Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: Alex D on August 06, 2022, 10:05:23
-
An absolute catastrophe with the car today, I'm still in stock and can barley function. Pagoda was hit by a UHaul truck that did not stop at a stop sign today and T-boned the Pagoda which went air born on two wheels and ended up in the median. I was not driving, a very good friend,Tom Lewis, 40 yr MB member, MB Concurs Judge, who was at Virginia PUB was driving. After getting all new motor mounts, subframe mounts, tires and the last thing would be to get the alignment for which Tom offered to drive the car to a MB specialty alignment shop that does it right for me due my schedule. Driver of the UHaul was cited by police for failure to yield at a stop sign. The impact was so severe that it twisted the rear axle, destroyed the rear quarter panel and passengers door, and how it broke the fan blades behind the radiator is beyond me and that is only the visible damage.
After being notified I immediately went to the accident site. Although not critically injured, I had to take Tom to the hospital for sore neck and shoulder pain as well as a precaution measure, and while waiting to be seen by the medical staff, Tom's said the only thing that saved his life was the retractable shoulder seat beats that Joe Alexander (ja17) installed on the car 10 years ago, that kept him from being ejected from the car. Of all thing Joe Alexander has done on my car over the last 10 years, rebuild engine, rear axle, adjustments, so many things we can not remember for which I am greatfull, his recommendations for the retractable should seat belts and installing them is something words can not describe and i can not thank Joe enough for.
As to what will happen to the car is unknown at this point, to early to tell if it will repaired or declared total loss, time will tell.
LESSON TO ALL - WEAR YOUR SEAT BELTS !!!!!
Alex
-
Alex -
OUCH! The good thing is Tom wasn't badly hurt. Seatbelts save lives.
After seeing multiple examples on these forums what can be done to bring back a truly rotten Pagoda, it is not inconceivable that your family heirloom can be resurrected, in the right hands. The folks at K&K will be your new friends.
I have a trailer if you need it.
-
So sorry! I can’t imagine the shock! Glad Tom is ok!!
-
Glad nobody too hurt. Would be a shame to see this car written off, it had such a unique interior..hope if comes out ok for you Alex
-
I got the phone call from Alex as he was rushing to the scene. Then I got the photo and story…
As a courtesy I called our friend Tom Lewis this morning and thankfully once the shock of the event has transpired, a little ibuprofen cured his soreness.
Like Alex, I had three point retractable seatbelts installed at the time of restoration in 1999. Having basically gone through the windshield of an MGC in 1975, for almost an identical situation, the thought of being in a car without them is just not fathomable for me. Alex‘s decision to install them probably saved Tom‘s life yesterday. Anything can happen at any time. Tom told me this morning with a clear head that both weather and visibility were darn near perfect.
Alex will probably be on a huge parts hunt over the next few months…any assistance we can offer him i’m sure would be greatly appreciated.
-
Thank you all for the support, greatly appreciated as only fellow Pagoda owners can understand the pain and grieve involved here.
I will be reaching out the the group in the next few months looking for help in finding parts, as the mission is to return the car to the extact condition prior to the accident will be my number one priority outside of family and work.
Alex
-
So sorry to see this Alex after all the time and money you devoted to keep this car you inherited within the family in top shape.
The main thing is your friend Tom is okay and got away with only light injuries, thanks to your wise decision to have those seat belts installed. As said by others they due Save Lives.
I do hope you get over the material damage of this Catastrophe and the car can be restored to her original shape. Let us thank God that Tom is okay.
Wishing you all the best,
Dieter
-
Horrible! :(
-
Very sorry to see this happen, and glad that nobody was seriously injured. Hopefully you can get the car back to fighting shape soon enough.
With respect to the importance of seatbelts - mine is fitted with the fixed three-point harness, are these considered materially less safe than the retractables? Had not really given it much thought, and assumed they worked similarly as long as buckled tight.
-
Sorry to hear of this misfortune but as others have said, thankfully it appears injuries are not permanent. Having seen some of the examples of our cars that appeared beyond repair, undoubtedly the car can be repaired. Finding a qualified shop is most likely one of the biggest challenges. Good luck and once again glad no one suffered serious injuries. Lee
-
So sorry to see this Alex. Thank goodness your friend Tom is ok. Let’s hope you will be able to bring the car back to life and continue to build on the long history it has in your family.
