Automan2164 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Son of a... Heading home Saturday... I can now move up in the accident world... I was traveling down a country road (Hwy) that goes through some smaller towns. I was trucking along, when I had to slow down to 45 to get through town... Business as usual. I was almost through town, but didn't make it. I was approaching a crossroad, and noticed a big black F250 that came up to the stop sign from my right. I didn't have a stop, so I just kept an eye on him. I saw him look my way, then look right, and then he pulled out 20 feet in front of me. I hit the hooks, laid on the horn, and had no place to go. I was transfixed on his drivers window, where all I could see was the back of his head because he was still looking right... Bam. I was still reeling. I had a good amount of speed trucking into that accident. I head the fan eating a hole into the battery or radiator, so I turned it off and just sat back. As I got out there were people everywhere. I slid out of the drivers door which wouldn't open all the way because of the fender. I looked for the truck, and he we no where to be found... Kidding me right? Then someone spotted him parked across a field on a side road. I called the sheriff right away, took the pics of the scene as it was before moving anything, and awaited the sheriff. Once he got there, we put it in neutral and pushed it off the road. I saw the other driver walking towards us, but he stopped and walked back to his truck before getting close. I never met the other driver. I talked to the officer first, and gave my side of the story. Basically, I had the right of way. He walked over to the driver of the F250, got his side, and came back. He told me the other guy had the same opinion. Just said he looked my way, looked right, and pulled out without checking my way again. He did tell the deputy that the truck was a 2014, and cost $69K. I imagine he got cited for failure to yield the right of way. I have to wait a few days for the accident report to be completed and pick it up from the county. The other driver got picked up by his wife and left without saying a word to me. I am the kind of person that would appreciate a hand shake and an apology at the least, so this bothered me a bit. The tow truck showed up, he flatbedded the XJ, and pulled the F250 by the rear. The tow truck driver was pretty impressed with the damage to the 250, he said all the curtain/seat bags went off, it was still trying to call 911, and made mention that the cab must have been tweaked, because the sunroof motor kept grinding and trying to close, but was out of whack. When we got into the truck, he said that the other guy had a pretty lengthy record from the sound of it. He said he had the scanner going when he was in route and heard the drivers record reports come across. I got a ride to the towing shop where we dropped the 250, and put the XJ onto another flatbed to take it to my body shop 30 miles away. Both the tow truck drivers were pretty cool and super nice. I just kept talking about how pissed I was about the XJ, since it took me so long to find a rust free clean loaded one... Even finding one with the window sticker and original title. We dropped if off at my shop's yard and I took a look at it. At first glance, it looks pretty bad. no airbag deployment (Thank god, my hand was all over it blaring the horn) What might have saved me was the height of the truck. When I hit the hooks, it nose dived and tucked itself under the rocker of the 250. What did the most damage was the leading edge of the truck bed as it hooked all the soft upper portions of the body. It grabbed the fender and shoved it into the hood, and shoved it into the drivers fender. All the doors still open and close fine (Drivers just not as much because of the fender), and all the gaps look correct. The front bumper looks rather unscathed, and the frame/front horns look untouched. I plan on trying to fix it if I can get it back from the insurance company (I guess his is Progressive). I took a bunch of pics, maybe you guys can tell me what you think: Overall, I was sore last night. My neck and back felt like a warm sunburn and achy. Today I feel worse, with a headache, back ache, shoulder, and general stiffness. Under the advisement of my insurance agent I ended up going to the local urgent care and got checked out. The doc did an eval, and said it seems like muscular pain and that I should be alright. She sent me packing with some drugs and some cream for my shoulder. I've never been in an accident of this caliber yet, so I am really unsure of what to expect next. I really want to keep the XJ with as much work as I have put into it, and how clean it is. It frustrates me that he just couldn't look back my way. I just wish I'd have still been looking his way when the sound of the horn and screaming tires barreling down on him clicked into his head. I have had an accident before where the repair value exceeded the vehicle value, but it was a light hit, and I kept it clean titled. I would really like to do the same here, but have never had something damaged to his extent. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to pick up a rental car and be mobile again. As it sits now, I have a bunch of drugs to take, the XJ is sadly sitting in a gated yard, and I have no wheels. Looking at the pictures, what do you guys think of the situation, if the XJ is saveable, and how to proceed in general? Anything I should/shouldn't do with dealing with the insurance agencies? