Got a call this morning at 5:00am.......

Apparently, someone hit a light pole on the 290 expressway, and it fell into the traffic lanes.
My daughter is on her way home from school for the holiday. She's less than an hour from home,
and sees several cars on the side of the road with their emergency flashers on,
so she slows down to see whats up...... and BANG!!!! she runs over said light pole with the passenger side tires.
(She was in the center lane of 5 lanes at the time)

She pulls over to join the rest of the unfortunate folks to survey the damage......
both passenger side rims bent (steel wheels), and front tire flat.

This is when the aforementioned phone call occurred.

So-o-o-o-o-o....... like any good father...... I grumble and gripe for a few minutes, then get out of bed
(I was supposed to get up for work at 5:15am anyway).... and drive to the "scene of the crime".

So here we are..... 6:00am Saturday..... changing a flat tire on the side of a now busy expressway.
The rear tire is holding air, even with a seriously bent rim. We limp the car about a mile up the road to a "conveniently located"
Sears Auto Center, park it, and head to the nearby McDonald's for breakfast while we wait for them to open at 7:30.

They don't stock the rims we require, so we leave the car and head home. While she's napping, I locate two replacement rims at a tire store
less than an hour from Sears. I pay a shipping fee to have the rims delivered to Sears "by noon" according to the guy at said tire store.

So, we head back to Sears around 12:30 (about a 45 minute drive), and are told the rims haven't arrived yet.
I call the tire store...... " lots of traffic, and other deliveries" I'm told.... "they'll have them by 2:00."
Not a big deal......

So we decide to do lunch. Since it's my wedding anniversary, we splurge on 'Joe's Crab Shack'.
Get back to Sears at 2:30....... still no rims......

Another call to the tire store.... "he's in the area... they'll be there in 45 minutes".

So the rims FINALLY arrive at Sears at 4:15.......

Installation, mount, balance.... all covered by my road hazard coverage. Alignment is redone..... and they can't get it to spec......

"Something is probably bent..." (DUH!)

To summarize......
I spent over 14 hours today getting my daughter's car back on the road, only to find that it may no longer be road worthy.
(To my knowledge, a "bent frame" on a unibody vehicle can't be repaired.)
I could have known this allot sooner, had an ignorant courier driver not taken 6+ hours to make a 45 minute trip.

The person who hit the light pole had insurance (fortunately), and we have the information to submit all the repair costs to his insurance.
But still makes for a very long day...... and in the long run, we may have to get a replacement vehicle for her car if the "frame" is
indeed bent.
With luck, maybe it'll be a suspension component or two that needs replacing..... but I'm not holding my breath...

_________________
Brad
International Man of Mystery, Singer of Sentimental Ballads,
Soldier of Fortune, Guardian of the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch,
Bass Player Extraordinaire, Keeper of the Eternal Flame
of the Immortals, Master Swordsman, The "5th" Beatle,
Expert Marksman, Stand-up Comedian, Martial Artist,
Jeep owner, and all around swell guy.

What kind of car does she drive?

_________________
With enough fabbing, time & $, it's certainly possible.
That being said, it's like boinkin' your sister...just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

2002 Ford Focus ZX3.

I replaced the aluminum wheels (16X9) with steel (15X6) last summer because I got tired
of paying $150+ to replace a rim every time she hit the smallest pothole, and having to
buy speed rated, low profile tires that only last 30K miles.

Now this.....

I think she's right....... this car may be cursed.

_________________
Brad
International Man of Mystery, Singer of Sentimental Ballads,
Soldier of Fortune, Guardian of the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch,
Bass Player Extraordinaire, Keeper of the Eternal Flame
of the Immortals, Master Swordsman, The "5th" Beatle,
Expert Marksman, Stand-up Comedian, Martial Artist,
Jeep owner, and all around swell guy.

Sounds like she could use lessons in the proper operation of an automobile. But continue with the "it's not your fault" program.

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02 Sport,Frankenlifted,JBA arms,31/11.50/15 LTB,Aussie locker,204,000m

I feel for ya,

My wife has been in two auto accidents in one week. The first took out our '01 XJ (in a walmart parking lot) hit between the passenger side doors, body damage alone 4k+ and I could feel the steering was messed up again (again I just paid $$ for bearings, rotors, & steering pump the week before)
Monday, last week, we got the KJ, not 48hrs later she is rear-ended at a stop light fortunately, the hitch receiver took most of it, but I still want to tow with this rig...

and now the P0299 and P0401 game... (on another thread)

Keep grinning, at least the ladies are in one piece and somebody-else's insurance will pay for some of it..

J

_________________
Atlantic Blue, '06, Mostly Stock, CRD.

I'll pass on your "advice" to the owners of the 20+ vehicles that were on the side of the highway with her that morning,...
AND to the driver who hit the light pole in the first place, who is currently in residence at the county jail for causing
the whole mess.

_________________
Brad
International Man of Mystery, Singer of Sentimental Ballads,
Soldier of Fortune, Guardian of the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch,
Bass Player Extraordinaire, Keeper of the Eternal Flame
of the Immortals, Master Swordsman, The "5th" Beatle,
Expert Marksman, Stand-up Comedian, Martial Artist,
Jeep owner, and all around swell guy.