My CR-V is in surgery :-(

[AmyEXL]

Hi everyone... remember me? I just bought a beautiful, brand-spanking-new 2008 CR-V EX-L (black/ black w/ nav) about a month ago. I've been totally in love with her and she didn't have a blemish to her name... until Monday afternoon.

There I sat, first in line at a red light in northern Virginia, patiently waiting for the light to turn green so I could get on my merry way. A number of cars had collected in line, including a Mazda behind me and a Lexus to my right. To make a long story short, a Mercedes came barreling down the road behind us at (according to a witness) approximately 60MPH in the 45MPH zone, failed to respond to the traffic or the red light, sped up the left-hand lane, jerked right, and crashed into the Mazda, me, and the Lexus as we we were sitting at the intersection. The crash rocked all four cars, including my brand new CR-V, which still had temporary tags. I almost cried. Preliminary estimate: At least $4,000-worth of damage (not including any damage to the frame, etc., which we don't know about yet) and a minimum of three weeks without her.

As sad as I am, I must say that - in my opinion and in response to my own personal experience - the 2008 CR-V lived up to its five-star safety rating; it sustained significant impact and I walked away in one piece.

[jeprox]

sorry to hear about your accident. glad to hear you're ok.
it always suck when your new car gets hit. my crv got hit with a metal pole as i drove by a construction area at my work parkade. :mad:
luckily, i only got a small dent/scratch.

goodluck with your crv - hope everything gets fixed properly

[Black Pearl]

I am curious, did any of your air bags deploy? How did the Mercedes hit you, (side, rear, front left, etc)? Any idea how fast he was going when he hit you?

Well you hate to see your car damaged, but you walked away OK, and that is what is really important! I hope your car is repaired OK and that you have no problems in the future.

[GoGreen]

AmyEXL-

So sorry to hear about your accident.
What sort of damage did your CRV sustain?
Is it $4000 to fix due to the cost of Honda repairs, or was the damage to the vehicle that extensive?

A couple of years ago, I hit a herd (yes, a HERD) :eek: of deer and sustained damage to all three sides of my minivan.
Total cost to do repairs almost totalled the vehicle at $5000.

I'm curious to know if it is more expensive to repair a Honda vs. other makes of vehicles.

*** Wisconsin Public Enemy Number One ***

[jpod]

I can understand a tearful reaction to such a wreck. Unlike "W", I don’t often “do tears”. But I did tears when my daughter and I returned to the salvage yard to clean out our beloved 04 CRV, “Weasel”.

Glad you weren’t hurt. Honda has made a strategic commitment to safety and in shows, literally, in the crumpled exteriors and intact interiors of wrecked Hondas. Experiencing a severe but injury-free wreck in Weasel was the main reason I bought the 08 CRV.

Based on my experience, I advise you not to settle with anyone, especially the other driver’s insurance company, until you do some research on diminished value. It’s a concept that probably does apply to your situation. And it could mean the difference between a “low ball” final settlement and a fair final settlement.

I made a fairly long boring post to the thread “Accident with my CRV” talking about my experience with diminished value. It might be helpful to you to read it. I will put a link in this post if I can figure out how to do that. http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/t2045-2/#post15296(for some reason MS Word shuts itself down when I try to go between Word and this site) Hey I did it!:D

In regards to the repair estimate, I advise you to insist on a thorough teardown and inspection (with careful measurements) of all damaged areas before repairs start. This will help identify the full extent of the work required, and help you and the insurance company understand the complete cost of repairs. Indeed a good estimate of the complete cost of repairs, along with the prospect of compensating you for diminished value, may cause the insurance company to total your car. In most circumstances this would be preferable to having a heavily damaged car repaired.

Good Luck

JPO

[AmyEXL]

Thanks for your words of support, everyone.

The damage my car sustained was all in the passenger-side rear. The airbags did not deploy.

In response to the question on the source of the cost of repairs: I am getting the car repaired at an independent auto body shop that came recommended by Honda.

I just got the word on the estimate: $6,230 & change (!!!!!), and another three weeks without it.

[jpod]

Thought I posted this earlier today. Hope it is not too redundant.

