NightRider

I was heading off to work this afternoon heading east on 88th ave towards Sheridan to catch US36. As I am heading towards an intersection, the light is yellow so I speed up (speed limit is 35, I punched it up to 45, too close to the light to stop).....I actually see this car in the left hand turn lane ahead, and to my horror after I had punched the gas, they start making a quick left trying to make the light! NOOOOOOOO! So I swerved into the next lane farther away, but still got tagged right at the back drivers wheel, sending my back end into a right slide. I corrected once to the left, then to the right, but locked up in the process and started veering left. I ended up going up over the raised median, and had to pull hard left to get pointed west, and avoid the multiple sets of headlights now coming towards me! I ended up in the exact left hand turn lane I was hit from, in perfect position to pull in behind the perps, how f*cking convienient!
I pulled into the Lowe's parking lot behind the 91 Toyota Corolla, and immediatlely jumped out, knowing wheels were going to be trashed and expecting body damage. I quickly walked right up and the couple in the car were extremely scared, both their faces were pale as a ghost. I can understand though, as I probably had the look of a killer on my face! I was extremely upset after purchasing the car less than 2 months ago. I did not let my anger get the best of me though. They were an elderly couple, so they may have been blind, senile, or a host of other things. Regardless, the man stepped out to talk to me as his wife had been driving (a female driving bad, who would have thought?). He said, "You must have been going 50 through there." I said, "Possibly, but you guys still turned left in front of me." That was basically it besides asking eachother if we were ok. There happened to be a cop right in the area and he pulled in by us, having seen the CL's screetching, squealing and banging. So, 2 witnesses pulled in and relayed a similar story to mine. This lady was 81 and had never been in an accident, guess there are firsts even in old age. Bottom line, cops wrote her a ticket for failure to yield left hand w/accident, 4 points. She told them she couldn't see as she was looking intothesun (with the visor down, with dark ass aviator size glasses on). Yet, she still tried to make the turn....
After police and the coupleleft I assessed the damage. Body damage was minimal. A large black streak about 2 inches wide from their bumper spanned the wheelwell to my back bumper. There were scrapes and paint off all along the bottom of my front bumper. I would estimate these damages at under $2000. The impact of her bumper into my spinning wheel resulted in one custom gunmetal rim, looking like it is completly covered in soot. On to the passenger side (the side that caught the most of the median). Front tire is off wheel, wheel scraped into non circular shape. Oh sh*t right? Get this, the back wheel and tire are completly perpindicular to the others (parallel to the ground)!! --> | | | |
| | = good, | _ = no good For you visual learners. Axle is bent about a foot in from the wheel bolts. Definite bent axle, frame damage likely, plus unknown undercarriage damage possible. Put these factors together with the estimated $2000 body damage, a mandatory 2 new wheels and tires (maybe 3), and we have a candidate for totaling...With the possible permanent damage, I'm not sure if I would want the car back if they could fix it!

I do have gap insurance which covers the TOTAL FINANCING COST. So, if totaled I should not have to pay for anything. The only good that could come of this is if it was totaled, I could search for an 03 six speed with navi to replace it.

EDIT: I currently owe $16.5 on the car right now.

NightRider

BTW, I will try to get pics posted I am going to borrow a digital camera tomorrow hopefully.

gr4mm4t0n

that sucks dude. just glad you're ok... it could have been a lot worse.

if i were you, i'd try my best to total the car. i bent an axle on my prelude. they fixed it, but the ride was never the same. i liked that car too. good luck.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

That sucks. Hopefully she has insurance. I got rear-ended by an "uninsured" driver, and it sucked. I'm still waiting for the deductable back.

Mikes96TL03CLS

Damn, well hope you can get it fixed, if not then def get another CL! Glad your ok as well.

CL Platano

That sucks , I swear they should be checked on a yearly basis because they cause so many accidents. If its that extensive try and get it totatled and try and get a settlement from the insurance company and get a 6spd fully modded with comptech, supercharger and everything.

ghost_masterCL

damn... glad you didn't hit any other cars head on when you hopped the median.

with all that axle damage and undercarriage damage, based on your descriiption I'd say that's another $4-5000 in damages.

Lord Helmet

NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not the CL!

Damn, dude! Glad to hear you're ok! Look on the bright side, might be a perfect time to find a 6spd!


edit: old drivers suck! I too, will be old someday and my driving will suck as well. Take me off the road so my senile ass doesn't kill someone!

paulff3

I believe you had the right of way since you were going straight. What did the cop say? Did he give the woman a ticket?

