oo7spy

Well, that badge didn't last very long...

Silver Fox is gone, and I have no one to blame but myself. Traveling home from work Tuesday night, I missed a signal change and t-boned a Tundra. I have been under an enormous amount of stress lately, and that coupled with sleep deprivation led to a mental lapse. Rush hour is the only time of day that this intersection stops south bound turning traffic from proceeding across the north bound flow. It only changes for literally 20 seconds; about 6 cars can get through. It's done this everyday of the two years I have driven the commute, and Tuesday I forgot. As soon as I saw the truck, I knew I was wrong, and it was over.

I was crossing two lanes of traffic that were just starting to go. The first driver saw me and hit her brakes. The second lane didn't, and I struck their driver's door with my front bumper at ~30 mph. The first lane then hit my rear passenger side that was fixed 3 weeks ago. The air bags went off, and everything was thrown forward. My Aggie ring flew off my hand and cracked the windshield. No one was seriously injured. The guy I hit climbed out of his passenger door and was walking around, but paramedics convinced him to go to the hospital in an ambulance. I was able to start the car and drive it off the road, but I'm sure it's a total loss.

Like I said, I have no one to blame but me. I take driving very seriously and expect to be held accountable for my negligence. There is nothing you can say to make me feel worse than I already do, so if you have something to say about what I did, don't expect a response. No I was not on a cell phone, no I was not texting or changing music, and no I was not under any influences.

In the end, it's just a car. I don't plan to replace her. When I bought it, it was a gift to myself for graduating college and landing a good job. Since then, my priorities have changed, and I no longer need to spend unnecessary time or money on a material item. I also don't feel I deserve a nice car now. I am infinitely grateful that my family was not with me and that I did not seriously hurt anyone. My heart goes out to the man I hit and his family. I hope he recovers well, his truck is fixed quickly, and he is able to work to support his family. The plan now is to find a high-mileage Tundra (ironically enough) that I can beat on for less than $10k.







From my ring.


In the impound the next day getting stuff out.




And now, the good memories.

lazytik

Accidents happen, you're a good person for feeling the way you and the remorse and maturity you've expressed. Good call on getting a Tundra, but don't say you don't deserve a good car like the RL - you seem level-headed and deserving enough.

getakey

wow -sorry to hear. At least you are OK
don't leave this site

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

dibbs on the shift knob!!!

Glad everyone is safe... but seriously grab the knob! LoL

coopcoop30

Damn.......but you know what? It's respectable that you are holding yourself accountable for what you've done. Many people nowadays would've blamed someone or something else. You deserve what you work for as well. If you've worked hard for that car.....you deserve it. You're obviously not a free loader who survives off of government assistance. So I hope that you stay around the forum and keep giving insight to anyone that will listen.

May Silver Fox R.I.P.

getakey

grab the Legend badge and frame it

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Wow! It's a shame to see this one bite the dust.... Don't tell yourself you didn't deserve the car, you earned every bit of it and most importantly, you did it honestly. Trust me, I bought the car under similar circumstances as you, and a lot of people gave me crap over it too. Just remember you earned every bit of it and you probably enjoyed every day with it even more.

Why not get a Tacoma Xrunner? Those are nice trucks too

EDIT: As a side note, don't become a stranger to this forum now that the car is gone

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

oo7spy

Thanks for the support. Its not that I didn't deserve that car, it's that I don't feel justified buying another luxury sedan right now. Since I bought the car, I also bought a house and had a little boy. Right now, my boy deserves my attention and my house needs the money. My dad is a contractor, so I am a DIY kind of guy all the way down to pouring concrete and laying tile. I need a truck to do the jobs I want to do in order to turn a good ROI on my house.

I honestly started with a Tacoma in mind, but since I am looking at 100k+ miles and less than $10k, the differences are negligible. I was really surprised how many Tundras are for sale with over 200k and even 300k miles. Full size, great engine, nearly same mpg, same price, why not? There's no way I could be happy in a sedan that is any less than an RL, so a Tundra it is.

I did grab the wood knob, the speaker boxes, both fobs & the HID fog kit. If they total the car, a for sale thread will go up shortly. I was kinda upset I couldn't get the wood wheel since I have the stock one. I also almost jacked the HID projectors but decided against it.

