It's official...it's dead...

[CPSMonteZ34]

For those of you not aware, this message, originally mailed to the GM W-Body Group explains the situation...

 

February 16th, 2004 - Incident occurrance approximately 8:50 pm

 

Hey folks,

 

If you've ever been in a car accident, you'll know exactly what I'm about

to tell you. Being in one isn't the best of circumstances, but I can shrug

and sigh and tell you how it went. Seeing as the adrenaline is rushing and

I can't rest, I'll tell you how it went down...with self-made visuals no

less! - http://shadowdog.tripod.com/accident.htm -

 

I was on my way to close the store for 9:00 pm. The trip only takes a few

minutes, so I usually take a slightly longer route that skirts the city so the car has a chance to warm up properly. I approached the city from Hwy 4 heading North in the 100 km/h zone in the right-hand of the double-lane.

 

Signs posted before the intersections show to reduce speed to 50 km/h. The double-lane road begins to gradually incline as you approach the entrance to the city as it becomes Central Avenue. I let off the gas and mildly tapped the brakes.

 

Ahead of me at the first intersection for Battleford Trail I noticed an SUV on the left, slowly crossing the on-coming lane of Central Avenue. (Image #1) From its approach angle, it looked as if the SUV was slightly heading South, as if beginning to skirt the center meridian and turn into the left-lane of Central, basically to run alongside me. (Image #2) I thought it kind of peculiar that a person wouldn't wait until I had passed before entering the street, but I figured if they were turning into the left lane, I'd just go by and no harm done.

 

As I closed the distance between us while the SUV was slowly gaining speed, I noticed it moving into my right lane. (Image #3) I slammed on my brakes and then had to decide between swerving left and hoping not to T-bone the SUV, now easily recognizable as a Chevy Trailblazer, or taking a sharp right into Battleford Trail and ditching the car Dukes of Hazard style off the snow bank. Keep in mind, this is all happening in a lickity-split second. I thought my speed was reduced enough that I could take the corner and still stay on the road, so I immediately swerved right with some faint hope that the other driver might instinctively slam on their brakes and I would go ahead of them; but unfortunately, the Trailblazer just kept on going. (Image #4) Knowing what damage was to come, I swerved left, again with some faint hope to clear its rear end; however, it was too late. (Image #5) I tagged the rear end dead-square in the passenger wheel with the driver corner of my car. My car pushed the Trailblazer into a right-hand spin. (Image #6)

 

Since my wheels were locked left, my car spun in that direction and BARELY cleared the Trailblazer's front end as it came around behind me. (Image #7) We both went backwards into Battleford Trail. The Trailblazer stopped in the right-hand lane as if at a stop-sign. My car backed into the snow bank behind the actual stop-sign. (Image #8 )

 

The first thing that went through my mind as we began to spin was, "How the hell did that huge hole get into my windshield?". I thought something came off the Trailblazer and blasted a hole through it. From what I gather, it turns out the passenger airbag ripped the mirror off the windshield. The mirror is attached to cables for the map lights, so it swung up into the cabin, then swung back at the window with the momentum of the impact and smashed through the windshield. It's still hanging by the cables. The only other visible damage inside was the metal dash piece that came out of place.

 

I got out of my car, knowing that the driver-side of my car was mangled. I immediately went over to check on the driver and passenger of the Trailblazer. Aside from the passenger smacking her head on the side window, they were both saying that they were fine. What startled me at first was that there was a baby seat in the passenger-rear side; fortunately, the baby was not traveling with them. The driver immediately began to apologize. It turns out she was not turning left into my lane; rather, the intersection crossing onto Battleford Trail is slightly to the left off the street she was coming out of, so it only looked like she was turning, when in fact, she was merely crossing and didn't see me until too late when her passenger was yelling, "Car, car, car!!!". Soooo, in hindsight, if I'd have swerved left in the beginning, I may have got away with nothing more than a dented wheel by hitting the center meridian at the very worst. Oh well... In this case, I was simply cut-off as she didn't know I was coming. From what I was told after questioning, the R.C.M.P. will be charging her.

