[james]

Waiting in a left turn lane with half a dozen vehicles in front, and a Chevy Suburban plows into my rear at about 25 MPH. (He said 40, but I don't believe it.) Shattered the glass in the hatch, where my dog was riding. Scared her so much she jumped out and went running into the traffic, which about gave me a heart attack. But I got her back, and both of us are fine.

Not so the poor little Insight, though. Bent hatch lid, squished the bumper, and warped the sheet metal on the roof and right rear quarter. Insurance company wants to total it :-(

So I'm probably in the market for another used Insight (5 speed, not CVT), though I'm going to be off to Switzerland for three months as soon as they straighten out my visa problems. And if anyone is interested in an Insight to experiment with, there's one in Reno. Still drivable, engine & power train are ok, just rear end damage, cracked windshield, and minor damage to front bumper cover.

 

[Rick]

Man sorry to hear that, glad to hear your alright though.

 

[b1shmu63]

Glad to hear you are fine. Wow, getting rear ended by a Suburban at any speed would be serious no matter what you were driving. :shock: Just make sure you get checked out thoroughly if you have ANY after effects.

 

[Delta Flyer]

Glad you are OK. I help run a pet forum, so I'm also glad your dog survived the trauma. {thumbs up}

According to http://www.realage.com, the guy that impacted you will live longer than you, even if he was in a trance. :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[rsalmon]

James
would you contact me off list for particulars?
Thanks
Rich

 

[ElectricTroy]

If I had a totaled insight, I'd remove the D-cell NiMHs for my own personal use (radios, flashlights, et cetera).

I'd also ask the insurance company if I can sell the car on Ebay as salvage.

troy

 

[Guest]

Hi James:

___The most important item of all is that you are safe and I am glad to hear it. Watch out of a stiff neck and back over the next few days because it sounds as if you took a hell of a hit. Your Insight gave her life for yours and it sounds like she did her job well …

___As for your little beauty, you can’t do much about her right now but you will find another in the not to distant future, I am sure.

___Good Luck and take it easy over the next few days.

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:1m2gknxv][email protected][/email:1m2gknxv]

 

[james]

It's been a couple of weeks since the sandwich, and no symptoms yet. If anything, the neck (which was a bit stiff prior to) feels a bit better. Accidental chiropractic, maybe?

The guy's insurance company still hasn't gotten back to me with a value. Honestly, though, the car isn't in that bad shape: I did the duct tape & plastic thing on the hatch, and drove it for a few days until they got me into a body shop. It's just real awkward timing, what with (I hope) leaving for Europe in a few weeks.

 

[jsanford]

It's been a couple of weeks since the sandwich, and no symptoms yet. If anything, the neck (which was a bit stiff prior to) feels a bit better. Accidental chiropractic, maybe?

The guy's insurance company still hasn't gotten back to me with a value. Honestly, though, the car isn't in that bad shape: I did the duct tape & plastic thing on the hatch, and drove it for a few days until they got me into a body shop. It's just real awkward timing, what with (I hope) leaving for Europe in a few weeks.

TWO weeks? What does the dork have, Progressive?!

I've _never_ turned around totalling a car in less than three days. Even given the Insight's "special" value, that seems a bit extreme to me.

Glad you and your dog are okay and the added drama of her getting loose and bolting turned out well in the end.

 

[james]

"What does the dork have, Progressive?!"

How'd you ever guess?

I will say they were pretty much on the ball initially. Happened about 4 PM on a Thursday, they had a claims adjuster out to my place by 10 next morning. He came up with a damage estimate of just over $5K, based on recycled/remanufactured parts - of which there aren't many

Then they had to stall for a week or so trying to get in touch with the other driver (address & phone a motel). So when they finally did that, got into the body shop within a few hours. Then the body shop got to working on it, and I guess they discovered the aluminium body and real cost of replacement parts, and upped the estimate by 50%, so now they want to total it.

As I said, though, it is not apparently in that bad shape. I'm just about to go get it back, apply a few strategic whacks with a sledgehammer, and keep on driving it.

 

[George K]

Insight parts

You may want to save the car for parts . All the electronic units may be worth more than the cars value.
The insurance company may requir you to subtract the salvage value of the car but they may not think to consider the electronis in the car.

 

[figgy]

I don't know if this helps, but when I got smashed by a very nice 18 year old in his new red Mustang I called my insurance company to let them know about it when his was a bit slow and hard to figure out - and to make sure my guys heard from me that it wasn't my fault - in case he tried to be shifty.

Anyway, my insurance company said, "Oh don't you even worry about trying to work with the other company we will take care of it all for you. That is what we are here for." I figure this helps them because it makes it less likely that their insureds get snookered when it wasn't their fault.

Anyway, that was the last thing I ever did about it. Everything went through my company at no cost to me and nothing against me, and it was all done with no hassles. That was with AAA in CA. I don't know if they are the cheapest, but they sure have treated me right.

p.s. This wasn't the Insight.

 

[james]

I think my company would only get involved if there was some potential liability for them: if I carried collision instead of just liability, or if there was a chance I could be at fault in some degree - which the circumstances make really unlikely

I have the car back, and have been driving it for about 10 days now. Pop-riveted some heavy vinyl over the rear window, instead of the duct tape & visqueen, which will do at least until I get back from the 3 months in Switzerland.

Haven't heard anything from the insurance since before I got it back, though. Hope I'm not going to have to play long-distance lawyer games!