My baby PT = Totaled

[DJmart]

Hey fellas, I waited a while to write to you about my PT, if I had done it sooner it would have hurt me a lot more emotionally.

Last Thursday, (10/23/08) I was on my way to class, bumpin my music, just crusin` minding my own business. Traveling in the left lane as I always do on one of the main roads here, about 45mph...5 over.

I am being gentle with the PT, driving it nicely and just crusing to school.

Some guy caught me by surprise. He suddenly was right in the path of my PT. I knew there was nothing I could do, i moved from gas to brake as fast as I could, and by that time I had slammed into the right front of his Hyundai.

Air bags deployed, the car is filled with smoke from the airbag gases. It took me a few seconds to make sure I was alive. I felt my nose a little tingly, checked for blood, none.

I swung open my door in furious anger. Ran over to the front of my car, seeing plastic pieces all over the ground, the PT was surely smashed real badly. Screaming and cursing all sorts of words I didn't even know I knew.... i run over to the A**hole who made the turn, knocked on his window and lipped "are you okay" he barely nods. I leave him alone and thats the last thing I said to him.

So there was a car accident up the road before me, and police were just clearing it. Suddenly the cops were already on scene with me.

After a little while they asked me for registration, and insurance. I was going to get it, but the little PT locked its doors.... with the keys in it... because it was in gear.

So my parents drove over about 4 minutes later, got me the keys and what not.

The guy (according to PD) made an illegal left turn, into a "exit only" of Borders BookStore.

I am completely healthy, not a bruise or a cut. My back and neck hurt the day after, so I ran over to the doctors, he says im fine and I have to meet with him again next Friday.

So the PT really took a nice impact, insurance apprasier said the motor was pushed back 4 inches, breaking all of the motor mounts. My cam pulleys were bent, the intake plennum was cracked, it was a real wreck.

Its totaled... and I really miss it.

Pictures:
http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1


From the scene:

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1


His most certainly totaled Hyundai:

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1

http://local.djmart.org/gallery2/mai...serialNumber=1


I will try to remain active on the forum, I don't believe I will be getting another PT Cruiser, but thats not to say I will be leaving you guys any time soon.

I will be selling some parts I was able to pull out of the Cruiser, for cheap.

After I clean them up, im going to be selling the freedom designs strut bar (not bent!) and an air-raid intake.

Keep an eye out in the B/S/T forum.

[damilleniumboy]

Holly Fluke. I'm glad everything came out ok with you. Good luck with the insurance and getting a new car.

[CREWZIN]

Sorry to hear about your crash. Glad your feeling good now but things tend to turn up later to tell the doc about any new aches and pains that turn up, there could be some minor internal injuries. Good luck.

[PurplePTGirl]

I feel for you--it happened to me in January (I had a beautiful plum 05 Touring). But the good news is that our PTs protected us so well, right? I was hit head on by a woman turning left, as well. My PT had over $10,000 in damage so it was totalled (they stopped adding it up at this point--that didnt even include possible damage to the transaxle).

If you really love the PT, check out a used one. I bought an 04 Platinum Edition Limited (even nicer than my Touring, though a year older) and basically have the same car loan I had with the 05. It even had less miles on it. After being in such a bad crash, and knowing how the PT protected me, it actually made me feel safer to buy another one (the cop at the scene told me that 10 years ago, he would have arrived at a crash like that and found much more severe injuries--I had badly bruised knees and scrapes and bruises from the shoulder belt).

But I still miss my pretty plum PT... it was the first and only new car I've ever owned. It just totally sucks when someone does this to you. :-(

[prettybluewoody]

Glad you're feeling okay, but like Crewzin said, let the doc know about any new aches and pains.

I understand why you might not want to get another PT: nothing can really replace something lost, and another one is NOT the same. (And from the pics, I can see how much you'd taken care of your baby: she's totaled, but her paint and wheels are still gleaming!) But like Purplegirl said, you KNOW how hard a PT will work to protect you! Whichever way you go, good luck, and I hope the guy's insurance covers everything.

[Vmax1]

That SUCKS! thats why I gave up motorcycling after 35 years of riding and got me a PT Convertible. So many cell phone idiots on the roads now, so many dozy drivers that should never be behind a steering wheel, glad you didn`t get hurt.

[careyk]

So Sorry .....when everything is paid off to you by insurance...buy another car...how about a GT?

[ucantcme]

WOW!

That's horrible! Glad you're okay.

You have full coverage?

[Franksredpt]

Another PT makes the ultimate sacrifice for its owner Glad you are ok.

[wazzzzman]

First off I am glad you were not injured in the accident. Secondly I would like to offer some advise. When anyone is involved in an accident, sit in the car for a bit to make sure all your parts are working and that you are not bleeding or anything and that anyone else in the vehicle is not hurt. Thirdly, never and I mean never no matter how stupid you feel the other driver is, run over to the other car to tell the person off about how stupid they are. What happens many times is that the person going over to the other car ends up being the very dead stupid person as they get hit by another vehicle not involved in the first accident. Fourthly for legal reasons after you have determined that no one in the other car needs assistance, you do not want to say anything that may be construed as being negligence on your part. Only talk to aid workers, or police personnel…that is all. Remember it is an accident. Even if the other person was grossly stupid and negligent, it was an accident. Few people really enjoy playing bumper cars on the road. I have worked with policemen for years and many have told me that there are very few that are unavoidable. There is usually something the seemingly innocent driver could have done to avoid the accident. Maybe a bridge or road failure could be one of unavoidable ones, but that is about it. Defensive driving is a skill and it takes practice.