Killed my TDI today, :(

Forget to set the parking brake and she rolled down a hill. Hit a concrete wall.

Score is Concrete wall 1 TDI 0

You would have thunk the thing hit at 50 mph, must have been going 20 at least

Tore up the whole tail end encluding both rear quarters, and the crumpled the roof,

I don't know what the proceedure for totalling is but it looks bad to me.

I wonder if they fix it--Took it to the VW/Mercedes dealer,
if it will ever be the same.

I hate when that happens!!!!!

Btw. Only had 8,000 miles on it!!!!

------------------
Lube-Direct

New Lube Forums

[This message has been edited by msparks (edited August 09, 2000).]

My sincerest condolences, but I guess "stuff" happens. At least no people were hurt.

DOHHHHHHHH, I feel for ya.

DB

Sorry about your loss. Ol' Silver sends his condolences too. Hope your insurance company steps to the plate in your behalf.

We used to live on an uphill culdesac and I came home from work one day to see my wife's Renault LeCar backing down the hill at around 25+ MPH it hit the curb just right so that it slowed a little before hitting a neighbor's brick planter and bounced back about six feet just as my wife was catching up with it! It almost hit her! We were extremely fortunate that nothing happened to the planter and that it didn't roll all the way out into the traffic on the through street. The LeCar? Only a small dent in the plastic bumper.

------------------
Jack from Anaheim
'70 Convertible VW Bug.
'00 Silver NB TDI Auto.

I'm just sick over it and it wasn't even my car. Sorry for your loss :-(

God I feel sooo bad for you. What a shame!!
Best of luck and hope you have full replacement policy. Remember the damage seems high because these modern autos are so good at buckling to try and save the passengers. The deceleration and brunt of the hit is taken by the car and they tend to sacrifice the car rather than build a tank and have it so stiff that someone gets hurt.
Claude

------------------
TDIsmokin
Claude

I am an elitist. I drive a TDI!!

First off, I'm very sorry to hear this....

Second, this brings up a question:

Who here leaves their car/truck parked IN gear and with emergency brake engaged???

I personally ALWAYS leave my car in gear. My wife on the other hand....

Mike
That is a tough break. Hopefully, it can be fixed. If not try to find another TDI. We hate to lose a valued member.
Lou

------------------
2000 Jetta GLS TDI Auto Silver Arrow
1986 Golf DSL

First off, I'm very sorry to hear this....

Second, this brings up a question:

Who here leaves their car/truck parked IN gear and with emergency brake engaged???

I personally ALWAYS leave my car in gear. My wife on the other hand....

So sad. In the flatland country of Mid MI its real easy to get in the habit of not using the parking brake....even though I know the cabels rust up and yes when you need them they don't work.
Its kinda nice to use the P brake on the newer cars cuz the headlights don't come on when starting. On the Passat I turn the key real slow and I've found a spot where the car starts before the lights come on!

This turning on the ignition switch real slow might not be good. Are the Passats the ones with ignition switches that have been failing?

Years of Saab ownership have gotten me completely in the habit of putting the car in reverse before taking the key out. In Saabs, you CAN'T take the key out unless you do this. Yet another safety feature that most cars still don't have. I pull the parking brake up too - out of habit.

Tough news. Sorry to hear it.
Here's hoping you get a replacement.

------------------
BeetleGo, and go and go
"You said this was a DIESEL?!"

Michael,

I saw the car today. It's not as bad as it sounded. I took this photo so everyone could better-sense your pain:



Cheer up, my friend. I've seen much worse. Clay Peyton's Jetta was almost as bad. I think they'll be able to pull it out. It'll have a little body filler and the metal will probably be too stressed to ever consider adding a hitch receiver; but it is fixable. The damage appears to be all behind the wheels, which should mean no alignment problems in the future. One thing Clay noted with his repair was that he had to keep an eye out for rust along the area where they welded-on the new rear end. Rust will take longer to appear in El Paso, but I'd still look for it. His car was still beautiful afterwards. But you'll still not feel the same about your pristine car.

Good Luck with the insurance company,

------------------
Scott Farrell, KE4WMF
98 Jetta w/84k, 802mi/55mpg (best)
Scott's Jetta TDI Page
TDIClub.com Stickers and T-Shirts

I am pretty religeous about setting the brake and leaving in gear!

I guess extept this one time. I was just going back in the house for a stamp!! Hell of a price for a stamp huh!!

I was already in the car and had it started, then I saw I needed a stamp, so I turned off the car, and got out with the key's in hand. Came back outside and the car was no where to be seen!

I wish VW had the key thing like Saab, or at least a chime or bell or whistle.

