My 300D was killed Tuesday! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jadavis · #16 09-27-2007, 10:26 PM

First things first. I'm glad to hear you are alive and well. I'm also glad that I drive the same model and might have a chance at walking away from an otherwise deadly accident.

I showed my wife the picture and told here what hit the car. I guess I was trying make a statement about the ruggedness of the design. The first words out of here mouth were "Does the air conditioner work?"

The AC on my 87 300D has been out all summer and that was the first thing she thought of.

Umm..so...umm...did the AC work? Would you like to sell me your compressor?

-Jim

Hatterasguy · #17 09-27-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bustedbenz

But if he'd had those fancy air bags, he'dve been in a newer car and therefore would have been folded up in a nice little heap of metal on the side of the road. Probably would have gotten hurt worse even with air bags, given the fact that modern air bagged cars seem to crumple more.

Side air bags in a 123? Brilliant idea.

Doubt that. Read up on crash dynamics, crumple zones are good, and the W124 does have them. Front and rear, as does the W123. Just like the latest W211.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjWNTL-hMuY

bustedbenz · #18 09-27-2007, 10:42 PM

Fair enough. The older Benzes just feel more like tanks to me.

Adenauer · #19 09-27-2007, 10:49 PM

Geeze, I just keep staring at the pictures you've loaded. I have the same car and the pictures made me go to the garage a bit ago to give it a big kiss on the roof! You are one fortunate soul to have walked from that accident.

About ten years ago, my former wife connected with a concrete barrier at highway speed on I-40 in Nashville while driving my '85 300D. She called from the car and was a wreck herself because she was just sure that I would be crushed myself that the car was damaged. I arrived to find that only the rubber strip on the front bumper was torn loose. How the front end was not destroyed is still a wonder to me. The Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper pointed out the skid marks on the interstate heading toward the barrier at about a sixty degree angle. A few months later, her nearly new Chevy Cavalier was T-boned and written-off on West End downtown.

I add my thoughts along with everyone for a quick recovery.

Jim B. · #20 09-27-2007, 10:56 PM

I am glad you are going to be ok. Just imagine what might have happened to you in some cheap high MPG car. Thank you for the picures.

This the unarguable reason to own a Mercedes. The safety of them.

Hopefully you'll find another good MB diesel and be able to start anew.

TwitchKitty · #21 09-28-2007, 05:11 AM

You were very lucky. Don't kid yourself about being safe in an accident. No car can protect you in an accident, you were lucky.

Ken300D · #22 09-28-2007, 07:57 AM

Glad to hear you are OK and thank you for sharing the experience. I have saved the pictures to show my wife because my 1987 300D is going to be her car, and she will also have our young son strapped in the back in his car seat.

A Chevy 3500 Van is not to be sneered at when it T-bones you. I believe the W124 has improved side-impact barriers in the doors compared to a W123 - correct me if I'm wrong. Chances are the van was carrying some amount of cargo as well, making the impact even worse.

One thing you have to teach new drivers these days is that "Green does not mean GO, without looking first." I almost got T-boned by a dump truck one time that blatently ran a red light at full speed. It would have involved serious injury because I was only in a light pickup S-10.

Many of us would recommend you not accept the insurance company's first offer. They try to get you to take a lowball offer while you are still shaken up about the accident. It's a good time to let them sweat for awhile, and while you search for similar cars for sale on the market.

Somehow, I think you'll avoid the temptation to replace the Mercedes with a Toyota Prius just to get the good fuel mileage............

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Ken300D

barry123400 · #23 09-28-2007, 09:27 AM

There is always the unfortunate accident. Almost as bad or worse in my experience is dealing with the insurance company at some point afterwards.
I had to become creative to even break even on the last occasion. Something I really do not like doing but required unfortunatly. It was totally amazing that my state of shock lasted a month. Really could not concentrate at all. Might become a reocurring thing even.
In my opinion they might try to bend you over on the car value. Play fair if so and bend them over on your physical and mental distress. Not all insurance people are crooks. Just seems to be the ones I have dealt with. A little experience taught me how devious they can be.
Some people have pleasant experiences with them. I seem to have missed that boat on repeat occasions. This accident was not your fault after all. They almost try to make it fifty fifty for starters regardless of the situation in my area and attempt to bury evidence to the contrary. I am not cynical in general but have no love for insurance companies. I have had to force fairness as it was never their intent. Consider a lawyer as well or at least consult one at some point.

Tymbrymi · #24 09-28-2007, 10:14 AM

Glad to hear your okay, and sorry to hear about the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwitchKitty

No car can protect you in an accident, you were lucky.

So the cars of the 1920s with rigid chassis, no seatbelts, etc protect you just as well as that W124? Somehow I think in that accident there were safety features of the car that did save his life. I would also include the crumple zones on the front of the van. If those were not there and you repeated the accident he would be dead. Which would lead many people would say that the car protected him.

To drive around recklessly because you have a safe car is another story...

rick surgent · #25 09-28-2007, 04:23 PM

engine and trans avail??

winmutt · #26 09-28-2007, 05:08 PM

Man a couple winches and a sledge hammer will get that out....

deerefanatic · #27 09-28-2007, 09:28 PM

Lol! :d

cavaliers16 · #28 09-28-2007, 10:16 PM

Wow. I'm glad you're all right. I am amazed at how you actually *walked* away from a near 60 mph t-bone collision. Very scary!!!

Knightrider966 · #29 09-29-2007, 12:23 AM

The Don is right! Get a good lawyer and sue the crap out of this idiot! Hopefully it wasn't an ILLEGAL ALIEN! I don't know of any of them that have insurance. Don't play nice. You will end up being a loser and you will be surely taken advantage of! A good ambulance chaser that performs like a pit bull ***** on wheels will come in handy here!

PanzerSD · #30 09-29-2007, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psfred

I didn't ask how fast he was going -- witnesses reported he was going 60 and did not brake for the traffic light. I assume he saw me and stomped the brakes just before impact, but I'll have to look at the skid marks next time I'm there to see where my car was when he hit. If it did try to dodge me, I'm very grateful -- the location of the impact caused me to be the center of rotation, and I dont' have any whiplash injuries, just one heck of a boot to the ribs.

I have another pic that shows just how far the door is pushed in -- over a foot.

I've not previously tested damage vs impact speed, and have no desire to be a crash test dummy again.

Sad thing is, I ALWAYS make sure traffic stops on that highway, as there is almost always someone who ignores or "pushes" the light -- I was the second car through on the green that morning, I'm glad he didn't hit the BMW M3 in front of me, that would have been way too ugly before my first cup of coffee!

Not a snowballs chance in the bad place that one is gonna be fixable -- roof is bent up, the side is bashed in almost 18 inches below the corner of the windshield, radio and climate control are crushed, dash is pushed up a foot or more, plain ugly.
Peter

definately not fixable. I've fixed some bad wrecks in my time as a body man and I know that car would have to be mated with another half a car in order for it to be fixed, and with it being a Benz, that's not likely to happen.