had an accident Friday... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jivadent · #1 09-01-2002, 05:26 PM

I hydroplaned, lost control, and ran into a guard rail which spun me so I was facing oncoming traffic. Then a Toyota minivan came and hit me head on. I got out of it with a stitched lip, no broken bones or anything. That Mercedes rocked. I bet I would be in much worse condition had it been in another car.

The bad thing about it is that the front end is about over. I don't think it can be fixed, or if it can, if it's even worth it. It won't turn over, but the power windows work, and the vacuum locks, but the dome light doesn't, but the dash lights do.

Anyway, I guess I'm gonna sell it to a Mercedes shop here in town for parts, and I'll also be in the market for a new Diesel, so if anyone knows one for sale around the southeast (I'm in north Florida), I'd appreciate any tips.

Gabriel

DieselGent · #2 09-01-2002, 06:02 PM

I am glad you are okay

But I know its said to see another classic car in bad shape

Good luck on finding another one. Since I just recently purchased my 300d, my wife wants a diesel mercedes for herself too

Ken300D · #3 09-01-2002, 08:55 PM

How did the Toyota Minivan and its occupant(s) make out?

Ken300D

jivadent · #4 09-01-2002, 11:27 PM

There were 5 people in the minivan, father, mother and 3 kids. None of the airbags went off. The father's chest was hurt pretty bad by the seatbelt, and he was in pain and could barely breathe. Two of the kids hit something or another, and they were taken on stretchers along with their father. The mother and the smallest kid were fine. The sheriff said none of them had anything serious.

Gabriel

190D22 · #5 09-01-2002, 11:40 PM

And I'm sure you feel awful too. I have a friend who was driving onetime, it was foggy, and it was on a road w/ lots of curves. He was driving carefully down this road, and he notices before he can react a car on his side of the road and they hit dead on. He walks away with just about nothing and a totalled car. The other car had a girl driving and her mother in the passenger seat. The girl died, her mom I can't remember what happened to her. My friend felt absolutely terrible. He's a good man, he's a school principal and he's very caring. It was no fault of his, but he still felt terrible.

billrok · #6 09-01-2002, 11:48 PM

Did you have full coverage? You might consider buying the car back from the insurance company and pulling every conceiveable part off the car for your next MB. If you get a 126 Chassis, you will be in great shape for years to come. Think about all the little things you could get off your car that you would never have to buy again. Switches, gages, trim pieces, vacuum items, engine parts galore, man I could go on forever......

84300DT · #7 09-02-2002, 02:42 PM

jivadent,
glad to hear nobody was seriosuly injured in your accident.

yesterday in steady rain i almost ran over a family of pedestrians crossing against a light on busy route 1 here. i was in the far right lane about to take a right turn with a green arrow and my view was blocked by an enormous behemoth SUV. the disc brakes on my 18 yr old car locked up and we skidded to a stop with about 2 feet to spare when the family with kids ran right in front of us.

jivadent · #8 09-02-2002, 03:01 PM

Yeah, I felt horrible at the time. I don't think there was any way I could've avoided it (save going REALLY slow), but when I saw that driver in so much pain, and them taking 3 of them away on stretchers, I felt like hell. I was very happy that none of them had anything serious.

I only had minimal insurance on the car (never got in an accident before), so the insurance company won't do anything for me.

Gabriel

#9 09-02-2002, 03:16 PM

What matters is that everyone is OK. Cars can be replaced.

#10 09-02-2002, 05:26 PM

Glad you and the others are OK, that's all that matters.

I had an accident in my '70 Olds a few months ago, which was totalled. I fretted over it for months and fought the ins co until I got a decent settlement. Looking back, I'm lucky to be walking. With the cash settlement and the parts I've been able to sell off the wreck, I've made more than it's worth.

If you put a lot of time and effort into it, you should be able to salvage and sell quite a bit off your Benz. Think of it as a part-time job. Sell your parts on forums, e-Bay, what have you. In the end, you should be able to make enough to help buy a good portion of another diesel.

As far as Benz FS, check

Auto Trader, e-Bay and local car shopper magazines.

Good luck!!

deezuhl · #11 09-03-2002, 11:21 PM

Gabriel-

It's Bryan, your Theta buddy from next door. Man, as I was leaving work today I saw the car and was like "awwwww no." I'm glad to hear you're ok.....that car took a beatin'. But you're alive because you were driving a German steel tank. I was just involved in an accident about 3 months ago with my 190D Turbo (to this day i still cringe when i see a domino's driver)

Come visit me at theta or something one day when I'm taking out the trash or whenever you see me outside so we can talk a lil' more about it.

Take it easy-
Bryan.

jivadent · #12 09-04-2002, 12:06 AM

Hey Bryan,

Yeah, the car is pretty messed up, but it sure saved me. I don't know that many people can say they got hit head on by a minivan and ended up with only a stitched lip.

I'm glad to see you found this board too

I'll see around the parking lot.

Gabriel