Road Hazard last night in Annapolis! - Page 2 - LotusTalk

tesprit · 10-15-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbird

Come on guys... I drove it home without anything feeling a bit different.
I'm a newbie so help me out.... does tub=frame? sill?
Looks to me that 3 body parts need to be replaced...
There is a 3-4 inch panel under the passenger door that is bent...it runs the under

the passenger door... other than that not one dent on the underside..

The body parts aren't the issue (well, they may be because replacing a sill and the front clam is not a cheap job), but it is the chassis of the car that can't be repaired. The chassis is a glued and bonded unit of extruded aluminum and if any part of it gets torn, seperated, or bent up it can't be repaired. You can't get any parts for the chassis unit and even if you could, you can't glue them back on (hot bonding process) nor can the chassis be repaired by conventional means (straightening, welding, riveting, etc.). The car may drive OK, but it can never be brought back to specs. If the chassis is damaged, then according to Lotus, the chassis has to be replaced which means, unfortunately, your car will be totalled.

Catbird · 10-15-2008, 04:27 PM

Hope it's not "screw with the newbie night"!!
I need a place to take the car and have it looked over..... is Criswell my best option? Maryland guys?... Farris ?... anyone?

Randy Chase · 10-15-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbird

Hope it's not "screw with the newbie night"!!

Unfortunately, nobody is pulling your leg. There are many positives as you know to owning this car. There are a few negatives and this is one. The costs of accident damage repairs can be high.

kestrel74 · 10-15-2008, 04:30 PM

Criswell. And, yes, we usually mess around with newbies; but NOT with something like this.

BrianK · 10-15-2008, 04:34 PM

Can you just go out & snap a pic of the underside of the car?

CrusaderTBC · 10-15-2008, 04:35 PM

damn.. that sucks

macdady2424 · 10-15-2008, 04:39 PM

Wow, that sucks. Sorry to see that. Hope what ever you end up doing turns out well.

Can I ask a favor that you keep us posted as to what happens? I'm curious to know if you deal with your insurance company and see how much they total the damage at or if they even total the car and how much their estimate is compared to a lotus dealer's estimate.

tesprit · 10-15-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbird

Hope it's not "screw with the newbie night"!!

I really wish we were just messing with you, but as the others have said, accident damage to the chassis usually results in a total with these cars and even if the chassis turns out to be OK, damage to body parts is crazy expensive to repair at best.

Mr. Know · 10-15-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbird

Hope it's not "screw with the newbie night"!!
I need a place to take the car and have it looked over..... is Criswell my best option? Maryland guys?... Farris ?... anyone?

Like others have said, we are not screwing with you. On the other hand, you've got to take this VERY seriously, as an insurance company can easily say that the repairs will be X amount, whereas the real cost for a proper fix is Y amount. X and Y can be universes apart with these cars. It greatly behooves you to have a real Lotus dealer inspect the car and give an estimate or determine if its even repairable. Don't even trust a body shop to give you a real estimate...seriously.

Catbird · 10-15-2008, 04:55 PM

First two from the front, last one from behind front tire looking up a passenger door.. thoughts?.... prayers?

Icedog_16 · 10-15-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Unfortunately, nobody is pulling your leg. There are many positives as you know to owning this car. There are a few negatives and this is one. The costs of accident damage repairs can be high.

+1 It would be good to get an undershot. Have the dealer check it out. But, if the tub is damaged, I fear a total. That may or may not be a good thing for you. No noob initiation going on here. FWIW, insurance is my day job and I have had one of these cars so if you have problems, I may be able to help.

kestrel74 · 10-15-2008, 05:00 PM

ummm...not good.

Icedog_16 · 10-15-2008, 05:01 PM

Just seeing your new shots, I think I've got that bad/good news. I think it's FUBAR. Sorry, man!

tesprit · 10-15-2008, 05:03 PM

That last photo shows it all. All that torn up aluminum is part of the bonded chassis structure. I'm afraid it is totalled.

Rei · 10-15-2008, 05:15 PM

Sorry to say that the car is done. Too bad newbie but I would see if you can find the idiot that dropped that death trap on the road.

Mr. Know · 10-15-2008, 05:16 PM

Ya, totalled...last picture is the nail in its coffin.

toynumber2 · 10-15-2008, 05:19 PM

Just my 2 cents but when our car was "totaled" years ago after we ran over a pipe on the road it appeared to be critical for insurance purposes whether the pipe was moving. If it was stationary then it was covered under collision. If the pipe was moving when it was run over then it was covered under comprehensive.

You had stated in the initial post, I believe, that the object was moving.

A pipe in the road tore up suspension components, transmission case, gas tank, etc. on our Mazda Protege. The car looked fine but underneath it was a mess and repair>value of car.

Catbird · 10-15-2008, 05:20 PM

Wow!...Done?... most fun I ever had in 3 weeks...

toynumber2 · 10-15-2008, 05:21 PM

Damn, always hate to see a Krypton Green go that way. What a shame.

Baysailor · 10-15-2008, 05:23 PM

Wow... sorry, but as others have said, that last picture really does show it all. I would say that will definitely be totalled. In fact, I wouldn't settle for anything less than having it totalled.

10-15-2008, 04:27 PM	#22 (permalink)
Catbird California Dreamin' Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Island of Kent Posts: 245	Hope it's not "screw with the newbie night"!! I need a place to take the car and have it looked over..... is Criswell my best option? Maryland guys?... Farris ?... anyone? __________________ Member of the Cali-Cartel One of 25... yes, we like playing hard to get...

