had all service done. they have always been pretty good):

"the body shop down the street, where you brought my car, did they tell you this happened?"

"i'm really not pleased with this. what can we do about this situation?"

"i brought in a car, in one major piece, worth over $30k. i am getting back, late, half a car and half something else, worth much less than $30k. omgwtfbbq asshat."

 

[zerocool84]

Def go insurance just in case something later down the line and it might have to be fixed again.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Insurance, insurance, insurance. If you have ANY problems with any of the repairs you take the complaint to them. They have teams dedicated to dealing with these issues and you can sleep soundly at night knowing you won't end up with a car you will never be happy with again.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Also: 28ft lift?! WTF, do you use a ladder to get into it?! A parachute to get out?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Also: 28ft lift?! WTF, do you use a ladder to get into it?! A parachute to get out?

lol
http://www.timemfg.com/
a good one is easy to step in and out of. a poorly designed / built one requires gymnastics, and some would say youth.

if the hydraulics fail while i'm in the air, i have a battery backup. if there's a catastrophic fluid leak, i'd glide gently to the ground (like a rude mary poppins) while my truck does it's best impression of a pink, oily place de la concorde.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_de_la_Concorde (look for the fountain, fusetalk won't accept the link)

if gravity should outsmart me, i wear a 5 point harness with decelerating lanyard. instead of falling to my death, i would fall to my possible castration. yes, i would prefer death.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Hahaha! OK.

Place de Concorde is nice. I was staying around the corner from it this time last year. Hmm, Paris in the springtime.

 

[Ns1]

wow man, you have shitty luck

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: Ns1
wow man, you have shitty luck

after 3 decades, i can't tell the difference anymore.

UPDATE
i went to the dealership today. they welcomed me by name as soon as i walked in the door. the body shop hadn't told them what happened.

when i explained the saga, they called the shop to confirm. in a matter of seconds, the tone shifted as if they have never seen me before. as if i never spent $40,000 there.

talk to the body shop. talk to the truck's insurance. talk to your insurance. talk to anybody but us.

me: 25% of my car is being amputated. it could be on the frame machine for a month and it will still never be right. (they nod)

them: so why are you here?

me: to make sure you know what happened, and to look at my options.

them: options? look, you're not getting another car out of this.

me: obviously not. what i'm getting is 75% of my car, and 25% of a giant piece of shit.

me: i parked my car 15 feet from that door, and handed your man the key. at that point, the car is in your custody, and your responsibility.

them: the car was hit at the body shop, and we didn't hit it. even if it was parked in our lot when it was hit, it's not our responsibility.

just before i was about to get loud, just before i reached across the counter and slapped the fuck out of them, "have a good afternoon, gentlemen. i will be in touch."

what they don't know is:
Plan B - i am about to call in a favor at the corporate level. i'm not angling for a new G37 (keep dreaming) but i will not walk away from this empty-handed.