VX casualty.... again

[Chopper]

New parts have been punched since then. Plenty available.

[ZEUS]

Damn, WormGod! I am late to the show, but still pissed off for you! I don't think I would have been able to control myself in front of that douche bag! At the very least, I would repeat everything he was saying to me as if I had down syndrome, and then I'd ask, "Where's Arnie, Gilbert?" and maybe smack him upside the head!

Good luck with everything, Gary.

[WormGod]

Estimates look bad. 3 today and all places where I know most of the techs. They all found the fenders to be repairable with the hood questionable. I kinds saw that coming since I used to be a body tech, but I was hoping I would get lucky. Looks like I have a couple of options.

1 - Get the check for whatever estimate their insurance agrees with and get the listed repairs. Take the hit on an insurance claim that is documented.

2 - Get the check, sit on it until I can throw in the extra for all new panels. Take the hit on an insurance claim that is documented.

3 - Skip out on their inurance paying and take repair costs under my own belt. Saves me from having a Carfax hit.

Sadly, the shop wont just "cut me a check" without reporting to their insurance with a chosen estimate, so I am caught between a rock and a hard place with reported repairs. I refuse any bondo work and I hate to have a claim hit, so I am on the fence. Option 3 would be fine were I able to fart out money, but its also far too generous to the guys that put my vehicle in this situation.

Taking a bite out of the !@#$ sandwich inevitable. Luckily, she is very much drivable so even if I decide the "hole in the head" option 3, its not something I have to do right away. I have time. Tomorrow I will be doing a LOT of meditation on the subject. Make or break.

[VXIRONwoMAN]

I would have taken a fire extinguisher to somebody's face when I saw that! I have seen people nearly take out fellow VXer's when I am on the road, and I wish I had the Mach 5 from Speed Racer so I could activate the saws on the front of the car and mangle their vehicle. Sorry! I don't know what I would do if that happened... but I do know someone would be in the hospital, and it wouldn't be me. Good Luck!

[4X4 UFO]

I would take the money, and save up for the new parts, Gary. I wouldn't worry about the Carfax hit, I would want it repaired "as good as new", which is what the jerks that broke it should pay for, IMHO. I hated to hear about this, Gary. The collective IQ in this country keeps dropping...........

[Ldub]

The collective IQ in this country keeps dropping...........

Don't get me started on one of my "civilization Bad - natural selection Good" rants...it's a damn shame what passes for "acceptable" anymore.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I drove someone elses VX, and had a similar unexpected acceleration. I didn't hit anything, only scared myself.
The cause? Aftermarket pedal covers.
John C.

That was the first thing to pop into my skull too. I learned first hand from my Fiero when it happened to me skidding up to a deer...braking & accelerating at the same time! When I put pedals on the IronMan, I made every effort to space them apart! So far, so good.

Note to self...continue to change my own oil!

How very true! Fear of this kind of crap results in why I lay out on the cold, cold ground (that, and no garage!) to do scheduled maintenance. Even my trusted mechanic only sees her for the bigger jobs (trannie filter change).

Sounds like your supercharger took the tech by surprise and he froze at the controls.

A variation on this idea...they probably were so infatuated with the eye-candy (underhood mods) they got "sloppy" in doing their job.

I've done some underhood mods on my Ram (14" chrome Edelbrock "carb style" air cleaner, chrome Gibson headers, MSD ignition, new wires&belts&hoses) and now when the oil change gang opens the hood to do service...they stand there like they are in a trance...and things begin to get hairy after that! A couple changes ago, they put the wrong oil in! I caught them in the act and they fessed up but I let them off the hook and just made sure they billed me accordingly. (I asked for synthetic and they put in dino.) I still go there because: U drive it in and U sit in the vehicle while all service is done and U drive it out!

Aftermarket pedals surely are part of the issue. I even brought it up while we were looking over the damage. I had said to the guy that being a shop, his work boots were probably too bulky for the coverage down there, as I stopped wearing mine when driving because it so so tight. He still had a chip on his shoulder and denied it. Stuck by his word that the brakes simply did not work for him.

*enter my disrespect for liars HERE*

However, I worked in many shops over the years and we see all makes, models, and years go in and out of there everyday, so they have to always be prepared for different owner ride and comfort packages. If there is ever an issue or concern with any MOD that anyone has done to their vehicle, the operating tech or porter needs to declare this to management BEFORE the vehicle is even touched. Its simply a matter of covering your butt and making your insurance happy.

