I Crashed it!

[Prospekt]

Yup. I won't be seeing my V for a while, and I'm pretty upset about it. I was driving home from work on a pitch black forested road and I tapped the brakes when I came upon the gravel section. It was a sharp bump in the road and I think the decrease in contact with the tires and the road is the culprit of my traction loss. The car started sliding to the right, I let off the brakes and tried to ease it left, and the next thing I know I'm ploughing over small trees and BANG the airbag blows as I smack into a fairly large tree. This whole description happened within 3 seconds. Now, I got out and started running for home, which was about half a kilometer down the road. That was the worst experience of my life, trying to run in the pitch black in bear season, knowing I had just destroyed my car. A guy down the road was actually scaring bears away from his garbage when he heard the crash and came to help. So anyways, towing comes and tells me the car is a write-off because I probably bent the unibody chassis. Luckily, the police officer understands I'll be having a lot on my plate and doesn't charge me with reckless driving. I'm at my cottage, so I get the car towed on a flatbed to my home dealership, where they inventory the parts and damage, and tell me that it would likely cost more to repair than just replace. Needless to say, I was horrified. They refer me to the best collision repair shop in the city and they say that they can repair it, but it will take a really long time because there aren't any parts around. He estimates that it will cost 7000 to repair the damage. What a relief. So anyways, I just wanted to rant and get the replay of the crash out of my mind. Learn from my mistake, take it easy on gravel roads and don't overestimate how much traction you have.

PS: To rub salt in the wound, I have a CAI, stereo mounting kit and wiring harnesses on their way to me right now. It'll be a while before I get to put any of them in.

[CodeRed]

Wow dude, sorry to hear that. Are you ok? how fast were you going? And did you have your headlights on?

[Prospekt]

Yea, I'm alright, it seems as though the versa crumples VERY easily because I felt almost nothing. I was surprised at how soft it was. My head didn't hit the airbag either. My only "injury" was a small bruise from the seatbelt. The airbag is very loud, by the way. It breaks through the plastic of the steering wheel and fills the air with really bad smelling smoke which I assume is from the explosive charge. The autobody guy said if I had collided half and inch to either side it wouldn't have gone off and I'd have saved 2500 bucks. Damn.

I honestly can't say how fast I was going. Probably faster than my usual, because I had worked overtime and wanted to get home, but not exceptionally fast. I had the high beams on but because of the steepness of the hill I couldn't see the road beyond the lip. There was a lot of loose gravel on the right which my right tires skidded over according to the officer.

[BBISHOPPCM]

Sorry to hear that happened to you! When my Versa had just 5,000 miles on it, I was in a minor accident, it sucks to have your new baby hurt like that, but my body shop fixed her up as good as new. Good luck man!

[Versajoe]

That really stinks. Sorry to hear about it. I know that you're supposed to turn into a skid, but I don't think I would be able to if it was a split second decision. One of these days I'd love to take a course where you practice skids, etc.

[KimberKenobi]

Sorry to hear about your V, but I'm sure we're all glad that you are okay!

[07Vsdn]

since you are ok...



sorry, somone had to do it....

[TrustME]

Wow man. I'm sorry that happened to you. Least the cop gave you a break. Most cops wont.

[Ever Victorious]

That really stinks. Sorry to hear about it. I know that you're supposed to turn into a skid, but I don't think I would be able to if it was a split second decision. One of these days I'd love to take a course where you practice skids, etc.

You want to turn into a skid if you want to correct it. However, if turning into the skid means turning off the road, it might actually be better to turn AWAY from the skid, and just let the back end come around.

In SCCA Autocross, in certain venues, you are taught NOT to fight a skid if you start to lose control in the rain. We set an excellent example as to why a few years back... on a course that was an old defunct airport turned into a drag strip, one of the racers ignored this... turned into the skid... and ended up going off road to the outside, which shot him over a berm and into the trees. Had he let go or turned away from the skid, he would have ended up going back-around, but sliding into the flat grassy median, where there was nothing to hit.