-
Alex, OMG I am so sorry to hear this news, glad only the car suffered the damage, not Tom. Just think of it as another adventure of restoring another Pagoda. Think of it as being a better car then it was before. I am sure it will. Anything I can do let me know. Bob
-
I'm so sorry this happened, and glad your friend is doing so well. That is a hard hit, both for the car, and a human body. Really goes to show how well the cars were engineered and built.
Sounds like you're planning on rebuilding it, and I'm glad for that! I think once you drill out the welds and remove those wrinkled panels, you'll see that it's very rebuildable. It'll take a session on a frame straightening machine, to square it all up. Sux to see such a beautiful car get wrecked, let alone so bad. And honestly, what are the chances, compared to the average "daily driver?" Just heart breaking.
My coupe has only ever had lap belts, and just last week I ordered a set of modern belts, custom made by seatbeltplanet. Looking forward to having them.
-
Sorry to see that. Hope it all works out for the good.
-
Very sorry for this Alex. Thankfully, Tom didn’t got any major injuries. I really hope that your unique SL will resurrect to its former appearance and mechanical state.
When I aquired my 230, it was fitted with old, 2-point belts. I immediately exchanged those with new 3-point, retractable ones. Safety was far more important for me than originality in that matter.
Actually, the most fearing when driving my Pagoda is to be hit by another vehicle, driven by an idiot. Modern cars are both even safer and more ”disposable” compared to our beloved Pagodas.
-
Wow Alex, that is heart wrenching to see. I would have been hyper ventilating. Glad to hear Tom is OK. I hope you get satisfaction with your insurer and can bring that beauty back to life.
-
I am so sorry for all.....speechless! Hoping Tom is still okay! Prayers!
-
Alex
Pat Price texted me about it first this weekend. I must admit I worried about the condition of the car before I thought about the driver. Of course I asked about him to and hope he has no lingering issues.
Best of luck with it.
John
-
Alex,
sorry to hear/see this. Good that Tom is ok. How is your insurance co dealing with it?
Peter
-
Hi Peter,
Will be working with insurance all this week to figure it all out and will take time after that for estimating,, Body shop told me 8-10 months once they start. Looking at year if not longer with no car.
Tom Lewis is fine, but feels terrible about it, but their was nothing he could do. Told me it was the most terrifying 20 seconds of his life, when the car was airborne on two wheels he thought it was going to flip over and he would not survive. Tom was introduced to me 5 years ago by Pete Lesler who was founding member of this group. Since then we have become close friends and has helped me sort out many issues with car and other things in life one needs to know when they move to a new city.
Another testament to the camaraderie and life long friendships we develop just from being part of this group.
-
Glad to hear that no one was seriously injured, and very sorry to see the damage to your car. You put an incredible amount of thought and work into it.
Don't forget about diminished value when you negotiate with the insurance companies.
CAT
-
Chuck, excellent point about the diminished value.
-
Alex what insurance policy do you have? I’m sure it was an agreed upon value. That Eve. Goes to what ever/were ever you have repaired. A friend of mine had his 190SL smashed by a tree falling in his garage. Insurance paid for all new sheet metal and all new total paint. Some insurance companies will only price the panels that need painting. You do have agreed value?
-
I assume the way it works is your insurer foots the bill then argues it out with the U-Haul insurer?
-
Still trying to sort thru it all, but as of today I understand it as the UHaul drivers personal insurance will be the first to pay, then the UHaul insurance will pay what the Uhaul drivers personal insurance does not cover, then it will be my insurance to cover any remaining costs.
-
Alex,
I know you will have a frame check done (since it was a T-Bone impact accident), before you proceed with repairs. I am attaching a good website that provides some pointers.
Here -----> https://www.impactautobody.com/how-do-i-know-if-my-car-frame-is-bent/
All the best with the repair steps.
Dieter
-
You should be ok, that’s three insurance companies working to cover the cost.
-
Alex,
So sorry to hear about this, but of course, Tom being ok is great news.
Some of us complain about the value going up on these cars for various reasons, but this is one case where I believe it works in your favor.