A few years back I would have admitted to the tech that the pedals & boots could have been part of it...but, now... I wouldn't give them any leg to stand on. It could only complicate matters leading up to you getting your VX returned to you in the proper condition.

I would take the money, and save up for the new parts, Gary. I wouldn't worry about the Carfax hit, I would want it repaired "as good as new", which is what the jerks that broke it should pay for, IMHO.

This is how I feel about it too. I would explore what your options are to try and get them to pay it all though. To me, your vehicle SHOULD be returned to you as humanly possible to the condition it was when it entered their oil change shop! That means NO Bondo!

Hope you hear good news and things go smooth. At least you still have the Subie to get you places until spyhunter returns!

[psychos2]

I would tell them bondo is not an option. Tell them you want new or your getting a lawyer. I would not worry about the carfax thing. Take pictures to document the damage and the repairs so you can prove no major damage. shawn

[WormGod]

Going in for a final estimate tomorrow. Sadly, I am back to work, but my lovely sister has volunteered to run these errands for me. This next shop is the shop that did the repairs on it years ago and they are familiar with it, so I am a LOT of confidence in them.

I think in the end, I will just take the vehicle history hit and collect the check. I am sorry, but I am not so generous to left this tech make a mistake and get away with it. They are a good shop and I always appreciated their business, and they will continue to get business from me, but I may rethink things some and start doing my own oil changes again. Probably time to get the "lazy" out of my system and stop relying on other people to do my "simple" things, heh. Be nice to get back in the garage some anyways. :gring:

[WormGod]

Final adjustment came today. $3300 in damages. Right now, that excludes Tone's brushguard which they will be adding in when it gets to the body shop. Plus, the adjuster looked it over with a fine toothed comb today at my sister's where I kept it and he called me up with a concern. He said there is a small puddle, the size around of an orange, of antifreeze in the street under it. He looked all over for a leak in the radiator in case he had to add it, but he couldnt find any moisture. He put down questionable damage to be investigated by the body shop in case something was damaged along the coolant system. Overall, best insurance adjuster I have ever dealt with. I wish they were all as thorough and respectful as he was. Sadly, he had never seen or heard of a VehiCROSS, hahaha. First time ever writing one up. He was just coming back from doing the shop estimate on their damages. He said between the toolboxes, tools, and the wall, they were looking at over $10k in damages. Hahahaha.... that tech must feel like DiRt!

Since the hood IS being replaced, I am gonna speak with the body shop about some possible cutting and spotting previous to paint to make the scoop functional. Get them to paint that insert as well since it has seen better days.

[nfpgasmask]

Wow, I missed this thread. That sucks Worm, I always liked looking at the pics of your shiny Ebony. I hope you get it all worked out in the end.

This is precisely why I will continue to try to do as much work on my VX as I can.

Uggg,

Bart

[AndyC]

Sad to hear but at least it sounds like it's going to be repaired right.

[Rooster]

Tough luck WG. Hope they do you right. Hey, if you need some parts, theirs a '01 Kaiser Silver in a JY up here in NH. Not sure whats left, but it seemed to be pretty well intact the last time I saw it.

[WormGod]

They looked up parts availability when doing the estimates and there is NO shortage of parts to be found (thought I would shout that for those that beg to differ, heh). Of course, that went for body panels. I am sure a steering box or a brake solenoid would be a different story.

Sadly, after a short phone call yesterday, they will not make an attempt to mod the hood for airflow. They will, but only AFTER it is repaired and signed off on. For insurance reasons. They will be glad to work with it AFTER all is said and done, but hell, I want the work done BEFORE the hood sees any paint, heh. Ah well, another day, another dollar. I can understand their reasoning.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

They looked up parts availability when doing the estimates and there is NO shortage of parts to be found (thought I would shout that for those that beg to differ, heh). Of course, that went for body panels.

That is good to hear, and quite unexpected! I really figured after previous posts of people waiting 4-5 months to get vital body panels needed for repairs, that it would only get worse.

This is one of the main reasons I hardly drive my VX to work as I see enough idiots with cell phones yacking while they're driving and stabbing their brakes at the last second to avoid rear-ending others up ahead.

I would envision my VX in the shop for 6 months waiting on rear-end panels because somebody wanted to know if they needed to pick up a loaf of bread! Enter my Ram.....if she gets run into there is definately no shortage of parts..lol.