My baby is gone

[MarkSki]

This past April 28th I was sideswiped on the driver's side. The whole side was wiped out, the frame was busted, not just cracked, right where my left butt cheek was. The left rear wheel was broken and the tranny was damaged too.

I had $320 left to pay the car off. USAA totaled the car and I feel they gave me a good settlement. We really REALLY miss that car. This 2004 XLR was to replace a 2000 Jaguar that also was totaled when a woman ran us off the road.

I have a 1988 Corvette in the garage and I'm scared to take it out and drive it because we don't seem to have any luck with great cars. We'll continue to drive our smart car, it's too small for anyone to hit!!

We're retired and the wife told me I can not buy myself out of retirement so buying another car is out of the question.

Anyway we hope everyone is safe and well and have a great 4th of July.

 

[jerz]

Stop driving good luck

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[pure zen]

Mark,,, Either start driving the '88 Vette or don't listen to the wife,,,, and go buy a replacement car that you like.

 

[MarkSki]

Mark,,, Either start driving the '88 Vette or don't listen to the wife,,,, and go buy a replacement car that you like.

I'll stick with your first recommendation and drive it.. A happy wife is a happy life and "I'm all ears dear, I'm listening dear"!

 

[James Landi]

Mark,
As I age, I'm increasingly more concerned about accidents such as you've experience. Fortunately, we live in Maine, and even in "high season" when, during normal times, 36 million "resorters" come to vacation, there are many rural, back roads that one can use to avoid traffic and enjoy the XLR. I have noticed that on occasion, some drivers will attempt to "engage" me in some kind of speed competition-- either at a traffic light or on a multi lane road. Certainly will admit to a time that I'd relish the chance to put the pedal to the metal... but not now. Call me a coward or maybe an aging boomer, but I'm much more sensitive about my limited capacity as a driver to determine a positive outcome when I have a chance to roll the dice, and an outcome is uncertain. And finally, so sorry to hear about your experiences... they are, indeed, unsettling. James

 

[MarkSki]

James we WERE on a back road, temp in the 70's, top down, no wind. I was coming up a small in hill that makes a slow left at the top with a road coming in from the right. The was a Honda SUV waiting for me to go by so he could make a left turn onto that road to my right. There was a car on that right road also waiting.

There was a white KIA behind the Honda SUV that suddenly pulled out and hit me. I did all I could to avoid this, missing everyone except the KIA, going off of the road to the right at the top of the hill then getting the XLR back onto the road. I had zero place to go to prevent him hitting me. Looking at the XLR it doesn't look like more than surface scratches until you open the door and see the crushed frame then the broken rear wheel. When I tried to drive the car the tranny was not right and the axle seemed like it was pushed into the tranny.

I'm just glad that my wife or our dog or I was not hurt. I have a few more pics but you get the idea. It really doesn't look bad other than replacing the door and doing fiberglass body work.

 

[long Tall Sally]

just interested. You said you car was totaled. So did that little bit of damage total it? Did running off the road if I understand do underside damage? That hit on the wheel does not appear to be bad enough to rip the frame. I have had the whole control arm ripped off and no frame damage.

 

[pure zen]

The XLR, being a rare, discontinued low production model with limited body panels available probably makes it easier for insurance adjusters to just
'total' the car and let the company negotiate a wholesale value figure with the insured customer if the car is insured as a daily driver. JMO

If your XLR is a garage queen, seasonal/weekend toy, and not your principal daily driver.......its best to insure it with "collector car insurance with agreed-to-value if totaled out in a accident".

Most 10 to 15 year old vehicles don't draw much interest with insurance adjusters,,,,,easier to figure it's life is basically over.

 

[MarkSki]

The half shaft was pushed into the tranny and the case was cracked. I don't have a picture of the door open but the frame behind the damage at the edge of the door is broken with fiberglass missing. It doesn't look like much damage from the pictures until you get under the car. Going off of the road didn't seem to do any damage, it was hard dirt.

 

[long Tall Sally]

ok that makes since .not really the frame on the car but the door frame. I think I saw where someone said they bought and repaired it for 2000$ I sort of recognize the color and the door damage from the auction sale.

 

[Gord]

ok that makes since .not really the frame on the car but the door frame. I think I saw where someone said they bought and repaired it for 2000$ I sort of recognize the color and the door damage from the auction sale.

USD4,800 to buy it. Plus fees. Plus more fees. And taxes.

 

[MarkSki]

That's the car. Look at the bottom of the door and you can see the start of the frame/unibody damage. $2000 to fix it if you get a free tranny, get the frame/unibody fixed, body work like the door and the side of the car, I doubt $2000.

That's okay, I received more than the retail price and that's the way things go. I still miss the car, a car that had it all. I bought it with 42,000 and drove it about 60,000 smiles.

 

[pure zen]

Odometer at auction sale shows > 113,189 miles. You got your use out of the car, and enjoyed it. Car's age & mileage made it easy
for the insurance adjuster to 'total it'.

Only time will tell if the auction buyer finds the hidden damage or not. If it doesn't get fully repaired,,,the new owner can get a good
return on parting out [ headlights, tail lights, top, trunk, quarter panels, seats, engine, etc ]

 

[MarkSki]

The headlights/running lights had the melted lens as many of the 2004 had. Other than the left side body damage the rest of the car was in 100%. A new radiator that was 3 months old and installed by Caddy for $1400., a 1 1/2 yr/old AGM battery that I should have pulled out but didn't have the time. I had an old boat battery to replace it. That AGM battery is the way to go when your car sits for long periods. It really holds a charge and I never had a flat battery problem and the car sat for alone time now and then. We went to a lot of great places with the car. We still have our Vette for trips now that I'm over the loss of the XLR.

 

[long Tall Sally]

trannies dont sell so a shop that breaks cars would have plenty of them . also the parts needed are cheap and plentiful. I would think 2K sounds low but with a rebuilder and people on salary very do-able.

 

[Bakertech]

This past April 28th I was sideswiped on the driver's side. The whole side was wiped out, the frame was busted, not just cracked, right where my left butt cheek was. The left rear wheel was broken and the tranny was damaged too.

I had $320 left to pay the car off. USAA totaled the car and I feel they gave me a good settlement. We really REALLY miss that car. This 2004 XLR was to replace a 2000 Jaguar that also was totaled when a woman ran us off the road.

I have a 1988 Corvette in the garage and I'm scared to take it out and drive it because we don't seem to have any luck with great cars. We'll continue to drive our smart car, it's too small for anyone to hit!!

We're retired and the wife told me I can not buy myself out of retirement so buying another car is out of the question.

Anyway we hope everyone is safe and well and have a great 4th of July.

Saving a car in the garage is like saving your wife/girlfriend for the next guy.
Drive it!