michaelgvh

A nasty story from last night...



So I turn a corner on a rainy night onto a fairly busy one lane road in my `new' car. I see something in the road, barely, but am going too fast to miss it and there's traffic coming the other way and a sidewalk on my right so I take it dead center and hope it's just a cardboard box or something. I notice some red... and then BANG... sounds of smashing plastic and the car hops up in the air a couple inches and I'm dragging something under the car along the road. Obviously I pull over and shut her down.
I get out my flashlight and look at what happened. I can see something pinned under my car and it looks like the rear bumper from a pickup truck or something. My front lower half of my bumper is hanging off. Fluid is pouring our from a couple places...namely the wiper fluid from the headlight washers where the hose has been torn apart along with the bumper, probably radiator fluid by the color, and oil... lots and lots of oil.
So as I'm standing there cursing and calling 911 hoping there's a license plate on the piece of bumper or something. Cop shows up and I take a closer look and I think it's more something industrial like from a tow truck or construction vehicle.
Cop gets there and while he's starting to write things up, miracle of miracle happens... a tow truck driver pulls over in front of me and gets out and asks if I hit something. I say yes and he goes, "I think you hit what I lost."
He was up the road about to do a tow and noticed he lost his tow hitch attachment that attaches to the lifter fork thingy. He came back to look for it and saw I was screwed and didn't want to stick me with the problem so he fessed up.
Bad news is - car is seriously messed up. At least bumper, oil pan, hoses, and anything else the big-azz block of steel hit, punctured, or tore off.
Good news is - It was a towing company so they sent a flatbed right away and took my car to my own shop and then drove me home. They said they would pay for everything and probably wouldn't go through insurance. I also have the cop who heard the tow truck driver say it was his fault. So, I think it will get fixed at no cost with little hassle. Fingers crossed.



Morning update...

The shop is looking at it and will make sure that they put anything even remotely damaged or potentially damaged by the accident onto the estimate.

The Tow Company said they would pay for everything. They just want the estimate to wait and see if they will go through their insurance or pay in cash.

No idea yet what the extent of the damage is, but I don't expect to have the car back for at least a week... who knows.


I'm not a happy camper.

I don't really know what is under there and exposed to damage since I have only owned the car for about a month and have not even changed my own oil yet. Guess I will find out from the shop soon enough.

endlessRR

I usually just slow down to say, 5mph just to see what it is. I don't really care if there are other cars behind me, cause 1. If they slam into me, that means they were too close. 2. they weren't paying attention.

Press

well at least they are going to pay....see what happens and keep us updated....

im_cecil

It's always risky to go the "avoid insurance route" when you're the victim, because you have no backup if they flake or disagree with the estimated repairs. You're left exposed.

In some/most/all states, you have a limited amount of time to report any accident over a small amount to the DMV. Failure to do so results in a license suspension. This is a known business so hopefully the chance of them not making good is low. But what about the police report? See if that gets reported to the DMV. Make sure your bases are covered.

Jim Clark

He didn't have time to slow and no suitable place for evasive action.

Jim Clark

Sounds like mostly cosmetic and some mechanical stuff. Should all be fixable to good as new. Certainly want to carefully check steering/suspension components. If the subframe isn't bent (doesn't sound like it), then it shouldn't be a problem other than a PITA.

thomas1978

you might be lucky or you might get screwed...get it fixed as soon as possible ;o) good luck

R2.7TA6

Your really lucky, hopefully they will stick to their word, and the cop put it in his report right?

NoProblem

... and it was my dad's car. I had enjoyed borrowing his A6 for the VA twisties, VS a lifted wrangler (although you'd be surprised how well 33 inch tires and a hard suspension make it handle). Imagine how bad it feels when it's someone elses car!

Be grateful noone was hurt, you could have swerved into a pole, or oncoming traffic, could have gotten hurt. Guy could have kept on driving.
I would thank him sincerely for stopping by, and thank the company for taking care of it (once all repairs are done of course.)

Also it's getting done at your shop...
Look at the positive aspects! Don't wonder what if...

endlessRR

Now, if it was a deer or any other type of animal that popped out of nowhere, it would be understandable that he couldn't brake, but a stationary object, in the middle of the street? Not trying to sound like a jerk, im sure it seems that way...