In any case, I'll still hang around and help out when I can. Hopefully, I can pay off the truck, my wife's car and a lot of the mortgage by the time the AWD RLX is 4 years old and snag one up at 1/2 MSRP like Silver Fox.

The badge is whatever. My wife said I should grab it, but I didn't see the point. Maybe someone will need a trunk lid and get a different car.

(Heavy, I'll give you dibs on the knob if you want it. It'll only be $120.)

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

haha, I hope you got a laugh from that.

You have a solid outlook on things my friend so I have no doubt things will work out.

Shit happens for a reason, make the most of it and dont look back.

Blazing GT

wow...atleast you are ok. you made a very valid point about spending your money on material items.

Chas2

Sorry to hear about your accident, but at least the car did its job and protected you. I was just about to put the Legend badge on my car, and maybe I won't now...seriously, though, I hope everything works out and no one ends up hurt.

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

^This. You have your head in the right place my friend.

BuLtL00

Glad you are ok man,cars come and go.Glad the RL did its purpose as a safe car and protected you.Keep hanging around here and good luck with your future endevours!

Maintenanceman

^^^ Ok, i am posting these photos to make you feel little bit better.
That is not a death of a Legend, just a small injury.
This is real death of a Legend, my 1993 Coupe:

ichi d

glad to hear everyone is ok. dibs on the wood wheel. lol

NJ06RL

Sorry this happened. You've contributed so much to this forum - hope you will continue. Most important thing is you're not injured. So sorry, so sorry. All the best with the new vehicle selection.

swake457

Oh man, very sorry to hear about this! Glad to hear no one was seriously hurt! Looks like the front end absorbed that impact and prevented what could have been much worse. Things happen for a reason, sounds like you've got a good perspective on that. Good luck and don't be a stranger around here :-)

sOLLEx

Sorry for your loss and glad to hear your ok...i don't come on here much but realize you have been a big asset to this board and its members and we thank you for your time and attention and wish you and your family the best...In the end your right, it is just a car...and it can all end in the blink of an eye. Always makes me think about not taking life too seriously and trying to enjoy every breath.

terdonal

Sorry to hear but glad you are okay. Good luck in the future.

titomang

Spy, glad your ok. Sucks to see an RL go down. I do hope you'll get another one in the near future. But yeah stick around and help the newbies out and take that wood wheel out.

-Bruce

tla11384

so sad to see this happen. best of luck in vehicle shopping, and thanks for all your inputs. You are a huge part of this forum!

BDoggPrelude

Damn dude. I can't believe this. I'm sorry. Glad you're okay though.

037

Sorry to hear about the accident, glad you're ok. Based on the photos the RL took the hit like a champ.

erdoc48

I assume you have collision, so you might get a decent amount for your RL (it does unfortunately, look totaled). How about getting a similar, low mileage RL, and 'rebuild the Phoenix'? You have to look at the facts..yes there was an accident, but thankfully, no one was hurt and you're taking responsibility for your actions (which not everyone does). Ask the question: is it wise to spend $10K on a truck with >100,000 miles on it? You can go that route, but may wind up spending a lot more to keep it running, vs. getting a replacement RL.

Good luck in whatever you do.

M T L T L

Glad you are okay. Ur Legend may not be on the streets but it will live-on on Acurazine. Just like you said, very lucky your family wasn't on board. I have a 3 months old son myself and I can't bare the though of having him riding with me if I ever smash my Legend. Stick around the forums, your inputs are very valuable and it won't be the same without you. Good luck with hunt for the truck.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

glad you're okay.

Ballinger

It looks like she took quite a whack! I'm bummed for you, especially because that was a nice RL...almost as nice as your other silver car parked next to it.