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Yeah that does suck. Sorry to hear.
Your situtation is why I don't run yellow lights unless they change while I'm under them, or someone is too close behind me to stop. Way to many people run yellow & BRIGHT RED lights here.

cltypeSLOW

holy crap dude. you owe 16.5k on an 01CLS. sounds like you payed way to much for it.

All Mine

That really sucks man. I try not to run the yellows, unless I'm just coming to the intersection. I wish you the best. Good luck with it all.

Xenologics

my condolences

NightRider

Yes, left turn has to yield to everyone pretty much. She did get a 4 point ticket (in my 1st post btw) for failure to yield 4 points.

Well that is with financing and everything, I paid 14.900 for it with 75k on it. Also prices do slightly differ regionally, which is why I was initially looking to buy from outside the 4 corners area. I settled on this because it was clean and tranny had just been replaced.

Thanks for the support people, didn't have time today to get camera. Tomorrow should be good.

Nitz

He said he bought the car 2 months ago...

Lord Helmet

When you first buy a car, your payoff is usually more than you paid for the car for if you financed ALL of the balance & if you don't have the lowest interest rate. The other thing is dumping inequity(sp?) (what we call being upside down in it) from one car into another if you have too. I've done it once and it sucked. I've been $6k upsided down before . IT SUCKS!

NightRider, any word on it? Since you have Gap insurance, it might not be a bad thing if it gets totaled. If you're upside down at all (which I'm guessing you are a little), the Gap insurance will take care of the balance for you, then you'll be able to get into another car without being upside down.

<---------- speaks from experience.

aveisone

ok well i bought my 03 cls 1 month ago with 40k for 13200... he paid far too much... hope it gets totaled and u get your money back kid

TallyCL-S

Did you buy yours off of your parents or something? That is a pretty good price. Was the title salvaged or something?

racersky

Don't worry man you'll get another CLS just give it time. Remember Cars can be replaced easily.....a person's life can't....I'm glad your alright.

All Mine

That's a freaking killer deal, unless it has high ass mileage.

smooth CL-in

40k is nothing. i bought my 01 s for 18k with 45k miles. That was back in 12/05. I felt that was too much Plus, I'm upside down like $3k for a jetta 2.slow i barely drove Now fiance's daily driver and my weekend car anyways just adding more to my monthly payments to pay her off early.

Lord Helmet

Wow, man. Not to hate by any means but you got butt plugged big time!

I would have left in the krautbucket I drove up in.

aveisone

nah man found it on autotrader in brooklyn... i searched for about 6 months vbefore i decided on that one... clean carfax and completely mint except one small dent on the driver fender which is going to be fixed by my buddy for 600... hahah silly russians leaving the country gottttcha

NightRider

Well, it's coming up on a wek now since the accident. Notice no pictures still, shit just doesn't work out like you intend sometimes...Anywho, estimator for the other party (AllState) came out at the end of the week. Initial estimate for three new wheels and tires, suspensions parts, and some body work was 2700 dollars! According to the head of the shop, the estimator believes the solid gash on the back quarter that is a couple feet long and clearly digs into the paint can be fixed "paintless dent repair" for 24 dollars! Oh and the tires are new all season yokohamas, just try and put some recon/reman rubber bands on there! The claims rep is also pushing for compensatory negligence on my part for a maximum accountability for them of 50 percent. So, now I am waiting for this bullshittin' bitch to obtain a police report, what the hell does she expect to find? She says she believes I was speeding, which contributed to the accident. My rate of travel did not cause the accident, a non-yielding left turn did, which makes the supposed speeding nearly irrelevant. I did blip the throttle to make the light (not uncommon), but if I hadn't granny would have t-boned me at the door, and I might be in the hospital instead. THE POLICE DID NOT ISSUE ME A TICKET OR MENTION THE WORDS SPEED, HIGH VELOCITY, ETC. She says I admitted to speeding, nice try bitch I am more intelligent than that. Any talk with her or with the other party involving speed were fielded with "maybe", "possibly", or similar responses. In order for the body shop to really check out the frame, subframe, and extent of suspension/axle damage they need to tear it down which of course needs insurance authorization. So it's time to play the waiting game, she should have the police report on Monday. This claims rep seems really confident I have commited a soul damning sin here. I may even have to file a claim with my insurance and have them go after the costs. I may have to go to the doctor and be examined, hire a lawyer, and take things to court. Although seemingly drastic, maybe then the claims rep will realize the gravity of the situation. If they want to be stupid I can up the ante. I am glad the initial estimate was done by the end of the week at least. IF they took responsibility after reading the police report, I am sure it would be at least another week before the car was torn down, an estimator back out, agreement reached and repairs started. The way things are going, the estimator will probably tell the bodyshop they can replace the axle with a log or something (reconditioned log of course). The hardest thing is time, as the claims rep is obviously going to make this as painstaking and drawn out as possible. As I am bracing for not driving my car longterm (especially if they play tough), granny is probably mowing people down in the crosswalk...