 

I remained calm and supportive through the whole ordeal. The driver was very apologetic and shaky. At the beginning, when she got out of the Trailblazer to get her phone, somewhere in the back seat, she was close to emotional shock and losing it. I had to reassure her verbally, and still more by putting my arm around her that I wasn't angry and that everything would be okay. Nobody was hurt, and that's what was most important.

 

I have no idea what they'll say about my car. It looks repairable. There were no fluids on the ground, so the radiator is intact. The only part that fell out was the grapefruit-sized fuel-evaporation canister, mounted inside the front of the fender. I didn't try to start it after she stalled though. The wheels or tires weren't touched. The hood opens easily, aside from being pressed down upon impact. The rear 'should' be alright after resting three feet in the air off the snow bank. Damage looks cosmetic with a bad fender, hood, bumper, windshield, minor parts, and a new headlight unit. We shall see what they say after tomorrow. Pretty safe accident, if there is such a thing.

 

Her Trailblazer? Heh, I walked around it and had to ASK her where she thought I hit it exactly, because there was NO body damage. It turns out that I managed to hit her square in the wheel, chipping it up a bit, and obviously knocking it out of alignment in some fashion; though you wouldn't know it from looking at it. I found a bit of red paint on the fender of my car where it crinkled up. It probably rubbed the very rear-quarter behind her wheel arch...but you'd have to look close to see it. She drove it home.

 

It's kind of bizarre that this should happen as it was the very last day of its insurance from B.C., as I just insured it in Saskatchewan on the 9th and was sending the old plates back to B.C. tomorrow.

 

All in all, aside from a bit of tension in my shoulders I'm only just starting to feel, I'm alright. There was no pain anywhere, and still isn't. I'm thinking this is just a bit of post-accident stress. After typing this whole thing up past 2 a.m., the tension is leaving. I'll keep you all updated.

 

***

 

Update Feb 18th: I initiated my claim through SGI (Sask Insurance) yesterday, and they took a look at my car this morning. I received my call back, and yeah, they totalled the car. Either way, I'm disappointed, only because everyone knows just how much I loved my Monte Carlo. At any rate, I'm uplifted in knowing that they are giving me WAY more than I expected; heck, they are giving me more than I was thinking of asking for it if I were able to decide this spring on whether to sell it or not. The accident made the decision, and the people of Saskatchewan are the buyers.

 

Make note people!!! Take care of your car. Mine was nine years old and I still received over half of what I paid for it. Makes you want to go out there and vacuum your ride, doesn't it? I didn't think so.

 

What did they give me? 1995 Monte Carlo Z34 - 152,000+ kms - Various brand-new equipment like mufflers, battery, various parts, recently replaced front brakes, you know, the usual. They acknowledged my point on how well I took care of it, and rated it in the exceptional condition category which helped reduce the depreciation percentage.

 

$8980.00 Cdn How the hell they figured that great amount up for my car, I'll never know. What I do know is, I'm allowed to take my complete stereo out and I'll still have two key-fobs, and the original set of wheels and tires in great condition that I'll be selling.

 

==Chris

[gp90se]

hey, sorry 2 hear bout the car, but ya walked away with it and got a good amount of $ for it. Ill encourange u to get another w-body, but good luck with whatever you descide to get.

 

-Jeff

[Euro]

wow your lucky to get out of that one not hurt man! it sucks that your car got totalled and hers was driveable. that seems to happen alot! i dont know how much you got for your car is in US $$, but thats alot! good luck finding another car. come check out my car which i also love and take exceptionally good care of.

Matt

[Justin]

Anyone have the cliff's notes for that one?

 

Glad to hear you made out ok and didn't get too banged up though.

