zach

Hi guys, I was in an accident last night. I had just dropped off a date and was driving back to my house. I was on the highway around 1am. I was in the left lane, going about 67-70mph. The posted speed limit is 65mph. I'd never driven that part of the road before and it was a little weird. The road curved rather sharply. I was in the far left lane and I'm not sure if I caught the edge of the shoulder, or what, but I went off the side of the road. In front of me was a police car, with its lights flashing. I swerved to avoid it, but my left rear end hit his right rear end, I believe.

My airbags deployed and my car spun wildly. I remember thinking, please stop spinning, please stop spinning. It did stop spinning, but I ended up (on the same side of the highway that I was travelling, southbound) facing into oncoming traffic. I was terrified, and tried to accelerate, but the pedal was mush. I opened my door and ran to the side of the road. The police officer was totally alright and after checking me out briefly, he set up flares and called in more police and paramedics.

I was not drunk or impaired in any way, but my recollection of the story might be a little hazy. My good friend and roommate asked me this morning why I called him at 1:09am, when the accident happened. I didn't remember that at all this morning.

I don't know how badly my car is damaged. I didn't get to look at it a whole lot; it was angled away from me while I was on the side of the road taking numerous field sobriety tests. I passed them all, obviously, and the police officers said they were glad I was OK, and I returned the compliment. I got a ticket for $132, "failure to control vehicle speed to avoid a collision." I called my insurance company and filed a claim after a police officer took me home. I remember seeing my left rear tire totally bent horizontal, rim side up, underneath the car. I assume there's also some more damage to the frame/structure of the rear, but I don't know yet. Both driver and passenger airbags deployed, and I think there might have been broken glass, but I don't remember.

I believe I have a rental car provision on my insurance -- but I'm only 19, so hopefully they will permit me to take it out still. I get 30 days for $30/day, but I am going to wait to start that until I find out how much they appraise my car for, or if they will total it. My first reaction was, total it -- but now I just want my Lexus back. I think my parents will split the $1,000 deductible with me and I can get it fixed... but I don't know yet. When I have pictures, I guess I'll be able to say better if it's damaged very badly or not.

I'm going to take pictures of my car in the towing company's yard this afternoon; I'll post them when I return.

ArmyofOne

chances are the car is a total if the bags deployed. but what worriesme most is the fact you said there was a rim sitting horizantal under the car. i didnt catch if it was a front or rear wheel. if it was a front, i woudl be willing to bet there is transaxle damage, if it was a rear, id bet on susepncion/unibody damage.

glad you are ok though, as nice of cars as these are, they are still just cars, and are still replaceable, it did what it was designed to do, it kept you alive. be glad for that.

zach

http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/accident/?N=A

Here are pictures. I am feeling a little more sore and shaken up then I was right after the accident. I don't think I need to go to the doctor, but I'll wait and see how I feel tomorrow morning.

I love my car, it still looks so gorgeous. But the damage looks incredible.

----if you are in a hurry, just look at these-----

http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG -- this is the right rear wheel, it is bowed in some. axle damage?
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG
http://home.indy.rr.com/joejoe55/acc...20(Medium).JPG

amf1932

After looking at your photo's, I would think that your insurance company will consider the car totaled.

lexusk8

Oh no, it kills me to see another one of us CL members get taken down by an accident or curse, but I'm glad to see the airbags did deploy correctly and saved your life. I would plan on scheduling an appt to see a doctor ASAP. You may not feel injured, but as a pre-caution I would advise seeking medical help of some sort, esp. after an accident like that.

As for your ES, it's tough to say but I highly doubt that the rear suspension will ever ride the same as before. Your best bet is to have it totaled, but that's obviously up to the insurance co. Good luck!

ArmyofOne

not just the suspension, but the unibody is bent, i can see it from here. that is very difficult to fix, and the car will always have wear problems with the tires/bearings etc. very rarely if ever, do cars with bent unibodies ever drive the same. she was a pretty lex too, but liek i said, it did what it was supposed to do, it saved your life.


odd though, your bags deployed, but the front end looks mint!

zach

I remembered... I had/have the rare AVS, too -- doesn't that complicate things even further, when you introduce computers and electronics into the suspension? I can't fathom how expensive that would be, to fix all the shocks/struts/axle/whatever AND hook up the electronics and make it all work again. I mean, I desperately want it to be! I love my car, I love the color, I love how the tint looks, and how pretty the car looks no matter the weather. I want it back! But I don't know how realistic that is

George Hsieh

Man.. sorry for what happen to your car.. man .. I was a pretty car... and I love the color too and what you did to your rear lights.... sigh... wish you the best luck...




George

93lexuses

I agree that you should seek medical help just to make sure that everything is alright.
I am very sorry to hear about your car. I know how i would fill if i lost my car like that, but there is nothing you can do.
Now what i don't understand is this:
The most you was going was 5 miles over the speed limit so why did you get a ticket for "failure to control vehicle speed to avoid a collision". I just don't understand it's not like you was going way over the speed limit. I could see it if you was going 10 or 15 over the speed limit. I might even understand it if you was going 7 or 8 over because they would use that just to give you a ticket, but 5.

zach

I was absolutely baffled by the ticket as well. I briefly protested, but I was told it was a generic ticket given for hitting any stationary object. "You were going too fast to avoid a collision with an object," was the reasoning provided to me. I didn't want to make a big scene of it, especially because it was a collision with an officer, but I don't know how fair it is...

Kohinoor

iTrader: (22)

theyre gonna total it out

Woogie

wow... that is really unfortunate. Im glad you're okay. You should definately go see a chiropractor to make sure everything is okay.

Senna4ever

Aw, man. Same year as mine.... I feel for ya, mate.

ArmyofOne

its a total loss.

the reason for the citation is the accident was deemed your fault, you hit a stationary object, automatically your fault, has very little to do with speeding. i got the same citation when i totalled my contour doing 20 in a school zone.
your are lucky your fine wasnt more, mine was $285!!!!, i just tooka class and paid the court costs (something like $115 total)


from the looks, just what i can see, here is a roundabout figure:

-AVS Suspension rebuild, rear end only ~$1500
-Dashboard (looks like yours is destroyed from the airbag deployment): ~$1800 (the one for my contour was $1100, you get the point)
-Airbags (you can get them off of ebay): ~$150 a set.
-Unibody Straightening ~$1,000
-Additional Bodywork: ~$1,000
-Total Car Repaint (in order to match):~$3,000

Total Damages:~$8,450

approximate value of car: ~$11,565

zach

Insurance company got back to me today... they said the market value was 9,491-ish + 567 tax + 13 title - 1000 deductible = ~9000 offer. I got them to give me $350 more for not taking the rental car, so my total check will be like ~9400 something... and now I'm back in the market for a car.

I haven't seen any ES's as sharp looking as mine was I would love to have a 98 GS, but I don't know how realistic that is. Right now my top choice is a 98 Audi A6 Quattro for ~12, 12.5k. I'm also looking at '99 or '00 Acura TLs. I loved my ES, but the O2 sensors+cat. converter scare me