Cascade Crew

iansane · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: What I see in the morning...

It's actually rather nice! As long as the sun is out I have this minute valley thing that opens up out towards the Puget Sound. Across from there is lovely Tacompton. Wait. Do you see that? Down at the edge of the ravine, center of the picture, there seems to be something there? What is it? Let me take another shot...

Oh I think I know. That seems to be a rare breed of bird! A Phoenix!

Shat. It is. Crying or Very sad

So, the story goes like this. I awaken this morning to find the gate at the end of my driveway to be nonfunctional. I had to get out of the car and slide it open. No big deal. I have no e-brake (lesson learned!) and so I had to stop the car, shut it off, open the gate, roll my car through, stop the car, and close the gate.

Well I guess I should've made sure the key was ALL the way off. I turned it back far enough that the car shut off, put the car in gear, open the gate, just pushed in the clutch and let it coast out to the other side of the gate without starting it. Well, that section of my driveway is on a slight incline. And I really mean slight. Like, Milla Jovovich breasts slight. I got back out and closed the gate and heard a sickening noise. The car lurched forward once and roll started itself. One of these most terrifying moments of my life was just occurring. When my car is restarted in motion it likes to idle at ~1100rpm until it sits still for a second and the idle creeps back down to normal. Well, I didn't have that second this time. It lept forward and sprang to life. Running down the end of my driveway and across the street. I was confused. Seriously. There was no one in my car, what was happening? f**k. Off it goes. By the time it reached the other side of the street my flip flops were spinning in the air like some old Looney Tunes cartoon and I was sprinting after my redheaded vixen. It crashed right through a 4x6 treated piece of lumber holding up the neighbors power box and leapt off the embankment. I can't tell you how far my bare feet pushed me off that hillside but by this time my car was suicidally barreling down the ravine. I screamed so hard my throat ached. The car was just speeding up and I was just falling behind. It bound over bushed, tore through grass, and bounced noisily up and over ruts and small holes. It shook and shuttered like a 10.0 quake. Luckily near the bottom of the incline the compression of the motor slowed the beast and it slammed itself into a patch of sticker bushes.

By this time my heart was racing like an F1 car. It was screaming. I can't believe this just happened. Holy hell. This happened to me? No...yes.

I grabbed my step dad's truck and started winching.

Of course my trusty sidekick Dirty Steve comes to help steer. I finally let him in the driver seat. I think because the car isn't moving on it's own.

What's left of my mandrel bent stainless steel catback. Yeah, that shouldn't be folded...

All in all, the damage is a lot less that what I was expecting. I'm pretty good friends with the body shop right below my work so they're hooking me up but I'm almost guarantee my insurance company is going to try and total it. If you guys happen to see ads for any 'verts in decent shape, forward them to me for proof of the value.

I'm distraught. Crying or Very sad

Although Steve's already found a couple replacement chassis' if this ends up worse than I think. One is yellow. Very Happy

And just for good measure, some random shots of previous destructions...

chevymad · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:57 pm Post subject:

Holy CRAP! I accidentally started an EFI rig one time in gear.. so I know how they can take off.. Lucky you're a youngin.. that would give an older guy a heart attack.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

OMG! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Crying or Very sad

Al Hasse · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject:

Ouch!!!!

Not as bad as it could have been, hope you can fix her up for not too much.

iansane · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

GREG DAVIDSON · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject:

dam dude that suck total sh!@#

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject:

Holt cr@p dude, your car is trying to wreck itself. Shocked

Looks like you're only in for the door, fender, and bumper though. Is there any more damage to the underbody than in that pic?

iansane · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject:

No idea. GFX too though. But I'm going to have them paint the decklid too.

And learn how to wax now...

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject:

G-dammnit Ian!

your car looked so friggin nice too. I hope the Insurance company doesn't total it and you get everything (literally) straightened out and back to the way she looked after Bambi.

That sucks man, my condolences.

cameron7710 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

dam that sucks man

Xophertony · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:35 am Post subject:

i said aloud as i read:

"oh no, no ian... not your car. nooo."

condolances Sad

blue89 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:08 am Post subject:

...

I just died a little inside. That really sucks. Hopefully all the damage is cosmetic.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:53 am Post subject:

wow dude, that is unreal....

So umm, you still coming down here in Sept?

--John

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:50 am Post subject:

Nice view minus the bird.

I think you got some bad voodoo with that car. But hopefully its all fixable.

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:47 pm Post subject:

Oh no

I'm so sorry ian. I hope you get it all fixed up. Your car is awesome and i wish it the best!
good luck.
~JAKE

QwkTrip · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject:

Oh, that just hurts! I know what it's like to damage your own car but this is far worse than what I did. That will just never be funny.... ever.

On the positive side at least you were able to get it back.

turbo_jimi · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject:

damn, if i didn't see the pics, i wouldn't believe it! between you and alex, you guys have the worst luck with cars. Sad

Hope they get it all fixed up for you. I'll try to stop by this saturday if you're working.

iansane · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:26 pm Post subject:

I'm fairly certain they're going to try and total the car. I don't know how/if I'm going to be able to get it fixed. I'd rather not have a salvaged title. I haven't decided whether I'm going to fix it or not. I'd torn.

Doesn't help that I've been finding other verts for sale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&&item=280264488608ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1120&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1120

Like so. I can honestly say the white looks good but it doesn't have the same flash that my red one does. Yellow might be another option. I've seen one of those.

Opinions?

Magman · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject:

OMG! NO! I loved that car...

GREG DAVIDSON · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:47 pm Post subject:

my personal opinion dont ever buy a car from the midwest i used to live there it may look good in the pics but 90% of the time there rust buckets underneith so be VERY carefull