The expectation for a quality re-build is supported by the value of the car. If it was a $12,000 car, you would not be able to get the same level of work done.
That car is special to you, special to community. I've really enjoyed seeing it in person. Fantastic interior and the stories of what lengths you went to, to satisfy yourself.
Take care.
Mark
-
Dear Alex,
So sorry for your misfortune but also glad that Tom is doing okay.
The damage looks severe, but manageable. Of course, checking properly the impact of the body is most important;
everything else (door, fenders, rear axle, etc.) can be replaced pretty easily.
I recommend to talk to as many talented shops and friends here as possible - in order to find one shop which will be able to do the job properly.
Whatever will come up, this can be done.
Good luck and take care,
Achim
-
Not sure why your insurance should pay anything given the accident was not of your making? Perhaps the rules are different in the US?
I’m mindful that insurance companies may wish to right cars off if repair costs are high (seem to remember if cost to repair is approx 1/2 / 2/3 value of car?), then they offer a settlement but you have option to effectively pay the scrap value to retain the car. Then costs to put back on road are up to you and hopefully monies remaining from the compensation will pay for the repairs?
-
Not sure why your insurance should pay anything given the accident was not of your making? Perhaps the rules are different in the US?
Katie, we have 50 states here all with their own insurance rules--and rates. Some are vastly different than others. For example, in all but one state--Michigan--payments from your insurance for catastrophic injuries are "capped" at a certain amount, say $1,000,000. Michigan has no cap, and the rates are among the highest in the nation because of it.
We also have "no fault" insurance where YOUR insurance company pays for YOUR damages; keeps a lot of the courts and legal system free of these things. Some states have the no fault only for injury, others extend it to collision too.
When we moved from Michigan to North Carolina, our insurance rates on three cars (drivers) dropped about 60%. Insurance on the Pagoda remained mostly the same, but my stated amount has gone up with the value.
-
Katie, we have 50 states here all with their own insurance rules--and rates. Some are vastly different than others. For example, in all but one state--Michigan--payments from your insurance for catastrophic injuries are "capped" at a certain amount, say $1,000,000. Michigan has no cap, and the rates are among the highest in the nation because of it.
We also have "no fault" insurance where YOUR insurance company pays for YOUR damages; keeps a lot of the courts and legal system free of these things. Some states have the no fault only for injury, others extend it to collision too.
When we moved from Michigan to North Carolina, our insurance rates on three cars (drivers) dropped about 60%. Insurance on the Pagoda remained mostly the same, but my stated amount has gone up with the value.
Thanks Michael for the clarification, boy am I glad we live in simpler times in the UK, albeit I believe for the ‘no blame’ scenario (or what on a race track they refer to as a ‘racing incident’ 😉), the same is true on this side of the pond, ie your insurance company pays for your damage (happy to be corrected by fellow ‘islanders’ if this is not the case)
However in Alex’s case, it was clearly not ‘his’ (although understand not driving at the time) fault as someone went into him when he was happily minding own business whilst driving on a main road (maybe I have misunderstood how the accident happened). I think there is something if someone is slightly less to blame then the other insurance company has to make a contribution as well. I remember many moons ago when my mother unfortunately hit a car that was turning right (ie turning across a road) just after a blind corner. As the driver of the other car had positioned their car close to the curb, rather than close to the centre line, insurance found them partly to blame for the accident and also they had the ability to stop nearer to the apex of the bend that would enable other drivers to be able to see they were stationary, whilst the other driver would still have sufficient visibility to see when it was safe to turn.
I my simple mind, I cannot see the logic where some idiot can drive into your car, and there was no fault on your part, that you have to contribute to the costs! The world has gone mad!!
-
However in Alex’s case, it was clearly not ‘his’ (although understand not driving at the time) fault as someone went into him when he was happily minding own business whilst driving on a main road (maybe I have misunderstood how the accident happened)...I my simple mind, I cannot see the logic where some idiot can drive into your car, and there was no fault on your part, that you have to contribute to the costs! The world has gone mad!!
Insurance is one of the reasons why the world has gone a bit bonkers. In this particular case of Alex's car, it's only started to become settled. There's a lot more work to do and the insurance companies will be speaking on this.
