About 4am today, leaving town, it had snowed a bit last night. Noticed it was slightly slick, not enough to engage 4wd. Main drag out of town was salted, but as soon as I was out of the city limits, glare ice. Spun 90+ degrees and entered a steep ditch on the opposite side of the road bass-ackwards and landed on the side of the truck. Had to roll down driver side window and pop out the opening. Really cremed it good, cab bent, bed don't line up with the cab, windshield busted out, rear window, right windows, blown rf tire, she's pretty much a total I'd say. Right shoulder pretty sore, but I'm ok, no am'blance called or anything. Probably get a new Colorado. Ticks me off 'cuz I really like the little gas hog, it was a Chevy S10 with the ZR2 package.
DANG!

Gilly

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Aww Man! I hate it when that happens!

I'm sorry for your loss, but at least you are ok.

I came within a few inches of being in a multi car pile-up in my SL here in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon. I gave the car behind me every inch I could as things came to a quick stop. He got stopped ok, but the one behind him couldn't quite get stopped in time. I'm sure the damage wasn't much, but it was a sobering moment as I realized just how lucky I was.

Well, enjoy your search for a new truck!

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02 S500
92 500SL
92 400E (Sold)
87 300E (Sold)
83 300D Turbo (Sold)
75 300D (Sold)
74 240D (Sold after 20 years)

It's good the hear you're OK. Too bad about the truck. Last night there were cars everywhere except on the road.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

I'll see if I can get some pics of it posted tomorrow. I went ahead and took the plates off of it. Shoulder still aches, but not bruised at all, I'll tough it out and work tomorrow, didn't work today. Went back to the scene and found my garage door opener, 21 cents, and a rubber floor mat. Plastic shards everywhere, fender flares and the bug deflector mostly, and lots of glass. I still don't know exactly where I was in the truck after it happened, had enough presence of mind to open the drivers window though to get out. It'd probably still run and drive if the tailpipe wan't kinked, I didn't try though, why bother? They "better" total it is my only thought now, I'm pretty sure it is though. Already been comparing Kelley Blue Book to what we owe on it, hopefully we'll be OK there, it looks like it anyways.
It was weird that the ice started so abruptly, I had good traction and accelerating one moment, then all of a sudden it was like I was launched sideways onto a skating rink. Also took out a "No Engine Braking" sign, broke the pole in 3 pieces. (I don't think engine braking would have helped anyways.....)

Gilly

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

Ow.........well the important thing is you walked away from it unharmed....which is the most you can hope for when you have an accident.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Gilly,
Ouch! Glad you walked away OK. We get "black ice" on the back roads of Virginia that do the same thing... one minute, everything's cool, and then, wheeeee! boom! Amazing how things can change in an instant.

Good thing is: bent metal is only bent metal...

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KenP

1996 S500 W140 Coupe

Glad you are OK GIlly. I've never been able to figure out a good defense against glare ice. As the previous poster said it can just appear out of nowhere and really make things exciting.

You'll probably like the Colorado. I've put 4000 miles on one in the last 6 weeks or so. A nice solid, quiet truck. There is a website, " Coloradofans.com. Pretty good information, except some many youngins there who ask questions about the 5 cyl engine--like is a 5 cylinder engine balanced? Will it last? How revolutionary for GM to invent a 5 cyl? Its pretty funny--I try to educate them that MB has been building 5 cyls for decades.
My truck is a base extened cab, ( company truck). You will probably get a higher trim level, but if you don't---because it is fly-by-wire, almost everything for cruise control is already there. You can add cruise control simply by replacing the turn signal stalk with one that has the cruise functions. Cost is under $100 for parts. Dealers want over $300.
The base interior, even in extended cab trucks does not have reclining seats.

I drove through that storm on Friday. Came over to visit my Dad on the north end of Wisconsin. From the time I crossed the 45th parallel it was blizzard conditions. Made for a pretty dicey drive across the UP cause once in the UP the blizzard turned to white-out conditions. I got hung behind a semi for a while. Stayed just close enough to barely see the trailer. Didn't want to get too far back for fear of not seeing him stop. About 1/2 way across the UP I watched the trailer start going sideways, after the driver hit the brakes for a couple cars that pulled out in front of him. The storm let up just as I arrived at the farm.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Most people won't believe what the freak ice can do to you until they experience it firsthand. Some people drive a lifetime in ice and snow and never see it.

I have had a couple close calls. One like yours, backwards down an embankment. I was a little luckier and suffered no damage.