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

psfred · #1 09-27-2007, 08:55 PM

Tuesday morning at about 7:35 am an idiot ran the traffic light a mile from my house and hit my 87 300D in the front door at about 60 (unless he was braking, unlikely). I ended up going south instead of east, somewhat smashed (pic below).

He was driving a '99 Chevy 3500 van (3/4 ton, I think), hit me about a foot in front of the B pillar.

Crushed the door in at least a foot, bent the windshield frame down, crushed the climate control and radio, pushed the dash up about a foot and out 3 inches or more -- someone had to find a pair of long pliers to reach in and shut off the engine (running at half throttle or so, I couldn't find the accelerator to pull it back up, and the hood latch was gone).

I unbuckled, climbed over and opened the passenger door and rummaged in the trunk for some paper towels to keep from dripping blood all over -- bunch of window glass in the back of my left arm and pretty good cut in my right arm from my exploded coffee cup. My computer stayed on the seat, believe it or not -- spinning the car around must have absorbed most of the impact. I don't remember if I was on the brake or not, or turned the wheel -- just happened to glance up to the left and thing, "oh sh.., this is gonna hurt" before he hit me.

I got two stitches, have to go down and get the glass picked out next week, and some VERY sore ribs, and a ride with two nice volunteer firemen down to the hospital for X-rays and stitches.

Bummer, I was planning on installing my new head something next month and rebuilding the rear subframe -- I had 274,000 or so miles on the odometer.

Now I gotta find another Benz, preferably another 87 300D!

TheDon · #2 09-27-2007, 08:58 PM

That really blows..

Glad you came out relatively ok. Now its time to get that sucker in court

kerry · #3 09-27-2007, 08:59 PM

Glad to hear your injuries were not life threatening.

pselaphid · #4 09-27-2007, 09:00 PM

Yikes, that sort of thing has been happening of late. Sort of a bad nightmare for most of us. Sorry to hear about it. At least you are not badly hurt. Makes me glad to be driving around in such a stoutly put together machine, though.

bustedbenz · #5 09-27-2007, 09:02 PM

Can't think what 60 mph in the driver's door area would do to a little econo-car these days.

Glad you're okay. (Relatively)

PanzerSD · #6 09-27-2007, 09:19 PM

Glad to hear that you're still alive, though the minor cuts and sorness will heal...

your car however, will not. I suggest you find one just like that and take the back half of the smashed and make a trailer out of it.

Wodnek · #7 09-27-2007, 09:20 PM

It is extremely difficult to believe that that was all from a 60mph hit from a 1 ton van. I would expect that to be from 30-40. If it was going 60 I am really impressed. That car sacrificed itself for you. I have seen lesser cars with the drivers door touching the passenger door from a 60mph hit. We are all glad your basically all right. I wish you the best through the ordeal.

635CSi · #8 09-27-2007, 09:27 PM

Good to hear that you walked away from the accident, just goes to show how well built these Benz's are!

deerefanatic · #9 09-27-2007, 09:37 PM

Amazing!

That's one reason I drive these!

Find a reputable honest frame shop with an EasyLiner.. They might be able to straighten her out.... If not, they key is finding a shop that will fess up and tell you so right off.... I know a guy in Kalamazoo MI that did my 84...... Lot of drive for you, but I can fix you up with him if you want.... He'll tell ya if it isn't going to be worth it / safe.........

psfred · #10 09-27-2007, 09:47 PM

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

JimmyL · #11 09-27-2007, 09:50 PM

Glad you are relatively OK. A drivers side door T-bone can really be a bad accident.
Hope the healing goes well, and that you find your next Benz soon. Keep us posted, and good luck with the glass extraction.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

That really blows..

Glad you came out relatively ok. Now its time to get that sucker in court

Just what we've come to expect from you Don.......

deerefanatic · #12 09-27-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psfred

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

Hmmm........ I still say it looks mostly like a & b pillar damage (and of course the totalled door.....) But if the dash is toast, even when you pull the pillars out, it's gonna need a new dash, and all that interior stuff adds up fast!

I say find a good 124 with a blown engine (gas or diesel, doesn't matter being Indiana has no emissions testing) and put your good driveline in it........ If you're parting out, let us know. Heck, if I could find a good S-Class body with a trashed engine, I'd put a 603 in it quick and give it to my mom to drive......

RML · #13 09-27-2007, 10:08 PM

It looks like you would have been a gonner in a lesser car. I am glad to hear you are relatively OK and were able to walk away. Best of luck on finding a new Benz to your specs.

Richard

Hatterasguy · #14 09-27-2007, 10:18 PM

Wow glad your OK! Thats one of the reasons I drive Mercedes they are safe!

Sadly the car is certainly a write off, thats substantial frame damage. Even if you could somehow pull it out it would never be as strong again. Now its time to fight with the insurance. I'd have my lawyer deal with the insurance company. Pay up or see you in court.

To bad it didn't have side impact and curtain air bags, you probably wouldn't have gotten nearly as beaten up.

bustedbenz · #15 09-27-2007, 10:24 PM

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.