Sat evening the 22nd of March, Lucy(my 04S) gave up her life to save me. I was at a stop light waiting to turn left when a Chevy Tahoe *** packed me going about 30mph,(police calculation). I was shot into the intersection, like cue ball, I had enough speed and control to dodge the cross traffic and safely coast to a stop. The motor shut down, and more dash lights than I have ever seen were flashing. Needless to say Lucy was totaled. The results of the accident were,broken drivers seat, smashed rear end, trunk lid pushed over the spoiler,exhaust pushed into motor,trunk crumpled in about 12 inches,rear fenders pushed forward, rear bumper broken off Lucy and embedded into the Tahoe, it looks worst than Lucy, she kicked it's ***. My injury's were relativey minor considering, mild concussion, and some nerve damage. I just had all the nicks and dents repaired, and repainted 2k in body work and paint. I am dealing well the lawyer is now, Geico insurance insured the Tahoe, but the driver was not insured by Geico, I was told they were trying to find out who the drivers insurance is!!!!!! That was the info 10 days ago no contac from the Geico claims rep. Ohio insurance fallows the auto not the driver, I'll let the lawyer figure that out.
Now I am looking for another Mini an 04-07 S Pepper white, or Chile red, with options 1&2 if you know of one I would appreciate the contac
Foo

 

Damn, I'm very sorry to hear about the accident! Glad that you weren't seriously injured, but do take care of yourself. I wish you a speedy & full recovery.

It's gotta be awful to see a beloved car like Lucy get totaled, but I'm sure you appreciate her sacrifice. MINIs are stout little cars; they're surprisingly strong & well-built for the size. She took the brunt of the impact to protect you, and did her job well. I hope the lawyers & insurers do right by you and get you enough of a settlement to get back in another MINI when you find the right one.

Take care of yourself, and let's spill some for Lucy...

PS: you might add a location to your profile to aid in the search for another MINI.

 

Good luck with the insurance. I know the Gecko lizard company are really REALLY tight about paying out any money, and supposedly use borderline-legal tactics to get out of it some times. :(

 

Glad to hear your ok, hope all goes well and your motoring soon.

 

Glad your O.K., foo but gosh that sucks about Lucy. I'm sure you'll tind suitable replacement for her and please keep us posted to your progress and recovery. Be safe out there.

 

Foo, sorry to hear about your loss! Hope you get to feeling better soon. The up side is you can use your down time searching for another MINI. You won't be able to replace Lucy but you'll find a new MINI to start over with. Good luck and speedy recovery.

 

Best wishes to you and hopes for a full and speedy recovery!

 

Foo, I have been in the insurance business for 26 years. It is common that liability follows the vehicle. You can tell Geico they can pay your claim and then subrogate against the drivers insurance company. The one stickler could be if they state the driver did not have permission to drive the Tahoe, which would then exclude coverage. If they stay stubborn, tell the adjuster your prepared to file suit against the owner of the Tahoe. DO NOT sign a release until you know the prognosis of your injuries. The property damage claim for your car and the medical claims for your injuries are two separate claims and can be adjusted accordingly. Start doing your research on what comparable Lucy's are selling for with similar options and mileage. You can also inform the adjuster of the money you just spent on Lucy to increase the Actual Cash Value due to Lucy being in better condition than an average 2004S. You can use autotrader, cars.com, craigslist and Ebay to get a feel of what the value is. Put a spreadsheet together with what you find showing mileage, options, color and location. The more informed you are, the better you are equipped to get the best settlement. They should also be paying for your rental car. If you have any questions send me a message.

Best of luck and fast healing!

 

Well the insurance company totaled Lucy, she had 141000 miles on the clock, 99% mine, most of them were a pure joy. I didn't get what I thought she was worth, but my counter offer with all the maintenance records and local comps off the net, did get me a few more $
Tomorrow I am picking up a Red 06 MCS r53 with 40K miles, and bringing it home, I just have to get use to the red and black leather interior.
This one "no name," I pick the Mini's names from the 1st name, I hear on the radio on the way home, lucy was from a Chuck Berry song, this one will meet Morris my 1st Mini a 02 Black r53 MC that was # 77 imported to the US in 02, yes I do have the tee shirt.
All in all Lucy's demise will cost me about $3k after tax and title, no word on the injury costs yet, from what I've heard unless I am disabled,not yet, I should get about 2x the medical costs for the settlement So far an ER visit, 4 CT scans, 1 MRI, and 3 Dr's visits,meds, and a neck brace.
Happy Motoring again Foo

 

Good to hear!

 

Just note about the insurance, yes Geico will finally cover the damages, but wait for it,!! the real driver of the Tahoe, was cited for, suspended license,DUI problems,failure to maintain, leaving the scene, no insurance. His daughter 1st told the police she didn't know who was driving, and later she said she was driving her friends car, with permission and was confused at the time, and told the police her father 1st walked home to call the police, then 3 days later it came out that he was driving. It's never easy is it. Foo

 

I'm sorry about your MINI. Glad you are OK, but please wait & make sure you are 100% OK before you sign a settlement on your injuries & hospital bills.

Enjoy the new MINI.