I'm Glad It Was A Benz - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Bruce Bonds · #1 07-04-2003, 04:07 PM

Last night I got the call that is a dad's worst nightmare. "Dad we had a wreck." My two daughters 21 and 18 and two girlfriends were in the '81 300D headed for Atlanta on I-85 South. They were in the inside HOV lane going 70 mph. The back p/s tire came apart and Allison lost control and smacked the concrete barrier on her side. The car went airborne, landed on its top and then righted itself. And the good news is, all four girls were in seatbelts and all four girls walked away with minor scratches and bruises. I went to the wrecker yard to take a look this morning (and to strip all usable parts) and there she sat like a deserted tank on the battlefield and my thoughts were "thanks for holding together long enough to keep those four girls alive." And thank God for another miracle. By the way, the tire that came apart was an original spare Continental. I guess it was dry rotted after riding in the trunk for 22 years. I just put it on last week.

I hope everyone has a happy Independence Day. It's more like Thanksgiving Day for me.

Later,

BIGRED · #2 07-04-2003, 05:27 PM

Amen

coachgeo · #3 07-04-2003, 05:44 PM

Very glad to hear !!!!!!!!!!! I KNOW it could have been VERY different

My sweety was not so lucky. She struggled and then passed Dec. of 2000 about 3 months after the accident.

Chevy Cavalier.

BoostnBenz · #4 07-04-2003, 08:20 PM

Sorry to hear that Coachgeo. That is excellent the mercedes held up in that accident. (seems like there has been an extraordinary amount of accidents lately

) Also that is food for thought, hearing this I don't think my spare will ever be going over 55. I'm not positive if my 84 has the original (I know the rim was rotated onto the car) but the 83 does.

ATLD · #5 07-05-2003, 02:04 AM

Glad things turned out as they did Bruce; and that only the MB had to go to the "yard," and not your daughters. They really are tanks!

Sorry to hear about your loss Coachgeo. It must have been very hard.

God Bless to all and a happy 4th!

ATLD

diesel don · #6 07-05-2003, 09:44 AM

I'm so glad to hear of their safety after having a mishap of our own.

Coachgeo...I as well was stunned to hear of your loss (in my post and in this one).

Don

coachgeo · #7 07-05-2003, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by diesel don
I'm so glad to hear of their safety after having a mishap of our own.

Coachgeo...I as well was stunned to hear of your loss (in my post and in this one).

Don

I's just a mention to humanize deeply the other realities that could have resulted, thus increasing the appreciation of what did not.

Thanx for the comments.

For her I'm happy..... she will dance for an eternity!

For me.... she wont let me be stay alone. I'm sure she's pulling strings to help my path cross with the next one to light my life. Hope the next one knows to knock me up beside the head so I know she's walking by.

:p . I suck at this dating game.

:p

JerryBro · #8 07-05-2003, 04:20 PM

This has me thinking of all the people I've known whose lives were changed, or shortened, by auto accidents, and the lessons I've learned from them.
Old lessons:
Ride a bike, wear a helmet.
Always wear a seat belt.
Cars and lives are soluble in alcohol.
Motels are cheap, when you're tired, park it and sleep.
If you're medicated, you could be dangerous.
Mass matters, mini cars lose to maxi vans every time.
Never drive faster than you can stop.

Recent lessons:
Full frames deflect minivans.
No one will talk about the price or fuel mileage at the funeral.
If that call is important, pull over for it.
Time wears tires too.
There's more to safety than airbags.

If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way.

Jerry

BoostnBenz · #9 07-05-2003, 05:29 PM

Cool post there JerryBro, the only one I could think of is almost a reaction to one of those (Never drive faster than you can stop.). Never assume another driver sees you, I've been cut off dozens upon dozens of times, only one resulting damage so far (met a curb HARD!!) thank goodness. I've had my brights on in mid day before and was still cut off....

In the area I drive in everyone runs red lights, tailgates like mad, there is never one open car space between vehicles no matter how fast they are going. While you almost have to play along with the tailgating (or become a moving obstacle) I like to stop slowly and early just in case that car way behind me doesn't see me. Even if they do I keep rolling forward, most of the time at lights I don't even end up completely stopping.

jassz · #10 07-05-2003, 06:01 PM

Bruce Bonds, I'm glad they thought to pack their Guardian Angels with them when they left! I'm sure the incident aged everyone ten years.

Coachgeo, that must have been the hardest three months of your life. I am so sorry for your loss.

Quote:

. I suck at this dating game.

Yeah, it kind of makes oil coolers seem like a piece of cake!:p Hey, I've been trying to hook my mechanic up with someone on this board. She quite the riot... she's an electrical engineer, she has some company that develops computer firewalls, and she repairs MB's just cause she LIKES to.

Seriously, when the right one comes along, she'll most definitely hit you upside the head.

As for driving advice, I always remember the words of my dear ole da, who said, "Tis better to arrive late in this world than early in the next." Amen.

84300DT · #11 07-08-2003, 07:08 AM

bruce, glad your story had a happy ending. last may i saw in my rear view mirror my 22 yr old son flip an '89 vw going 70mph on I-95 in SC. fortunately the german technology allowed him to walk away without a scratch.

guess you'll be buying your daughters another benz, eh

coachgeo · #12 07-08-2003, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 84300DT
bruce, glad your story had a happy ending. last may i saw in my rear view mirror my 22 yr old son flip an '89 vw going 70mph on I-95 in SC. fortunately the german technology allowed him to walk away without a scratch.

guess you'll be buying your daughters another benz, eh

Gulp, and your son's life flashed before your eyes as he rolled to I bet. Glad you didnt have a heart attach youself from that event.

This thread is turning into ... "Learn from others Life/Death lessons"

84300DT · #13 07-08-2003, 10:35 AM

thanks coach + sorry about your loss. yes, it was like a bad movie- as i ran back to where the car came to rest i could only think of how i would be able to tell my wife her son was gone.

Bruce Bonds · #14 07-08-2003, 04:02 PM

Thanks to all for the thoughts and kind remarks. I have already started looking at 123s in the Atlanta area. My four main criteria are: 1) cost less than $2500, 2) a/c works and does not leak, 3) no additional oil required between 3000 mile changes, and 4) no rust.

The 123s I have looked at so far seem way over priced. I did some research on private party resale value using both Edmunds and Kelly. I realize that I will have to pay higher than "book" for the right car but not 2 to 3 times "book."

Anyway, got off subject. Sorry. I have to go to the wrecker yard and see if the salvage guy will take the '81 and pay the $150 I owe for towing and storage.

Thanks again,

william rogers · #15 07-09-2003, 02:06 AM

Bruce, not only dose your post reinforce many other posts that good older MB diesels are a great choise for young people because of their safety record. But you brought up a point I never thought of or seen mentioned are those origional spares.sometime back I bought a 77 Audi Fox wagon that an older woman had owned and it also had a never down Continental spare. I only drove the car a short time but am sure I would have used the spare with out a thought as to it's age ,your post may well save
others from misfortune..........
William Rogers..........