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 It's repairable. Find yourself a good body shop, and next time pick on somebody your own size. Glad you weren't hurt bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 This won't be any consolation, but at least you weren't driving the diesel when this happened. I'm not going to comment on the state of the XJ since I don't know enough to make that decision, but I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we're all glad that you're doing alright. Even if the XJ is done for, it's only a vehicle, even if it is one particularly special to you. Good luck in your recovery. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyinajeep726 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Damn dude, that really sucks. That F250 driver seems like a real d!ck. Glad you're okay though. The XJ should be repairable so long as the frame rails aren't bent, which doesn't appear to be the case from the pictures you took. If/when you get it back, remove all the obviously damaged stuff and take some more pictures. You're definitely going to need both fenders, header panel, A/C condensor, radiator, battery, fan clutch, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave92cherokee Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Chances are they'll probably total it due to the amount of front end damage. Lucky for you the front frame rails don't look like they got tweaked it's only the sheet metal in the engine bay. Straightening the front of the bay will be the hardest as a few years ago we had to do one for a NAXJA member. Best option for that would be if you find a 97+ for the fenders and front I'd cut off a good sized section to use as a patch panel instead of trying to straighten the existing metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 First off all glad to here youre doing "ok" . Second off all the damage doesn't look unrepairable and if you decide to buy it back off the insurance company I have a complete black front end in good shape should you need one . I use to work at a bodyshop and seen way worse get fixed . Worry about yourself, first then get the xj fixed . When you talk to the insurance company never tell them you feel fine as many symptoms can take awhile to surface . Never sign any checks until you are complete satisfied / compensated for medical bills / vehicle rapair costs . If you have any receipts of any improvements you've done to your xj recently those are a good bargaining chip to get a better settlement with the insurance company . Here in Ohio you can typically buy a vehicle back for a tenth of what it's book value is . Any other questions feel free to ask . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sorry. Been there. That is repairable, getting the insurance to cover it is a different matter. Argue with them. At least buy it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellaheep Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Ditto. Insurance will total it. But with the bumper having NOT taken the impact, the important part of the unibody was spared. No air bag deployment is also a bonus. It'll take some tedious plasma cutting and some spot weld cutting, and then fitting donor inner unibody panels to get things back together but yeah, it's fixable. That's a shame, definitely a nice XJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula69 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Only thing that really matters is that you are OK. Cars we can fix....back and neck problems...ehhh...not so much so. The XJ is repairable....looks better then the last one I worked on. Like Jim said - get a reputable shop to do the work. Edit: Just for grins and giggles: the one we worked on had a small wrinkle at the cowling just like yours, but it had sprung the seals in the wiper assembly area and was causing a water leak in the cab. I ended up having to patch it with lead (I know - old school) to make it stop. We all know by now that insurance companies are not in the business to insure you...they are in the business to make money. I understand you want to keep the XJ, and I agree you should. However, as heartless as it seems, when negotiating with them you have to 'forget' about how you feel and look at it from their point-of-view. What will save them the most money and keep them out of court? BUT Beware of this "new" ploy they insurance companies are using: The last time my son had an accident, he was hit in the rear by a driver that was not paying attention (who had a bad driving record). The company was nice at first but then tried to say it was partially Ryan's fault for just being there in the roadway at the time of the accident and wanted us to assume 50% of the blame. We refused, they fought and they filed against our insurance company (who promptly denied the claim)....and then they filed for arbitration. I told them "Go for it...you can't win!" Well, when it went to arbitration, (One insurance rep from my company, one from theirs, and a third not associated with anyone) we lost...and our policy states '..the results of arbitration are binding on all parties and not subject to appeal....' We got $600.00 from