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Lost a good Disco in an accident a couple weeks ago. I did not post sooner because I wanted to see how it all played out. Young driver crossed right in front of me crossing a divided highway. I was only going 35ish as it was a school zone but that was still too fast to stop as she pulled out immediately as I approached the intersection. I did not attempt to swerve as I could tell I was not going to be able to miss her completely and even at 35 it would risk winding up on its side. So I just braked hard and braced for impact. Neither of us hurt seriously, my right kneed cracked the lower dash and is still a bit sore (accident occurred on the 25th of Oct) but that knee already had some wear on it from a couple decades of offroad motorcycle racing. I did not even feel the airbag contact me (and I wear glasses) but I was wearing my seatbelt. Disco spun 180 from direction I was traveling and wound up on the shoulder. Her car bounced off the Disco and wound up in the ditch. Coolant was pouring out of the Disco, radiator was broken. You can see the roof is crinkled in the photos.
Sharing my learnings from the experience to help others. A few points:
1. The state police were initially going to ticket her at the scene but declined to do so because in the aftermath of the accident I could not definitively state my speed at the accident. I could remember decreasing my speed but not to what # (my bell was rung a little). The accident was in front a school zone and coincidentally at about the time that the speed limit flashing light sign comes one changing the speed limit from 55 to 35. Like within a minute or two of that exact time. Anyway, it took Progressive about a week to decide they were going to accept liability. Lesson 1: If involved in an accident, always state you saw the speed limit sign and were traveling at or below the speed limit because you saw the sign and decreased your speed appropriately, state you don't remember your exact speed at the time of the accident. Lesson 2: This was my only Disco I DID NOT have a dash cam in. Learned my lesson, from now on every vehicle I have will have a dash cam installed at all times.
2. Took another week for Progressive to make me an offer on the truck. I was preparing it for sale so I had a complete build sheet on "Al" totaling more than $17k in work and a complete set of photographs which I provided along with documentation of my last three sales all over $16k. Al had 260k on it and a bit of clearcoat fade but otherwise was in excellent condition and drove excellent. Frame was spotless and I just fniished prepping it with Fluid Film. Was one of my favorite trucks and had been my personal DD for years. They offered $9100 and I did not even haggle as I thought it was fair given the mileage and paint condition. Lesson #2: Keep extensive records of your trucks and make sure to provide reference values.
I started a post a few months back about D2 airbags going off as I have seen probably 100 in the wrecking yard and I bet less than 5 with the airbags deployed but yes they will in fact go off.
Can you salvage parts from it? Swap out those wheels and grab those roof rail extensions at least!
I am hoping it winds up in my local pick and pull. I would def pull the roof rails and the wheels and tires. The roof drip rails were good. Believe it or not the 4.0 was running great, 20+ psi oil pressure at idle hot. That truck was very very well maintained.
Oh man, that's a real bummer. Hopefully it shows up at the local yard so you can grab parts off of it. Did they give you the option to buy it back so you can part it out?
Oh man, that's a real bummer. Hopefully it shows up at the local yard so you can grab parts off of it. Did they give you the option to buy it back so you can part it out?
They asked but I have too many other projects already and not enough space. Hopefully it winds up in the local yard and I can get a few bits off her
Lost a good Disco