There's a concept of insurance in the USA called subrogation. I'm sure some of our members in the UK can fill us in on whatever it is similar in UK. In a subrogation case/claim, one insurance company (NOT the one really responsible) pays the claim on behalf of its insured client. THEN they go after the "at fault" party's insurance company. This generally happens behind the scenes and after the claim has been paid, and the injured car/party has been "made whole" and paid off.
-
Insurance is one of the reasons why the world has gone a bit bonkers. In this particular case of Alex's car, it's only started to become settled. There's a lot more work to do and the insurance companies will be speaking on this.
There's a concept of insurance in the USA called subrogation. I'm sure some of our members in the UK can fill us in on whatever it is similar in UK. In a subrogation case/claim, one insurance company (NOT the one really responsible) pays the claim on behalf of its insured client. THEN they go after the "at fault" party's insurance company. This generally happens behind the scenes and after the claim has been paid, and the injured car/party has been "made whole" and paid off.
Yes, I think we have the same system here, but wouldn’t know the ‘official’ terminology as as you mention, it all goes on behind the scenes
-
Well 657 days after the accident, finally arrived back home last Wednesday. Would not have been possible without the help of this group. Would like to thank all who helped me in the background, not always posting on the site.
Special thank you to Mike Salemi who recommend Satish Tummula and his crew at Motorwerks Luxury Vehicle Center in Commerce Charter Township, MI. Prior to meeting Satish, I had 3 no quotes on doing the body work, and one said they will not give an estimate, will send an invoice at end of the month and I pay it with no questions asked until done - just plain crazy, I’m not a bank or the US government. Satish not only gave an estimate that was reasonable but came in below the estimate for the body work. At the Pinehurst Motoring Expo this weekend, met a 30-year retired body man, he could not tell where it was repainted.
Highly recommend Motorwerks to anyone not just for body work, but did several mechanical enhancements as well, new Tremec 5 speed to replace the 4 speed, new Time Valve exhaust, re welded seat springs and reused the original nla turquoise seat covers to name a few.
Again, thank you Mike Salemi, would not have a functional Pagoda today if was not for your recommendation, forever grateful.
Alex
-
Awesome, congratulations Alex... Am sure it has felt like an incredibly long wait but well worth it, beautiful car!
-
It’s looks really nice Alex. Glad to see you back on the road again!
-
Really nice!
-
Congratulations Alex. It has been a long time for you waiting for this day. Now, enjoy!
-
Congratulations on getting it back Alex. A relief I am sure.
-
Wunderbar! ;^)
-
Alex, I know you are one happy man now that the process is over. Photos look real nice. Oh and to top it off a new 5 speed. Congrats. Bob
-
What Alex partially conveyed in his update note was the frustration in finding a shop that would properly deal with the body work. It is a frustration wished upon none of our members to have shops basically so busy that they are forced to turn away business, say they can get to it "in a year or two", just leave the car with us and we'll send you monthly bills, or turn to downright arrogance. I think he found all of that!
In addition, the crash repairs included (the 5 speed Tremec not withstanding) mechanical repairs too.
Unfortunately dealing with insurance companies is rarely a pleasant thing, and in Alex's case was exacerbated by multiple insurance companies being involved. To file the proper claim and get the process moving along, the insurance companies needed one complete estimate that encompassed both mechanical and body...
...and that's when I suggested he consider the shop in Michigan (Motorwerks Group LLC) that did a bit of work on my car several times in the past. Not only do they know the Pagodas quite well, they are fully capable of both body and mechanical work and are as reasonable as it gets. In addition, the owner--Satish Tummala also has a software company that provides estimating software. So, Alex flew Satish down to Raleigh last year, he brought his laptop and estimating software, and was able to detail exactly what needed to be done. When Satish returned back home, he was then able to research the parts costs and provide one complete estimate which was needed for the insurance company.
Armed with the estimate for insurance, Alex was able to move ahead with the claim. Meanwhile it was "booked" into Motorwerks schedule and the car was shipped there to arrive when they could work on it. Though it was several months after the crash and estimate, once the car arrived they began work within days.
I was happy to be able to point Alex to a good resource to get the task at hand completed in the least painful and most expedient manner.
-
Alex, congratulations on getting it all together again. Looks fantastic! What a great chapter to add to the storied history of your car.
Enjoy!!