I am contemplating even heading down to the capital and meeting with a representative, pushing for a housebill or something that would mandate physical/written driving tests on a regular basis for all elderly people...

CL Platano

Sounds like you are going to have to go through your insurance first. She may not have great coverage that could be the cause of this intense stupidity on Allstate's part.

Lord Helmet

Looks like you have your work cut out for you. That sucks!

A little friendly advice from someone who used to work in a body/paint shop..... Make sure they ONLY use genuine Honda/Acura parts if anything has to be replaced! If they don't, fit and finish will suffer.

Good luck with it! Keep us updated.

Lord Helmet

Any update?

buiyahkah

sorry about the accident, but if you do end up totaling the car...i'd be interested in buying some parts off of you.

Buddy4679

Look on the bright side dude, at least she didnt have Progressive or some company that doesnt know the front end from the back. And you are right---you could have been 100mph thru the intersection, the old hag who turned casused it not you---had she not turned, you would been on to more smooth sailing and still have a sweet ride!

Best of luck to ya bro.

NightRider

Filed a claim this evening with my company (Farmers). Tomorow it will have been 2 weeks total and nothing except an initial estimate from the other insurance. As probably stated in my previous venting, still no police report after 2 full weeks? Last Tuesday the PD said they had sent out the report, local mail within 30 miles, it should have been there by the end of the week at the latest! So, I learned from my insurance agent that claim reps have 30 days by state law to make a decision on a claim. Hmmm what are the chances it will take the maximum timeframe alloted? Rather than letting the timeframe run out, then hearing the claim rep tell me they will take 50% responsibility, I decided to expedite things. Well, a claims rep should be out by mid-week for an estimate. I am going to call the body shop tomorrow and notify so they can start tearing down for the entire estimate including frame/subframe. Only then will the full extent of damage be realized and repairs be started. Also, only after I pay my $1000 deductible will I get the car back, such BS! I can also receive up to $500 for loss of use and a rental car, but my Diamante is better than a rental so I am just taking the $500 and leaving it at that. Maybe I should get a rental car just to add to the bill when it finally gets back to the other insurance company. Hey, they are being nearly as difficult as possible with me so far...While I have been without a car for 2 weeks and I'm sure several more :rippedoff Granny is and All State is I am very upset at this situation. Why do I have to be out $1000 and not get to drive my car I earned, for an accident not my fault? Actually, I should say I am FUCKING PISSED! I will keep an update on the totaling situation and repairs/parting out/etc.

Neorick

ghost_masterCL

I can help you kill someone if you want.

Lord Helmet

Where do I sign up?



Why are you going thru your insurance since it was her fault? I'm confused. There shouldn't be anyting out of your pocket. Also, the police report is a public record and you can go down to the facility (whatever county you live in/where it happened) and pay $5 and get a copy right then and there.

NightRider

I am going through my insurance b/c her claims rep is an incompetant biatch! She seems intent on making this as long and drawn out as possible. She knows that if worst came to worse and this were taken to court, her client/company would lose. The lady did not yield to turn left, this is the cause of the accident. Regardless, they are going to take the maximum of 30 days to make a claim decision, then finally probably decide to only cover half. This means I would have to file a claim through my insurance to go after the rest anyways, might as well do it now and save some time lost. Over 2 weeks this claims rep has barely returned a phone call. Sure, I could take one of my days off and head to Westminster, pay $5 then go down to Englewood and slap her across the face with the report...why should I have to though? Since this lady can't even do her job I am supposed to help her? Take MORE time to deal with someone else job after the time I already don't have the car for? Give my time and energy towards someone purposely making my life difficult? I would rather the insurance companies fight eachother and take some of this stress of my back. For God's sake I am a victim here not an antagonist. Yes I will have to pay my deductible and farmers will get it back, then send me a check months down the road. Filing with my insurance is just overall the quickest way to be driving my car again (or another depending what they say). No I should not have to pay out of pocket for the deductible or even the police report, no All State should not be denying liability, but they are so further measures are needed.

falabarce

ALLSTATE SUCKS!!!!!!!!