As an aside, one of the reasons we're IN an RL is that our previous car, my *beloved* '92 Legend with new paint, got spun and hit a concrete wall at 40mph...but my wife got out and walked away -- as did our Labrador. It looked a lot like yours, maybe a little worse with the motor dropped onto the pavement, but it "did its job" when stuff turned bad. Very Glad that yours did, too.

oo7spy

Thanks again guys. I'll still hang around throwing pennies at people and ruffling occasional feathers. I spend as much time on here as I do because I have been helped, I want to help, & some of these issues are like solving mysteries.

erdoc, I really do need a truck and I really don't need a car payment. I understand the risks of high mileage autos, but the $7500 I put into Legend #1 with 114k miles was the best money I could have spent on a car. There are over 20 Tundras FOR SALE in the US right now with over 200k miles. I figure if I snag one up and get 100k out of it for less than $10k, I'll be sitting pretty. The other issue I would have with a sedan, especially an RL, is that I would want everything I had and more in it. I just learned today my wife is pregnant again, and a mod bug buzzing around just isn't a good idea. (The thought did cross my mind, though. )

Hopefully we will learn the diagnosis tomorrow, and we can move forward. The hardest part right now is not having anything and not being able to do anything about it.

037

Everything you wrote up to the current post sounded rational to me but your wife is suddenly pregnant?

I think you're either trying to get pregnant or you don't, there shouldn't be any surprise in this society.

Either way, congrats!

BDoggPrelude

Congrats on the upcoming little one!

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

Tell that to the guys who wife doesnt know about the pregnant GF...

congrats on the oo6.5

db22

So if you can't buy a Legend you make one!

Sorry for the recent past and congrats on the future.

EL19

iTrader: (4)

Dam man, sorry for your accident. I am glad noone was seriously injured. I too have been very stressed and fatigued lately and have been trying to do as little driving as possible because I know my mind is not as sharp as it should be to be driving around for long periods of time.

As everyone has said, you exhibit a maturity that most people (regardless of age) do not possess. Congrats on the little one and I feel you about the truck. When doing all of the work to my house a truck would have been VERY beneficial. One of the reasons I bought the RL was to lower my payments (had just bought a brand new Accord, sold it for the RL) so that I could afford the home improvements. I'm glad to hear you will still be around and don't beat yourself up about this. Accidents happen all of the time, it is how people handle the aftermath and responsibility that counts and you seem to be doing a stand up job.

As for the wood wheel, I took mine out of the TLS when it was totaled and the air bag bent it up. I'd check for that if you decide to remove it.

Matt W

Holy shit man, I had hope until I scrolled to the second picture. Sorry this happened to you. Definitely going to be more cautious driving because I have been in the same situation as you with sleep deprivation and a lot of stress from work, was very sleeping driving home today and all I wanted to do was get home and take a nap, so I know how you feel.

But hey...If your fog-lights aren't cracked I will buy them both off of you.

oo7spy

So, Silver Fox is gone. State Farm offered $21.4k for the car, or $14k to keep the car. The choice was obvious. I found a 2005 Tundra Double Cab Limited with 140k miles, and I walked out with the keys for $11.9k.

I was able to go to Insurance Auto Auctions of Austin and swap the stock steering wheel with the wood one since the title paperwork wasn't finalized yet. I just made the FS thread in the black market. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...1#post14446591

Some thoughts from going to get the wheel:
- She still welcomed me in ever so politely.


- Hopefully a CarFax differentiates an insurance auction from a regular auction. The car mover of choice there was a gigantic fork lift. Ever seen an F-150 lifted 10 ft in the air by a fork lift with 30 ft prongs?
- Drove by Circuit of the Americas. Beautiful venue. Amazing track. What I would give for an Enzo and a tank of race fuel in that place.
- When you make your way onto the side of town where the average age of cars becomes >15 years, 2G Acura Legends are a common site. Saw three just on that drive.

I'll post a pic of the Tundra some day. I've replaced the headlights with Osram Nightbreakers, fit 6"x9" speakers in the front doors, and have Fusion fog lights waiting for a retro fit.

minla007

sorry for your loss. glad you are ok.

neuronbob

I missed this thread the first time around. Sorry to see a good KB1 go. Stick around on the forum, though....I sold my KB1 four years ago and am still here...

TonyCD

You can really see from the front-end shots how the ACE structure took the brunt of the hit so you didn't. It gave its life for yours, and that's a good way to remember it.

Jonion

Only just seen this.... don't think we had our RL when this happened though

makes my pheasant strike look pretty insignificant.

Happy you have got it mostly sorted now.