Don't worry, I doubt I will ever own any other type of car, except maybe a Audi S-4, which is out of my budget for now. So I will stick will our great little diesels

------------------
Lube-Direct

New Lube Forums

VERY sorry to hear about your car---it's definitely fixable. Let me ease your pain---my Golf was broken down in town with a bad ECU. We had made arrangements to meet the tow truck @ 10 am to give him the keys---we get a call @ 8:30am from the tow truck driver---he's waiting @ the car. My wife takes off in our new 2000 Pathfinder(800 miles) gets about 100 yards down the driveway and hits a stump and lays it on its side---so I go get the tow truck driver and we right the car. He calls his Co to bring a car dolly and he tows BOTH of them to Santa Rosa(over 2 hrs away)---over $11,000 and over two months later we have it back and it's as good as new. Yes she is a BLONDE .
Your ins co is going to raise your rates because this comes under your collision coverage. If no report was taken, you might be able to switch ins companies and keep your rates down.

------------------

$7914 is the Estimate, though I wonder since it did go down an embankment if the underside isn't screwed up!!!

I guess when I get it back we will see!!



------------------
Lube-Direct

New Lube Forums

So did you leave it in gear or not? You only said you didn't set the parking brake.

------------------
Check out my car! 1991 GTI
Keep on 'dubbin

I honestly don't remember either way if the car was in gear or not. You know it could have possibly been in gear and when I got out it could have jerked out if it would have rolled a little.

I don't really know!

if i were you i would take the $8,000, do some work on the engine. put Illinois plates on it and drive it like you live in Chicago
i hit a deer (or moose maybe) at 76mph, took off all his legs and $5400 damage to the front. car is fine, having problems matching the silver though. being that your is in the rear there should really be not structural problem (as if it where $8k in the front). being white the paint should work out good too (make sure they either take of the door rubber and mask to there or sand the damn mask lines that i have gotten just inside ALL my doors [repainted whole car finally])

did make me sick to see it but i would guess if all goes well you will have it by next weekend (try not to think about it until then).

good luck
garrett P.

------------------
2000 JEDI TDI
Sub-Commander of the Epsilonian Contingent Nothern Hemisphere: Earth

I always thought it would be good to tie the parking break switch into the alarm system, so if the parking break wasn't on, the doors would lock, but you wouldn't get the beep telling you it was armed. Kinda like when a door is still open when you arm it. My driveway is sloped away from my house, and I always find myself getting out and doing a double take to make sure the break is set. I think some of my paranoia is because I let the car idle after a hard run. So I sit in it for a short spell with it in neutral.

Paul.

When I idle in neutral, I force myself to put both feet on the floormat, thus forcing myself to set the parking brake, just so I NEVER forget to do it. Works for me. Just get in a routine.

Update,

Found out that they are waiting on a quarter panel. Wont even get shipped for at least 45 more days!

**** it will be X-mas before we get it back.



------------------
Lube-Direct

New Lube Forums

Why bother waiting. The car looks OK... just pocket the money and drive with a smile on your face. After a few months nobody will notice you anymore, and you'll have the money and trasportation to get from point a to b. After all.... You live in ElPaso, Texas ... half the people there drive banged-up cars.

Win-Win Situation if ever I saw one.



[This message has been edited by murraywest (edited September 20, 2000).]

Well we are working on 3 months now. though it should be ready by the end of the month. Just shy of 3 months.

They finally got all of the parts in, now they say it will only take like 1 week to get it together and painted.

I hope this is a lesson to all--Don't wreck your TDI

------------------
Lube-Direct

New Lube Forums

Or do a proper job at wrecking it!

------------------
70-FR-TX
'94 Golf tdi 1Z
No more Eibach lowering springs
No more Bilstein front&rear
Currently Monroe SensaTrac shocks front & rear and stock springs.
Nice & smooth!!

I am not making fun of the situation, don't misunderstand me, but I'd be having doubts too. I always tell my friends that if they happen to smash my car, please do a proper job so that I won't get it back.
I didn't do the right thing when I drove off the road into a ditch the first time and the left front wheel moved against the left front panel and almost everything in the suspension was bent including the subframe and parts of the steering. Little less than 5000 $ worth of damage.
Didn't do it properly the second time either when I hit a guy in an intersection that turned left when I was going straight ahead which resulted in only minor damage.
Born loser....
------------------
70-FR-TX
'94 Golf tdi 1Z
No more Eibach lowering springs
No more Bilstein front&rear
Currently Monroe SensaTrac shocks front & rear and stock springs.
Nice & smooth!!

[This message has been edited by feto (edited October 22, 2000).]

Wow, that's interesting, but it doesn't look too bad. I'm a professional car wrecker. I've racked up $14,000+ in damage to my mom's Chrysler LHS (1997). We still have it though, and it drives just fine. I think i'd kill myself if I ever wrecked my car (if I didn't die in the wreck).

I NEVER leave the car in gear. I always set the brake though. I can't stand it when my dad moves my car & leaves it in gear. I always stall it as soon as I start it because I let out the clutch pedal. It drives my NUTS!

------------------
2000 Yellow New Beetle 1.9T Manual

With a 20 + grand vehicle and a human life on the line, safety should come first.

Leave the tranny in park or in gear and set the parking brake.

Update,

Still not back yet. Will be 90 day's tomorrow, Though they have all the parts and should be done here this week or next.

Wish me luck.