I was rear ended at a stop light by a drunk driver 4 months after my first ABP and it took Allstate three weeks, two attorneys, a ticket by HPD showing DUI charges, a police report, and FINALLY the admission by their own policyholder (I worked with him at the time and threatened to tell them where he was right before the accident happened...you know..drinking at a bar) that he had been drinking.

I mean c'mon..it even said on the police report that I was at a full stop at the light and he was doing about 60-70mph (per witnesses) at impact and they still would not pay for a rental, doctors bills, or send an adjuster to look at the car. They said that they had to determine who was at fault...um...HELLO!?!?!?!?

Main reason that Allstate is such as pain in the arse when it comes to claims (when you're not a policy holder) and why they have all the commercials that they do is primarily due to the fact that they are one of the only (or it might be the only ...just not entirely sure) insurance company that actually retains a number of attorneys on their payroll to review cases and deal with claims. So to them, it costs the same to fight cases before or after you tell them the "L" word (no, not love...). All other firms hire attorneys at the point when you lawyer up...otherwise, they just go by the testimony of the people they interview and whoever gets the ticket.

The worse part of my accident is that it happened on Dec 21...and I was in the hospital for a couple of days not knowing what the hell was going on or even which way was up until I got out and saw the poor baby with a big hole where the trunk was and his Jeep went through. The guy thankfully hit me off-center and sent me spining in the opposite direction from where he was..otherwise, I think he would have ended up in my glove compartment with me sqwooshed like a little bug in the middle of everything...

But yeah, Allstate sucks a big green donkey _________...

NightRider

Monday will be 3 weeks since "the incident", All State has made a decision. Funny how things work, as soon as I threaten to bring the police report down and meet the AllState rep, mere minutes later she has received the police report and made her decision already! 80/20 is the offer, glad that I filed through my company. Apparently the police report said I was going 25 in a 35 (or 40), great that works out to my benefit. Still don't see where the other 20 is. I am receiving $500 loss of use from my company, and also going to pursue loss of use for the labor time from AllState. So, I will not have to pay any money out of pocket for the deductible after all. The body shop has ordered parts for my car, although I am a little confused about this...The body shop ordered parts knowing the car still must be completely disassembled in some areas and could possibly be totaled? Business is money, and they aren't making much if the car gets totaled. I am going to talk to the body shop and my claims rep/adjuster tomorrow to make sure there is no involved. The decision for totalling should come this week. Still working on the digicam situation, sorry for the lack of visual stimuli. I will update at the end of the week.

NightRider

Well, the parts are in for the car. No totaling, even with all the suspension and undercarriage parts everything is under $10K. Work is being started tomorrow. Body work is minimal and of course they are getting me brand new yoko's like the ones that were on there. At first they were going to try and put factory refurbished tires on there, not having that. A definite good thing is that before the accident, the passenger rear suspension made some funny (wear related) noises, and now I will have 100% new suspension components on that side. Should be back on the road again in 2 weeks...

ghost_masterCL

nice, glad they finally got it taken care of. I just hope that it doesn't cause any problems down the road.

NightRider

I picked up the CLS on Friday from the shop. I write the $1000 deductible check that I won't see back for a couple months I'm sure , and check out the car. Suspension looks good, body looks good, wheels/tires look good. Make that mostly good...the tire that was contacted (back driver) has a gash in it that is only noticable within a few feet, but why? It does not effect functionality, but for the cheap prices paid for refurbished/remanfactured/reshitted out parts, they didn't even bother to ask whether that was ok with me. Assuming is rarely a good thing. So, after abandoning my 01 Diamante right there like it was a red-headed stepchild (sorry redheads), the CLS was on the road again. The suspension does feel a bit more floaty now than before, I may take it to a different shop for an evaluation to be sure. Regardless, I am very excited and it feels great to have it back, I just need to be aware of these elderly assassins! My $500 loss of use check is on the way, still working on other money from AllState and of course my deductible back. On a side note, picking up some headers off of ebay this week...thanks for reading

Lord Helmet

Glad to hear you got it back, man!