10-15-2008, 04:30 PM	#24 (permalink)
kestrel74 G-200 Driver Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: North of Detroit; Watkins Glen, NY Posts: 9,312	Criswell. And, yes, we usually mess around with newbies; but NOT with something like this. __________________ 74 Europa Zetec TC Special 3614R Elise #2292 / Chrome Orange !! / Starshield / Nitron Sport SA / RTDbrace / Uprights machined / Down Low rails / ChaseCam / V1 / SS lines w/ R4-S "My daily driver does .85 Mach" " I started flying when Sex was safe and Hang Gliding was dangerous " BUY My Europa ! http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/...pa-sale-43829/

10-15-2008, 04:34 PM	#25 (permalink)
BrianK very dude Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles (Highland Park) Posts: 2,427	Can you just go out & snap a pic of the underside of the car? __________________ Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

10-15-2008, 04:35 PM	#26 (permalink)
CrusaderTBC Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 126	damn.. that sucks __________________ 07 Arctic Silver Exige S 00 Raven Black Audi TT

10-15-2008, 04:39 PM	#27 (permalink)
macdady2424 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 1,313	Wow, that sucks. Sorry to see that. Hope what ever you end up doing turns out well. Can I ask a favor that you keep us posted as to what happens? I'm curious to know if you deal with your insurance company and see how much they total the damage at or if they even total the car and how much their estimate is compared to a lotus dealer's estimate. __________________ 225 TTQC & 05 Elise

10-15-2008, 04:55 PM	#30 (permalink)
Catbird California Dreamin' Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Island of Kent Posts: 245	3 from below First two from the front, last one from behind front tire looking up a passenger door.. thoughts?.... prayers? Attached Images __________________ Member of the Cali-Cartel One of 25... yes, we like playing hard to get...

10-15-2008, 05:00 PM	#32 (permalink)
kestrel74 G-200 Driver Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: North of Detroit; Watkins Glen, NY Posts: 9,312	ummm...not good. __________________ 74 Europa Zetec TC Special 3614R Elise #2292 / Chrome Orange !! / Starshield / Nitron Sport SA / RTDbrace / Uprights machined / Down Low rails / ChaseCam / V1 / SS lines w/ R4-S "My daily driver does .85 Mach" " I started flying when Sex was safe and Hang Gliding was dangerous " BUY My Europa ! http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/...pa-sale-43829/

10-15-2008, 05:01 PM	#33 (permalink)
Icedog_16 I drank what?!? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 4,214	Just seeing your new shots, I think I've got that bad/good news. I think it's FUBAR. Sorry, man!

10-15-2008, 05:03 PM	#34 (permalink)
tesprit Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Racine, WI Posts: 1,925	That last photo shows it all. All that torn up aluminum is part of the bonded chassis structure. I'm afraid it is totalled.

10-15-2008, 05:15 PM	#35 (permalink)
Rei Lotus/TRD Geek Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Redmond WA Posts: 623	Sorry to say that the car is done. Too bad newbie but I would see if you can find the idiot that dropped that death trap on the road. __________________ Kids in the Back seat causes Accidents Accidents in the Back Seat causes Kids Moral Stick with a Two Seater

10-15-2008, 05:16 PM	#36 (permalink)
Mr. Know British by extrapolation Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marin, California Posts: 3,350 Images: 6	Ya, totalled...last picture is the nail in its coffin. __________________ 07 Magnetic Blue Exige S Join the Blue Lotus Team on Facebook.

10-15-2008, 05:19 PM	#37 (permalink)
toynumber2 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ventura County, CA Posts: 227	Just my 2 cents but when our car was "totaled" years ago after we ran over a pipe on the road it appeared to be critical for insurance purposes whether the pipe was moving. If it was stationary then it was covered under collision. If the pipe was moving when it was run over then it was covered under comprehensive. You had stated in the initial post, I believe, that the object was moving. A pipe in the road tore up suspension components, transmission case, gas tank, etc. on our Mazda Protege. The car looked fine but underneath it was a mess and repair>value of car. __________________ '08 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR, Rally Red, SSS package '06 Elise, Krypton Green, Touring, Sport [SOLD] '69 Blond, 360cc bolt-ons

10-15-2008, 05:20 PM	#38 (permalink)
Catbird California Dreamin' Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Island of Kent Posts: 245	Wow!...Done?... most fun I ever had in 3 weeks... __________________ Member of the Cali-Cartel One of 25... yes, we like playing hard to get...

10-15-2008, 05:21 PM	#39 (permalink)
toynumber2 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ventura County, CA Posts: 227	Damn, always hate to see a Krypton Green go that way. What a shame. __________________ '08 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR, Rally Red, SSS package '06 Elise, Krypton Green, Touring, Sport [SOLD] '69 Blond, 360cc bolt-ons

10-15-2008, 05:23 PM	#40 (permalink)
Baysailor Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 1,205	Wow... sorry, but as others have said, that last picture really does show it all. I would say that will definitely be totalled. In fact, I wouldn't settle for anything less than having it totalled. __________________ 2006 Lotus Elise - Solar Yellow, HT, LSS, LSD/TC, Touring, StarShield, S111 RTDbrace, S111 microMirror, S111 Carpet Buttons, Painted A/C Surround, CF Center Console, Nitron S/A, Tempest BAB26-12 AGM Battery, Fujita Intake, Top Speed Pro 1 Exhaust, 4Tress Harness Bar, 6000k 35w HID kit, Moroso Oil Pan, Plinthless front clam, Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 Wheels w/ RE01-R's for street use, Heater Core By-Pass, Shifter Reinforcement, LETSLA v2 Shift Kit

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