Yet another statistic

[nickdiaz]

Well, I had a real bad night. Saved my money for 5 years. Picked it up 3 weeks ago, and have been telling everyone how careful I'm being since I don't know how to handle the power yet. Showing off to a friend last night, fishtailed in first and caught the right rear wheel on a curb just right. Pulled the wheel off and the back end along with it. Passenger and I are both uninjured and there's no property damage. My only regret is endangering her. Haven't even made a payment yet. I volunteer for poster child duty. Proceed with chuckles and shaking of heads.

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A few people have told me this actually isn't a big deal to fix. I'm still not thinking too clearly, so just waiting to see what happens next with the insurance adjuster and whatever body shop I end up at.

Sorry for the downer. Just thought maybe I could encourage additional caution to those who don't yet have their Vipers.

 

[2BADD 4U]

Sorry to hear of your mishap....I am glad no one was injured...that is most important...the car can be repaired...sometimes our bodys and lives cannot.


Dave

 

[BADVENOM]

Dude, I feel for you. Most new purchased Viper wrecks occur in the first few weeks of ownership due to a lack of respect for the power and torque of their snake. Hope everything works out okay with the insurance co.

By the way what year is it?

Adam

 

[ABADASP]

Thats not a bad night thats a bad nightmare.Well you learned your first lesson, bad news you failed that lesson. Hope you get a new one and have many fun years with it.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Dude,
That *****. Glad to hear everybody is OK.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

You get big points for being man enough to admit you f'd up. There are a lot that had a little more luck going for us than you did. Put it back together and track it.

What's the year? I'm guessing 98.

 

[Vic]

Glad you're ok. Thats the MOST important thing. You will get your snake fixed soon, and continue to enjoy your Viper, hopefully after a few weeks.

 

[poweradded]

01, i can see the rear caliper is larger.

 

[emo]

Sad story.Glad to hear that everyone is ok.You will be back on the road soon.

Good luck.

 

[Toby]

wow...what a crash.

just remember with this post...

you might have saved a life..that next guy who just got his/her new Viper might just think twice before putting the hammer down.

It takes a pair to post this...you did the right thing.

 

[Casey]

I am feeling for you! I can't imagine how you must feel!
On the other hand, NO injuries, so you should be feeling very LUCKY!!
Thanks for the post!!
Now you can start looking for your 2nd Viper!!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

01, i can see the rear caliper is larger.

LOL, Is there another pic. I don't see anything left on the rear wheel area.

 

[italian1nj]

Nick, that is the sh*ts. I can only say how sorry I was to read this. As the others have said though be grateful that no one was hurt. A vehicle can be repaired or replaced. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you. Vince

 

[ChrisXoxide]

Damn man. I'll be sure to be extra careful. Actually, I also have "been telling everyone how careful I'm being since I don't know how to handle the power yet", but am actually trying to keep to the statement.

My friends I have let test the drive however, they all spun the tail etc etc. Thankfully their test drives are over, and my car survived lol!.

5 days of survival and counting. (New owner).

-Chris

 

[monnieh]

Would a quafe rear have helped to prevent the infamous tail spin problem?

Anybodyhave a quafe?

 

[Snake Bitten]

That totally sux...glad no one was injured...most expensive part on the Viper is the assend...

What's the year? I'm guessing 98.

That is one of the 545 RT's made in 2002, 139 in Red with Black Int...


...but you can't mourn forever...What quality used parts ya got!!! ( I know, I'm terrible, but someone had to ask... )

 

[Nexus-6]

Nick -

I am so sorry to hear about your night last night...it's nigh impossible to accept right now but it truly is the most important thing that you or your passenger were not injured. Those are hard to replace. The car, however, is insured and there are plenty of '02s out there to replace it with.

Read a little about you on your website and you remind me a lot of me. Drop me a line sometime if you'd like to chat - I bet you're pretty much hating life right now and I can sympathize.

Take care

lan

 

[Viper99]

Most of those scratches will buff right out.....
Just joking. Glad you're OK.

 

[Birvini]

That's horrible!! Looks like the car protected you pretty well. Get another one and take it to Viper Days. They'll teach you what you need to know!

 

[nickdiaz]

Thanks all. I really appreciate all the support. That's what I needed. This all took place at a company event out of town, and I'm still stuck at the conference. Gossip amongst my coworkers has turned into outright ridicule, so I ended up hiding away back in the hotel room to post these. I'm already embarrassed as hell, and kicking myself for such a newbie error as letting it fishtail in just the lower half of first gear. Just gotta shrug it off. Definitely a lesson learned.

Yep, it's an '02 with 6k miles. Had just finished the 5th coat of Zaino yesterday. The impact was interesting. When it happened, I knew I had rubbed the curb, and was very upset that I had just "scratched" my new car. When I stepped out of the car it turned out not to be a scratch at all. In fact all the pieces are still shiny.

I was paying too much for Progressive, but so far they're taking care of me. I strongly doubt it will be totalled, so I'm guessing a few months of body work and I'll be back on the road. One step at a time though. First I've got to deal with the $600 reckless driving ticket the cop on the scene gave me just to add insult to injury. Vaguely annoyed at that, since it was an empty street and all I did was bounce off a curb well below the speed limit. *Shrug* Not that I'll argue it.

