A Sad day for my Boxster - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Bob O · 11-28-2006, 06:41 PM

A week or so ago, the DAY before my wife and I left for vacation, (hence the delay in posting this) for a LONNGGG overdue rest for her, and me

the Boxster was crunched. My wife was working late, as usual, getting ready to leave, son was with his girlfriend, and I was home alone and hungry. I went out to get something to eat at a new Cajun place I'd heard about. I was in the parking lot of the place, a strip mall, with the Boxster. There was an aisle going east/west, and an intersecting one going north/south. I stopped at the intersection, seeing an SUV approaching from the north. She turned the corner,, and kept turning,, and kept turning...right into the front of the Boxster. THere was nothing i could do....there was a car behind me and parked cars on the right. Fortunately, a witness was there and stared in disbelief as she just kept coming.

End result was.. bumper destroyed, front left fender destroyed, hood destroyed, radiators destroyed, front left suspension, tire, wheel, and I don't know what else, destroyed. A cop arrived about 30 seconds after the accident (he must have been on the street next to the strip mall and seen me jumping up and down screaming at this stupid lady). Apparently, in Missouri, if an accident occurs on private property, the police won't write tickets. However, he DID write a report stating that if this had occured on public property, she would have gotten at least three tickets: Crossing the center line, careless driving and something else i'm not remembering at the moment.

Her insurance company almost immediately accepted total responsibility for the claim, and it will be fixed. But dammmmmmm it just won't be the same. I damm near cried when it happened. This car was perfect and was my baby. You all can appreciate that. I know I know.. its just a car. I keep telling all my friends that when they get on me for driving it in the winter. It IS just a car in the final analysis, but still..........................

I'm absolutely amazed at the amount of damage incurred by the boxster in such an accident. I know the front is designed to crumple to absorb impact. But this was less than five mph. And it destroyed the whole front end. Around 10-12 K damage from a 5 mph crash. Not counting diminished value, which I and the insurance company have not discussed yet. Holy S*(***. The other thing is, I'm amazed at the LACK of damage to the SUV. Literally there was one small scratch on her bumper.. that's all. She drove home.. I'll be at least 4 - 5 weeks in the repair shop, IF they can get parts.

OK.. I feel a little better.. not much but a little.

Thanks for reading

Bob

RandallNeighbour · 11-28-2006, 06:48 PM

Be strong on the diminished value negotiations, and don't hold back telling them your lawyer will be taking over when they try and give you too little.

What a total pain in the arse for you.

I bet that third ticket was driving while on the dang cell phone. Every person on the road is talking on their cell phone in Houston!

blue2000s · 11-28-2006, 06:49 PM

Don't get too caught up on just speed. Momentum is the factor that leads to damage and momentum is directly related to mass (weight). The SUV always wins, the motorcycle always looses.

djomlas · 11-28-2006, 06:54 PM

wow, hopefully u get it up and running again, but thats what happens when u colide or the SUV colides with you.
hang in there

Bob O · 11-28-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

Don't get too caught up on just speed. Momentum is the factor that leads to damage and momentum is directly related to mass (weight). The SUV always wins, the motorcycle always looses.

Physics, sometimes, is a wonderful thing, if you're on the right side of the equation. Given that F = M * A, it doesn't take much acceleration for a 5000+ pound SUV to create a lot of force, especially in relation to, in my particular case, zero acceleration!!! So yes.... the SUV doesn't need much speed (acceleration) to create a LOT of force, and, therefore, a huge amount of damage to the poor little Boxster in its path. But it's still amazing to me, looking at the car, how MUCH damage there is. Physics in action...Oh well, I guess my lab instructor would be nodding his head right now. That's no consolation!

11-28-2006, 07:30 PM

Where in kansas city? I have had some weird people almost hit me bunches of times. One guy changed lanes without looking, I had to chuck norris my way over to the other lane. This was on ward pky.

Bob O · 11-28-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boggtown

Where in kansas city? I have had some weird people almost hit me bunches of times. One guy changed lanes without looking, I had to chuck norris my way over to the other lane. This was on ward pky.

I was actually in Blue Springs at the time, but no one knows Blue Springs from squat, so I said KC! I live in Lee's Summit, but, again, no one knows THAT burb either. Maybe I should say KC Area or some such in my listing.

