T Bone @ 60 MPH - Hostage Crisis Over After 50 Days

[DSqr]

I've got my Sky back, after T-Boning a guy at 60mph (his fault). It took 50 days and $13K to get it back on the road, but it looks like it just came from the showroom floor and it runs like a top.

The body damage was almost $9K in parts and labor, but I took the impact on the front right tire and whacked out most of the front suspension. I thought most of the wait would be for the major body panels, but it was really held up by little things like quarter-panel brackets, front bearing assembly, and seals.

And then the Pontiac dealer in Dixon, IL held me hostage for almost 2 weeks, trying to put it in alignment. They got perfect numbers on the first try, but couldn't get rid of the vibration in the front end. A week later, they discovered that the impact broke the belts on the tire and the vibration came from a bad tire (they took four wheels off of a new Solstice to prove it).

The insurance company paid for one new tire (and two new wheels) and I bought a second new tire to balance the pair on the rear. I had 34K on the tires and would have changed them out later this fall, after I find a job (got notice of being laid off right before the accident but I'm working through October). It took them four days to get the tires.

But I'm back on the road and there's still a little summer left to enjoy driving with the top down.

Hot diggity!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kustomkaps]

Glad to hear your finally out and about again. Have fun in the warm sun! Remember, it is cool to drive with the top down until it stays around 35 for a whole week!

[SKY VUE 1]

It was probably like waiting for delivery all over again, wasn't it? Glad you have the car back and everything is OK. Enjoy this crazy Illinois weather before it turns into "top down, hood up, heater on" season.

[Bogie]

So, nice to hear the car is all fixed up. How are you? A 60 mph hit has got to hurt, regardless of our restraint technology.

[DSqr]

Actually, we both walked away from the accident without a scratch. I was at work within a few hours of the accident. I was a little stiff the next day, but the Sky protected me. Taking the impact on the right corner, the air bags never deployed. The floor pan was rolled slightly, but it withstood the impact beautifully.

I had the other guy dead to rights in the driver's door, but by cutting the wheel and accelerating, I moved the impact forward of the driver's compartment. As a result, neither one of us got a scratch.

Thanks for asking.