Car crash update

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:48 pm

I posted this earlier, but as a review, a few weeks ago a ditsy bish hit my Neon head on (I was stopped and she was going at a *relatively* low speed) with her giant Jeep. The wasn't even a scuff mark on her vehicle but my Neon's hood and front fender/grill were crunched--I almost decided to get a new car it was so hideous. Oh, and then my mother backed into it.

The update:

I got ripped off by the other insurance company but I did get it mostly fixed. It looks really good, especially compared to how the front end looked just a few days ago.

The hood is primed black and it actually looks pretty cool so I'm not going to paint it. Joe and I managed to get the front bumper to look almost fixed, between a new honeycomb grill to hold the tabs and some crafty use of zip ties.

I'm missing one of the silver trim pieces so I took them all off and I honestly think it looks better. I wasn't about to pay 18 dollars for a *used* piece of shiny plastic.

In the process of installing some new speakers but I'm procrastinating because it's so cold out.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:55 pm

Ah, zip ties... the duct tape of autobody repair.

Eager to see what it looks like at the WI meet.

dvon17 · Post by **dvon17** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:21 am

it looks good Gramps. I was a little jealous lol

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:19 pm

I like my Neon more now than I did before the accident. It looks awesome. I might pick up a new bumper at some point but right now it just has a crack that you can't see from far away.

Buying some new springs and in the process of installing some new speakers. By "process" I mean a little bit at a time when I feel like banging my head on my rear windshield.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:37 pm

Do you mean for this to become your project log? I ask because I need to put this somewhere besides General. If this isn't going anywhere, off to off-topic it goes.

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:03 pm

Off topic, please. : ) Wasn't sure if this was off topic or not.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:08 am

You should start a Progress Log.

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:41 am

Midnight_Rider wrote:You should start a Progress Log.

I was thinking about it but I don't have any pictures from all the work I've done on it so far. At this point any more upgrades are going to get EXPENSIVE.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:26 pm

Skitlz wrote:At this point any more upgrades are going to get EXPENSIVE.

Welcome to my world.

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:56 pm

Midnight_Rider wrote:
Skitlz wrote:At this point any more upgrades are going to get EXPENSIVE.
Welcome to my world.

Well your car is already fast, though. ; )

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:54 pm

Another update. I thought I was crazy for thinking the bumper looked right, since it looked like shit. THen I realized the zip ties broke. Replaced it with thick wire, thick enough that I had to use pliers to twist it tight. Solid as a rock now. : )

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:09 pm

You mentioned that the insurance company, ripped you off.
Did they refuse to pay ?? Or claim that the accident, was somehow your fault ??

I had a similar issue happen to me.
A guy pulled right out in front of me, into the roadway, making a left turn out of an apartment complex.
I couldn't stop, since I was right there when he pulled out.
He smacked the driver's side fender.

Seems pretty cut and dry, right ??

His insurance company ('Unique Insurance') refused to pay.
They somehow claimed that I was at fault, for failing to stop my vehicle, in order to avoid his.

When I contacted a lawyer, she asked who the other insurance company was.
When I gave her the name, she replied, "They're unique, all right !!" She said they were known for doing this sort of thing.
I would have to sue the other driver & their insurance company, take a day or two off of work to go to court, etc.

I ended up fixing the Neon myself, using my own funds. I 'sourced' a fender that was the right color, from a Milwaukee junkyard.
Since it was the right color, all I had to do, was replace the pin-striping.

I consider myself fortunate, since the damage was not too bad. The airbags never deployed, either - that's another blessing.

- Nick

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:22 pm

My insurance company determined 100% fault against the other driver. She admitted that she was not paying attention and did not have time to stop, despite my car being at a dead stop.

The other insurance company got the same testimony, and should have taken 100% fault as well... but the police report said no one's fault/both our faults so they went with that. Obviously right after an accident no one is thinking straight to begin with. And it just means she didn't admit she wasn't paying attention to the cops. They went with 50% fault and paid half.

I could have taken it to small claims but I didn't want to run the risk of the police report being deemed valid and being out court costs.

So if I didn't know enough about cars and if I wasn't so good at learning/teaching myself, I'd have to take it to a shop with only half the money and pay the rest. So, in essence, even though I was driving safely and passively, I still would have gotten F'ed out of my car getting fixed. Pretty shitty. All I wanted was some freaking BK. haha

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:30 pm

Skitlz wrote:My insurance company determined 100% fault against the other driver. She admitted that she was not paying attention and did not have time to stop

Seems to be a reoccurring theme, with all the Stooopid Yuppie drivers here in IL./WI.

They are TOO BUSY and TOO SHORT of TIME, to BOTHER STOPPING, at stop signs.

Stooopid.

- Nick

FormerlyREDRT_98 · Post by **FormerlyREDRT_98** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:33 pm

NickKo wrote:
Skitlz wrote:My insurance company determined 100% fault against the other driver. She admitted that she was not paying attention and did not have time to stop
Seems to be a reoccurring theme, with all the Stooopid Yuppie drivers here in IL./WI.
They are TOO BUSY and TOO SHORT of TIME, to BOTHER STOPPING, at stop signs. Stooopid.

- Nick

i stopped at a stop sign in my work car the other morning ad a guy in a GMC pickup coming from my right was running the sign. As I started to pull out he drove right past the line, saw me mid intersection then decided to stop about halfway through. I see stuff like this all the time

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:39 pm

NickKo wrote: Seems to be a reoccurring theme, with all the Stooopid Yuppie drivers here in IL./WI.
They are TOO BUSY and TOO SHORT of TIME, to BOTHER STOPPING, at stop signs. Stooopid.

Oh of course. Their schedule is the only thing that matters, and it's super important and urgent that they go fix their nails or some shit.

FormerlyREDRT_98 · Post by **FormerlyREDRT_98** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:43 pm

Drivers in the greater Chicago area have got to be among the worst in the country

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 12:40 am

FormerlyREDRT_98 wrote:Drivers in the greater Chicago area have got to be among the worst in the country

I am inclined to agree.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 12:53 am

Skitlz wrote:
FormerlyREDRT_98 wrote:Drivers in the greater Chicago area have got to be among the worst in the country
I am inclined to agree.

viewtopic.php?p=979837#979837