Oh boy... Driving home from school today, I had a dumptruck not notice me and punch a hole straight through my rear quarter panel. I have a feeling that the guy wasn't really paying attention, as he was (without signaling) attempting to make a right hand turn from the left lane.

I just have to laugh about this, since a year and two months ago to the day, I had a deer run into the side of my car, causing me have to replace both my door, and the now-punctured rear quarter panel.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-mini-0-a.html

Here are the pictures from today for those curious. I'm thinking I'm going to run to the store and get some fun colors of duct tape to seal the hole for the time being until it can be repaired.





The offender:


The poor little car is going to have so much character when all is said and done with!

-Chase

 

Bully pick on someone your own seize. Chase based on this happaning on your way home from school, I'm going to bet I have a few decades on you. You seem wise beyond your years, you're taking this situation the right way. You're laughing and trying to get some comic relief. Thank God no one was hurt. I'm sure you love your MINI, as most of us on this forum seems to love ours. Sorry about the run in, or run through, get the duct tape and do some temporary mods until you get the lil guy fixed. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

Boy you have a good sense of humor, I would be boiling, not only the huge hole in your bodywork, the screwed up wheel arch, the ruined alloy wheel and a suspect tire and I would be out for blood. Any body work lowers a car's resale value and I would sure be after that in the settlement.

 

Man, that's hard to look at...but at least no one was hurt. Years ago, a boom truck rolled backwards down a hill and the arm of the boom went right through the rear window of my parked car (we weren't in it), come out the passanger side window and the car was hanging 3' off the ground.........so I know your pain

 

You should get a giant band aid instead of the duct tape.


http://www.taylorgifts.com/item/car_bandaid_jumbo/30710

 

Thanks everybody, I appreciate the well-wishing!

While I am somewhat bummed that this happened, I think the initial sting and fear for depreciation was already taken away from the deer hit. I don't have any high hopes for resale value, plus, I would really like to keep this car forever! I just love it too much!

I too am happy that no one was hurt, just a stupid mistake on the driver's part.

Kemo: That would truly suck! It would also be such and interesting sight! Was there any body work needed, or was it simply a window replacement job?

As to what I've done to patch things up: Gotta love duct (or duck tape, because they make all the fun colors!) tape!





Just to keep any moisture away from the tail light and gas cap locking module

-Chase

 

Love it! Keep the spirits up

 

You gotta a GREAT sense of humor

 

I agree, I need more friends like you! haha

 

WHOA!

 

You have an awesome sense of humor, Chase! He's so high and you're so low that I guarantee he never saw you.

I had a student of mine (fresh with a new driver's permit) plow into my passenger side rear quarter panel last year in our parking lot. Everyone knew how I felt about my MINI - they called a Crisis Team meeting!

Best of luck with the repair. Love the sticker!

 

When you said hole I was thinking something else completely and when I saw that I just was like holy crap. BTW I like your rims even though it is scratched.

 

Man you have a wonderful attitude! looks like it'll be a tough repair....

 

COOL!!! Exactly where can I get that stripe kit?????? I looked all over mini.com and mini.ca and couldn't find it anywhere

As for your question above; it was "mostly" just replacing 2 windows. Then a little body work and paint on the back quarter panel, but not much. The boom went clean through and when my wife and I came out of the mall, there it was, just hanging off the back of the truck......it took about 30 seconds for it to sink in that it was my car

 

Wow. All I can say is that if everyone in the world had the OP's demeanor and attitude, the world would be a much better place.

 

awesome tape job! I would probably have written "AIR INTAKE" in sharpie in front of the hole!

 

Nice tape job! Who knows, this could be a whole new career path for you!

 

That's hilarious!! Not the accident, but your solution. I hope you get back motoring at 100% soon. Is the trucker or trucking company going to foot the bill?

 

Thanks again the the support everybody, I do appreciate it!

I am still waiting to hear back from the truck driver's insurance company, when I last spoke to them, they hadn't been able to get ahold of the actual truck driver. They told me that I should be hearing from them on Monday at the earliest.

I did stop by the body shop to get a quote (BTW, anybody in the Annapolis area, the BMW/MINI of Annapolis collision center does A+ work, and since they are related to the dealership, know what the heck they are doing when it comes to MINIs) and was told that it would wind up being a $2200.00 job. That was to repair/replace the inner wheel well and the rear quarter panel. I also have to talk to the insurance company about the replacement of my wheel. It is a bit of a weird issue, since it is about 250.00 plus alignment check/alignment to repair vs. 105.00 plus mount, balance, and alignment to replace.

The trucking company did say something about having a body shop that they work with to handle the repairs, but it will be over my dead body that I will have body work done on my car by a shop that may not have ever laid hands on a MINI.

-Chase