That being said... real world conditions, it's probably near impossible to analyze and make the correct decision on the fly, so we do what comes naturally... which is either what we're taught to do, or simply to freeze up.

And, all THAT being said...

Glad to hear you're OK. Damage to V's may look bad, but it's usually pretty repairable. My V sandwich was $7800 in damage, but they got it fixed.

[DegnaRed]

PS: To rub salt in the wound, I have a CAI, stereo mounting kit and wiring harnesses on their way to me right now. It'll be a while before I get to put any of them in.

That's probably better than having them recently installed.

[versa2nr]

yeah I had tweaked mine a couple months ago. Not a major hit, only 3200 in damages but not fast enough to deploy the air bags. The car was out for about 5 weeks while they were waiting on parts.

[srellim234]

Thank goodness you're all right. I guess it's a testimony to the safety features on the car that it crumpled the way it did and protected you from injury.

[Prospekt]

since you are ok...



sorry, somone had to do it....

Lol, yea I figured someone would ask me about that. I was thinking of bringing my camera to snap some pics before the tow truck got there, but I was pretty distraught and figured photographs were the least of my concerns. The radiator was hissing pretty loudly from a puncture and coolant was leaking everywhere but the engine was running and intact after the crash.

My main concern is that even if they fix all the damages, the car will never be the same ( I hear bent a bent chassis will lead to major joint stress and it will never drive the same way). Hopefully the body shop guy does repair that well.

thanks for the support guys, its good to hear from other versa owners

[seay1b1]

Getting in a crash is funny?

-CodeRed

[shreqboi909]

i crashed my car like 2 month after i got it, which sucked because i got the car back in july...and there were no parts around to be found for months....so since late sept early oct i had it crashed and didnt get it fixed until jan.....well the problem was that i was teaching my younger brother to drive stick, and i was pretty comfortable with him driving so i let him, from time to time, drive round the neihborhood by himself....and then he ran into my room one day tellin me he had crashed it....so insurance wouldnt cover it and the only thing to do was to fix it myself.....it ended up being around 1700 dollars to fix....and all the parts i got were with an employee discount so im guessing it would have been around 3000 dollars to fix it....and on that note, i know how it feels to be helpless and just seeing ur baby wrecked......oh and the cop that showed up didnt give me a ticket (i told him it was me driving) he just said to move it as soon as possible....

btw, my brother hit a curb at about 40mph....it was a curve and instead of slowing down, he panicked and slammed on the brakes

[PB]

Sorry to hear about the bang up,Im glad your safe,I hope you will be up and running with a fresh Versa soon.

[ace rothstein 81]

Yeah dude, I hate to hear that happened to you, but it's definitely better that the Versa get all messed up than you. I lost my Maxima back in January and there was no getting it back on account of its age and the damage done. So I kinda know how you feel... Hopefully you'll be back in yours pretty soon.

[ms_stylin_versa]

Ya sorry

[damnedkero]

sorry for the v glad you re ok

[scifisupergal]

Good news is that your ok. What is your insurance covering?

[seay1b1]

. nobody got hurt so it is

[mayahmed423]

Glad your fine, but sad for the V..

Take care.

[faction]

I slid my parent;'s minivan on it's side all the way down a gravel hill once...I know how scary that is. Lesson learned is to give gravel all the respect it deserves and more. Glad you weren't hurt.

I think most cops that live in rural areas know that gravel can sneak up on anyone. Even if you are doing the speed limit, if you hit a bad patch or swerve to miss a deer, you can wreck.

Where do you live that you have to be running home so you don't get eaten by a bear?? Good lord!

[xtwoonamatchx]

wow dude! glad your ok, couldve been MUCH worse, couldve destroyed your car AND you, but best of luck getting everything back in working order, keep us up to date