Sorry to hear about the cost of repairs to your V. And that does not include the cost to you of diminished value when you sell or trade in your car. Because wrecks and repairs are now public record your car may be worth several thousand dollars less in the market place than an otherwise comparable car that had not been wrecked, even if it is repaired to like new condition by a good shop. Sad but true.

If you filed a claim with the other driver’s insurance company you probably can recover something for the diminished market value of your car. If you filed a claim with your own insurer you probably wont be able to receive compensation for the diminished market value of your car. Most states allow insurance companies to exclude payment for diminished value from their policies.:mad:

In any case, I hope you will have your V back soon.

JPO

[Honda 367]

Thought I posted this earlier today. Hope it is not too redundant.

Sorry to hear about the cost of repairs to your V. And that does not include the cost to you of diminished value when you sell or trade in your car. Because wrecks and repairs are now public record your car may be worth several thousand dollars less in the market place than an otherwise comparable car that had not been wrecked, even if it is repaired to like new condition by a good shop. Sad but true.

If you filed a claim with the other driver’s insurance company you probably can recover something for the diminished market value of your car. If you filed a claim with your own insurer you probably wont be able to receive compensation for the diminished market value of your car. Most states allow insurance companies to exclude payment for diminished value from their policies.:mad:

In any case, I hope you will have your V back soon.

JPO


This is an excellent information. I can attest to that diminished value. After my wreck with S2000, the total cost for repair came out to about $11,000. What I should have done at the time is take the money and sell the car for whatever I could get. Unfortunately, I had the car repaired and traded it later but received considerably less than what the car was worth because of the accident. Carmax and other dealers are very familiar with the inspection and will point that out. In this case, because the damage is around $6,000, I do hope the repair is not substantial and that you will be able to drive it for a long time to come.

Anytime an accident takes place, it is basically lose lose kind of situation. Sorry about the accident and that you will be able to get your CR-V soon in tip top shape.

[Mitchie]

Amy,
I had a similar experience in a ridgeline My Ridgeline saved my life - Honda Ridgeline Owners Club Forums (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/miscellaneous-general-honda-ridgeline-discussions/21863-my-ridgeline-saved-my-life.html)
I can totally empathise with your situation. I bought an 01 CR-V as a temp replacement for my Ridge, and now am a V fan too. :D

[AmyEXL]

Mitchie;

I read your post about the Ridgline; good Lord! What a horrific event. The photographs of your vehicle are unbelievable.

I must say, the pictures of your accident remind me of a car accident that killed my best friend almost ten years ago. She, like us, drove a large vehicle (an SUV); after her accident, the SUV had been reduced to the size of a Civic. She, unfortunately, did not survive the crash (she was thrown from the vehicle and then crushed by its rolling frame). The similarities between the way your Ridgeline looked and the way her SUV looked after the accident are haunting, and I am so happy to know that you and your wife survived the accident.

These horrible stories of car accidents, injury, & trauma are so sobering. Unfortunately, there is nothing any of us can do to control for "the other guy" except to do our best to protect ourselves by investing in safe vehicles. Between your story and mine, I think we all can appreciate what a wise investment a Honda really is.

[Bren08CRV]

I hope everything works out for you. I just got a silver 08 CRV and I am crazy about this car. I worry about it getting hit at work so I part REALLY far away. It's a shame when a brand new car gets hit, especially when some goof isn't paying attention. I know you will miss her, but I'm sure she will look just as beautiful as the day you got her. Good luck!

[tcturner]

I am glad you are alright.My Wife got side swiped by a transport truck several years ago and luckily she did not get hurt but she made herself sick worrying what I would say as it was a new car.The first thing I said was are you alright and she said yes but what about the car and I said who cares in 10 years it will be a toaster(it was a GM).She still tells everyone about my toaster story,life is about getting your priorities right.All the best.

[supertone]

I got rid of the Venza right before all this recall mess and after the deer hit $4K fix. Then I bought a 2010 CRV EX-L in White (love it). Funny thing the guys at my work posted a message on the CRV's window calling my new ride (Crash Recovery Vehicle) :D