Couple more pics:
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554696-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554698-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554699-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554700-M.jpg

 

[Bad_Byte]

Wow,

There, but for the grace of God, go I.

I remember during my first month of ownership I was entering an on ramp with high curbs. My backend broke lose for no apparent reason (seriously).

I found out later that my 94 had the original tires on it and they had hardened and the particular piece of asphalt was slick as glass.

Anyway, I found myself doing 3 180's before it came under control. I was sweating bullets after that and needless to say I was very embarrassed at the time but also relieved that I didn't crash into the curb.

Interestingly that gave me the desire to "TAKE THE CAR TO THE TRACK" so I could learn OUR limits.

Just know that the best times lie ahead.

PS - It took real guts to admit ownership of this accident. Not many people left like you. Hopefully, your co-workers realize that if not, its their loss.

 

[Nexus-6]

Bad byte -

I had something very similar happen to me in my '94 ZR1 - original tires with just 3K miles on them when I found the car last year. Barely used but they too were rock hard with age (nearly 9 years)...

One chilly night, I took her for a late night spin and on the way home, I came around a very familiar corner near the house where a concrete patch had been laid down after repair work. It was quite cold out (about 20 degrees) and the car snapped around on me nearly 180 as I entered the corner. I was able to get her stopped about 6 inches from the nearest curb...

I replaced the GCSs 3 days later.

Cold tires ****, but cold, OLD tires are just dangerous.

Nick - hang in there...tell your all of your coworkers to kiss the collective @ss of the Viper nation!!

 

[Birvini]

First I've got to deal with the $600 reckless driving ticket the cop on the scene gave me just to add insult to injury. Vaguely annoyed at that, since it was an empty street and all I did was bounce off a curb well below the speed limit. *Shrug* Not that I'll argue it.

Fight the ticket. Don't let them nail you with that horse manueur!

 

[REMIX]

Holy smokes! How wide of a road does one need to floor one of these things in 1st?

Sorry to hear about that. Glad you're okay!

REMIX

 

[ViperJohn]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Good Luck with the repair process. Hopefully, one day you to can look back and "laugh" at this situation, or atleast smirk.

At least no one was hurt.

Fight the ticket.

 

[Newport Viper]

Had the same thing happen. Had a cop in my passanger seat went over a median 4 lanes into on coming traffic. NO DAMAGE....Good thing he had done that in his younger days! He was cool about it....
Sorry about your ride.
Live to play another day!

 

[BlueGTS]

You are a bigger man than most to tell your story on a public forum. I am glad you did as it reminds everyone to be careful. I am sorry about loss but I am sure you will be back on the road in no time.

I have 2800 miles on my original tires... Maybe it is time to change them. Hmmm

 

[zoomie]

Sorry to hear of accident, thanks for having the
b*lls to put this up. You and passenger are ok, and this
will help others avoid similar. Who among us has not
done something similar, but been fortunate to miss the
curb ? We've also almost clipped a curb, and
kicked ourselves afterwards. Your co-conf. people ?
Very few have the fortune to ever own a Viper.
My '99 was 'scorched' at a Texaco station (their fault !
faulty shutoff. and they paid for most of the '00)
Sounds like yours will be back soon, so good luck,
get back in and own and drive a Viper !

 

[VIPERESS]

So sorry about your car. I am glad only your pride was hurt, and nothing else.
Just another reminder of the respect the car deserves. Thanks for being willing to share your experience as you may save someone else's life.

 

[MannyC]

Sorry about that. That *****. My car was rear ended (same quarter panel area type deal. It's expensive to fix vipers. This damage cost me around $10K to have my insurance fix back to normal and I don't think I had nearly the damage you did. Here are some photos of mine and what amounts to $10K:

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Thanks all. I really appreciate all the support. That's what I needed. This all took place at a company event out of town, and I'm still stuck at the conference. Gossip amongst my coworkers has turned into outright ridicule, so I ended up hiding away back in the hotel room to post these. I'm already embarrassed as hell, and kicking myself for such a newbie error as letting it fishtail in just the lower half of first gear. Just gotta shrug it off. Definitely a lesson learned.

Yep, it's an '02 with 6k miles. Had just finished the 5th coat of Zaino yesterday. The impact was interesting. When it happened, I knew I had rubbed the curb, and was very upset that I had just "scratched" my new car. When I stepped out of the car it turned out not to be a scratch at all. In fact all the pieces are still shiny.

I was paying too much for Progressive, but so far they're taking care of me. I strongly doubt it will be totalled, so I'm guessing a few months of body work and I'll be back on the road. One step at a time though. First I've got to deal with the $600 reckless driving ticket the cop on the scene gave me just to add insult to injury. Vaguely annoyed at that, since it was an empty street and all I did was bounce off a curb well below the speed limit. *Shrug* Not that I'll argue it.

Couple more pics:
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554696-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554698-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554699-M.jpg
http://nickdiaz.smugmug.com/photos/554700-M.jpg