BIG MINI's Boo Boo
#1
02-21-2012, 06:36 AM
BIG MINI's Boo Boo
EIM Friends -
Received the following message from FiremanMike with his permission to share. Figured you'd like to see just how tough our MINIs really are, and perhaps pass on your best regards...
"Sadly, Diane and I can attest to the strength of the MINI Countryman body shell. We were unfortunate tonight to have been rear ended as we were turning into a driveway in Marion, the 06 Chevy Impala behind us had a very distracted driver who failed to stop. The Chevy was hauled away on a roll on/off wrecker, front end torn off, wheel broken. We drove away. Di and I have sore necks, 30MPH does snap ones head back quite abruptly, the impact spun us 180 degrees quickly.
Notice the bent exhaust pipe, the hatch still latches and operates fine, the center pix shows the intrusion into the floor storage area, no broken glass nor airbag deployment.
So, I am sending a couple of pix for you to see or share, it does show how much of an impact the MINI shell will take. I am going to insist on MINI of DSM for the repair, Jeremiah says they do the work on site.
I do not expect to bring the Countryman to any events for a bit."
Best wishes to Mike, Di, and BIGMINI for a speedy recovery to all. Sure glad you're okay!
Received the following message from FiremanMike with his permission to share. Figured you'd like to see just how tough our MINIs really are, and perhaps pass on your best regards...
"Sadly, Diane and I can attest to the strength of the MINI Countryman body shell. We were unfortunate tonight to have been rear ended as we were turning into a driveway in Marion, the 06 Chevy Impala behind us had a very distracted driver who failed to stop. The Chevy was hauled away on a roll on/off wrecker, front end torn off, wheel broken. We drove away. Di and I have sore necks, 30MPH does snap ones head back quite abruptly, the impact spun us 180 degrees quickly.
Notice the bent exhaust pipe, the hatch still latches and operates fine, the center pix shows the intrusion into the floor storage area, no broken glass nor airbag deployment.
So, I am sending a couple of pix for you to see or share, it does show how much of an impact the MINI shell will take. I am going to insist on MINI of DSM for the repair, Jeremiah says they do the work on site.
I do not expect to bring the Countryman to any events for a bit."
Best wishes to Mike, Di, and BIGMINI for a speedy recovery to all. Sure glad you're okay!
#4
02-21-2012, 09:05 AM
2nd Gear
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Marion, IA
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#5
02-21-2012, 07:09 PM
2nd Gear
Thanks for the thoughts, we are doing OK, the necks are getting better slowly. 
Sadly the BIGMINI needs a BIG BAND-AID! We are still today driving the MCCS, talking to the ins co of the driver and will most likely have a rental tomorrow, the issue is getting the MCCS to DSM. The nice young man I chatted with today, from FLO's company, acknowledged that MINIs tend to be repaired at the dealers, kind of choked at the 250 mile round trip, someone is going to pay the trailering bill!
I can not tell for certain if the ALL4 is affected, no noise but possible alingment issues exist, just jumps a bit. We were lucky in that I was turning into the driveway and I had a bit of right turn going so he hit with his right front into the center of the hatch,
full on would have been real bad. The impact spun us 180 degrees onto the sidewalk. But no air bag deployment not broken glass to clean up. The body lines still appear straight but the rack will tell for certain.
We plan on repair as it is rather special to us and it is a really great testament to the MINI strength.
Anyway, we will continue to update and look for my 02MCS as we get warmer.
Mike
Sadly the BIGMINI needs a BIG BAND-AID! We are still today driving the MCCS, talking to the ins co of the driver and will most likely have a rental tomorrow, the issue is getting the MCCS to DSM. The nice young man I chatted with today, from FLO's company, acknowledged that MINIs tend to be repaired at the dealers, kind of choked at the 250 mile round trip, someone is going to pay the trailering bill! I can not tell for certain if the ALL4 is affected, no noise but possible alingment issues exist, just jumps a bit. We were lucky in that I was turning into the driveway and I had a bit of right turn going so he hit with his right front into the center of the hatch,
full on would have been real bad. The impact spun us 180 degrees onto the sidewalk. But no air bag deployment not broken glass to clean up. The body lines still appear straight but the rack will tell for certain. We plan on repair as it is rather special to us and it is a really great testament to the MINI strength.
Anyway, we will continue to update and look for my 02MCS as we get warmer.
Mike
#7
02-24-2012, 07:42 AM
good luck on your healing, just saw your car here at Willis!
Thanks for the thoughts, we are doing OK, the necks are getting better slowly. Sadly the BIGMINI needs a BIG BAND-AID! We are still today driving the MCCS, talking to the ins co of the driver and will most likely have a rental tomorrow, the issue is getting the MCCS to DSM. The nice young man I chatted with today, from FLO's company, acknowledged that MINIs tend to be repaired at the dealers, kind of choked at the 250 mile round trip, someone is going to pay the trailering bill!
I can not tell for certain if the ALL4 is affected, no noise but possible alingment issues exist, just jumps a bit. We were lucky in that I was turning into the driveway and I had a bit of right turn going so he hit with his right front into the center of the hatch, full on would have been real bad. The impact spun us 180 degrees onto the sidewalk. But no air bag deployment not broken glass to clean up. The body lines still appear straight but the rack will tell for certain.
We plan on repair as it is rather special to us and it is a really great testament to the MINI strength.
Anyway, we will continue to update and look for my 02MCS as we get warmer.
Mike
Sadly the BIGMINI needs a BIG BAND-AID! We are still today driving the MCCS, talking to the ins co of the driver and will most likely have a rental tomorrow, the issue is getting the MCCS to DSM. The nice young man I chatted with today, from FLO's company, acknowledged that MINIs tend to be repaired at the dealers, kind of choked at the 250 mile round trip, someone is going to pay the trailering bill! I can not tell for certain if the ALL4 is affected, no noise but possible alingment issues exist, just jumps a bit. We were lucky in that I was turning into the driveway and I had a bit of right turn going so he hit with his right front into the center of the hatch,
full on would have been real bad. The impact spun us 180 degrees onto the sidewalk. But no air bag deployment not broken glass to clean up. The body lines still appear straight but the rack will tell for certain. We plan on repair as it is rather special to us and it is a really great testament to the MINI strength.
Anyway, we will continue to update and look for my 02MCS as we get warmer.
Mike
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