Grizzly · 11-28-2006, 07:48 PM

Bob,

I'm sorry to hear about your car. I'm just wondering, since you have to have the whole front end redone anyway, have you considered having the Boxster parts replaced with the '02 and up 996 front end? You're in the perfect situation to have the conversion done for free.

11-28-2006, 07:51 PM

Ya, all those and raytown, meriam, lenexa, and overland park are kinda fused in the city. I know to stay out of blue springs now, lol.

redman12 · 11-28-2006, 07:51 PM

I'm guessing the damage is not final estimation? It would probably go up more for a hidden damages. You never know.

Bob O · 11-28-2006, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly

Bob,

I'm sorry to hear about your car. I'm just wondering, since you have to have the whole front end redone anyway, have you considered having the Boxster parts replaced with the '02 and up 996 front end? You're in the perfect situation to have the conversion done for free.

I did inquire of the body shop about that. The owner, an ex 356 and current, ummm something owner, (I forgot exactly what in all the confusion) checked prices on a GT3 bumper, and a few other things like the 996 front end. It would end up costing me around $1,200 or so above the insurance claim, or so he said. It wasn't worth it to me to do it. ( I think it was that high because the right fender wasn't damaged, at least on first inspection.. just left front fender, bumper, hood and underpinnings.. JUST!!. So, that would require me to buy the headlight and right fender, in addition to the up charge for the bumper and paint for the right side. I, and he, might be wrong on this but that's my understanding) There might be another shop that would do it for less, but, at this point, I just want my car back like it was. And, seriously, I like the look of my 01 as it is (was

)

NickCats · 11-28-2006, 08:35 PM

Bob,

So sorry to hear about your car

Just glad you are ok !

Good luck with the repairs...

Nick

Adam · 11-28-2006, 09:57 PM

Sorry to hear about that Bob.

TriGem2k · 11-28-2006, 10:19 PM

Thankfull you are ok and did not miss the vacation. Sorry about the loss

Whats with it this week and Boxsters gettin wrecked? Must be bad Turkey or something.

Boxtaboy · 11-29-2006, 03:38 AM

Sorry to hear man. What did the lady in the SUV say about what she did btw?

You know, you could always wait till the car is fixed to look like new, and then sell it. Take the proceeds of that and buy a similar model year pre-owned S! Perfect way to turn this into a good experience for ya!

z12358 · 11-29-2006, 03:51 AM

Bob, sorry to hear, and do make sure you get ALL repairs covered + the loss of value due to a damaged/repaired car.

A small correction. Momentum = M*V (mass * speed). The SUV need not be accelerating (A=0) for it to produce the damaging momentum.

Z.

insite · 11-29-2006, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob O

OK.. I feel a little better.. not much but a little.

man, that sucks. but hey, when life hands lemons, make lemonaide, right? why not use this opportunity to pay a couple hundred bucks extra for a GT3 bumper or something. might as well get something worth while out of the situation.

Bob O · 11-29-2006, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by z12358

Bob, sorry to hear, and do make sure you get ALL repairs covered + the loss of value due to a damaged/repaired car.

A small correction. Momentum = M*V (mass * speed). The SUV need not be accelerating (A=0) for it to produce the damaging momentum.

Z.

Z: True, the equation for momentum is p = m * v (mass times velocity) from which can be derived Newton's second law - F(orce) = M(ass)*A(cceleration). Both are correct, in non relativistic classical mechanics. YOUhowever are correct in that momentum (not dependent upon acceleration or changing momentum....whoaaaa wait...let's NOT get into this) vs force was the deciding factor in the amount of damage. Minus 10 pts for me. Its been too many years since I had Mechanics. I KNEW I shoudn't have brought this up!

And yes.. the motocycle always loses

Bob

ohioboxster · 11-29-2006, 06:51 AM

Would it be wrong to ask for pictures? I kind of want to see what it looks like. Sorry for your loss.

Perfectlap · 11-29-2006, 07:15 AM

what kind of SUV was this?
Consider yourself lucky. There was a poster on this forum who had a family member who was severely injured (lost a limb) in frontal collision with telephone pole driving a Boxster. He posted pictures and it was scary. I drive 55 and steer clear and speed away from SUV's, people I notice talking on cellphones or weavers. Not that you could have done anything to prevent this though...