[5speedz34]

That sucks royally man! But hey that pic with the ball is your vacuum ball, not your fuel evaporation ball.

[LukeZ34]

That sucks Chris! You've been around with that monte as long as I can remember!

 

Decided what your going to replace it with?

[CPSMonteZ34]

Yeah, sorry for the length on that post. That was the e-mail I sent to friends and family right after it happened. I had so much adrenaline in my system I was up until 4:00 am, which would explain the extent of the detail in the accident layout I built for the website.

 

Yeah, I was corrected much earlier on the vacuum canister. I just never bothered to change the image. Regardless now, it was a piece of my car that didn't want to stay attached.

 

The currency rate would put $8980 at around $6700+ American. Not a bad chunk of change. Not only that, but they cover the taxes on this amount if I purchase a car within a year. So I'll also get reimbursed another $1200 when I produce my receipt after I buy a car. It's like I won the damned lottery.

 

For a while now I've been evaluating vehicles all over. We're looking for the family and convenience factors now over sports and recreational driving. First it was a Vibe, but I found others coming with good-and-better options for less money. Not that I'm seriously considering it, but I also looked at how much the Chevy Optra offered (Daewoo design). I might save my GM Visa earnings of $1,500 and keep saving for the next level up to $2,500 (perhaps a W-body) later in life. So far, the best bang for the buck on a loaded 4-door 4-banger is the Mazda 3 GT. I'd consider the Mazda 6, but I really just need a snappy city car with a manual tranny more than anything. I wanted something smaller for my next car. A bigger car (or SUV if need be) can wait a bit.

 

Still, it'll be a few months before I pick anything out. Looking this over, it's easy to see that I'm leaning on going new. I guess I had my run of the used cars for now. I might as well have something new for a change that I don't have to make better from someone else's lack of maintenance abilities.

 

I'll be around here still...I mean, the last six years online have been pretty cool. I guess I'll be revamping my site since there's no more Monte Carlo to dedicate. What a bummer.

 

Man, it sure feels good knowing that I procrastinated on that timing belt. I'm probably also the only 3.4 owner never to have to change his alternator on a 9 year old DOHC! ...blew a tranny though... oh well. Water under the bridge.

 

I'll keep in touch.

[AWeb80]

I'm probably also the only 3.4 owner never to have to change his alternator on a 9 year old DOHC!

 

I'm pretty sure mine has never been replaced.

[CPSMonteZ34]

Consider yourself one of the lucky.

 

Went to the yard today to remove the entire stereo system. Took me damn near three hours. The adjuster said that it would still need to have a head-unit, and I was definitely not going to leave mine there, so I went and bought a Venture CD player from WALlyworld for $89.93 and popped it in.

 

Lord what a piece of crap that thing was...turn dial tuning, TONE control only, and limited to two speakers. Like, wow, even the guy at WAL-MART laughed when I told him what I was doing. He said he doesn't even recommend that thing to customers, but in my case, he would make an exception. Now, all I have left to deal with is my adjusters tight-ass Manager to verify that everything is back to normal, and my busted-ass car has a brand-new in-dash CD player in it. Wierd world we live in.

[White93z34]

wow, thats all it takes to total a car? wow, glad your ok, i guess it makes my restore project look ludicross. i wish i had that little amount of damage to fix.

oh well where there is a will there is a way.

too bad yours got totaled. glad everyone was alright though

[mase10]

sorry to hear about the accident! i just had the same ordeal happen to me but i had an old guy that ran a stop sign and i T-boned him, the insurance company is coming friday to look at my car but im pretty sure they'll pry total it

[ctx46]

sorry to here about the accedent man...

that sux...

@ any rate.. any picts of those wheels?

and a price on the wheels only?

let me know man

later

joe

[CPSMonteZ34]

I'll clean them up on a good, warm day to better show their condition. For now, they are as they were when I took them off in the fall.

 

I'll keep you updated on what I have to sell off.