them; State Farm had to pay $4000.00 for the other d!ckhead's truck. Bottom line - Don't agree to arbitration. Hire a lawyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 My guess is that XJ is gonna be 1/8 of the price to fix then the stupid duty. I'd say the XJ gave it a good @$$ kicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyinajeep726 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 :agree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 In 1982 I T-Boned a Chevy that pulled out in front of me while I was on my hog. He pulled out from a stop sign, I had the right of way.Messed me, my leg up pretty good and totaled the hog. His ins adjuster was at the house trying to reach a settlement. I wanted $20 grand for the bike. I'd put a lot of work into it. He was offering $8,000. After way to much wasted time arguing, I got pissed. Grabbed my head and started moaning about how I couldn't sleep nights and had these crazy headaches ever since the wreck and maybe I had better call Joe Blow " A well known ambulance chaser with lot's of TV ads" He made out the check then and there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectormj Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 to hell with the new "diesels" they are crap the jeep should fix up nice armor and brush bumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Look for ripples in the metal in the C and D pillars and along the entirety of the frame rails. My donor Cherokee looked okay besides the bashed in quarter panel, but those little ripples were indicators that it entered a pre-taco state. A quick glance estimate would be up to $5,000 of damage there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Good to know that you got out of it (mostly) unscathed. Accidents are no fun (got hit when I was a kid by an older fellow in a Buick), and neither is a wrecked car that you have great sentimental value for. But the good news is that you're still here, and can do something about fixing up the truck. I'd be parroting what other's have already said, but... Ditto. Insurance will total it. But with the bumper having NOT taken the impact, the important part of the unibody was spared. No air bag deployment is also a bonus. It'll take some tedious plasma cutting and some spot weld cutting, and then fitting donor inner unibody panels to get things back together but yeah, it's fixable. That's a shame, definitely a nice XJ. :yeah that: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbyrambler Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Tough luck for sure - - Hope everything turns out to your satisfaction ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 His jeep is non abs, so brakes did what required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbyrambler Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Nothing to add Rob, just that I'm glad you're okay. That's always A#1. I see the harness you put in for the halogens - too bad it wasn't at night because if probably would not have happened. The jerk in the F250 would have seen you better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Made some phone calls yesterday after getting the accident report sent to me. Appears as though the other driver was cited with 'Failure to yield right of way' and 'Inattentive driving'. I called my insurance, which told me that they were sending out their own adjuster and will bill the other company for the agreed value. I don't have rental, so my company urged me to call the other drivers and explain the situation, while advising me that if they hadn't yet accepted liability that they may not cover it. I called over there, the other driver had started a claim for his truck, but they knew nothing about me. After some questions about my side of the story, (Even asking my speed and speed limit) he said that he had talked to his insured and they would be accommodating me with a rental and was setting it up as we talked on the phone. I didn't even have to really ask about it. Also asked about my back and soreness and set up an medical claims adjuster. Ball is rolling now, but this is what I get to drive for the time being: Just doesn't look right in the drive way. Oh well, it's wheels for now. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinkrun Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Glad your ok and best of luck. Remember insurance companys and politicians are the two biggest criminals there are and are no ones friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Hey Rob iirc I believe the rental car goes against your claim . For example if the insurance company were going to give you say 5500 for your xj and the rental ends up costing 700 then you'll only get a check for 4800 . I would check to make sure if I where you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Wouldn't matter...he doesn't want to drive that rare. 86 Renault in this slushy mess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Never said that jeepco . Maybe a friend / family member would let him borrow one . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Glad your ok and best of luck. Remember insurance companys and politicians are the two biggest criminals there are and are no ones friend. You forgot lawyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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