What was the first car you totaled?
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,695
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4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 458
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From: Madison, WI
I totaled my very first car - a Fiat 128 in about 1977. I purchased it new without knowing how to drive (I really confused the salesman). I had my brother drive it home for me. I lived on a horse ranch in Colorado and learned to drive going to and from the bar. I rolled it off a 50 foot embankment on the way TO the bar avoiding a deer. I walked away from the accident with the cars spare tire - from under the hood! - off in the field and the rear windshield half way up the slope. Seat belts are GOOD! (but man the bruises!) I figured it rolled so well I went and bought another. Do any of you remember the Fiat commercial with the guy driving off a waterfall?? The second one is when I learned FIAT stands for FixItAgainTony - I had it long enough for the problems to set in!
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 674
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From: hou,tx
I was never much of a swimmer so I just ran my 128 out of oil. 1st & only totaled, that would be a friends Bug. Cool with her she hated that thing. Witnesses said I caught 10 - 15 ft. of air. Judging by what was left of it I'm thinking 20'. The stationwagon that turned into my path was still sort of driveable.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,384
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From: LI, NY
Hmm, lessee . . .
1st total: my first car, a 1971 Toyota Corolla - my fault. I loved that car.
2nd total: '79 VW Rabbit - technically my fault, but I wasn't doing anything any weirder or faster than anyone else on that rain-soaked road.
3rd total: 1981 Honda Civic 4-door sedan: not my fault.
4th total: would have been my '81 Sportster, but I stripped it down to have the frame straightened, bought some new parts, and put it back together myself.
That last one was about 15 years ago. Been crunch-free since then.
1st total: my first car, a 1971 Toyota Corolla - my fault. I loved that car.
2nd total: '79 VW Rabbit - technically my fault, but I wasn't doing anything any weirder or faster than anyone else on that rain-soaked road.
3rd total: 1981 Honda Civic 4-door sedan: not my fault.
4th total: would have been my '81 Sportster, but I stripped it down to have the frame straightened, bought some new parts, and put it back together myself.
That last one was about 15 years ago. Been crunch-free since then.
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 8
From: Norfolk, VA
1982 Pontiac Trans Am - sheared off a light pole, and the hood intruded into the passenger compartment through the windshield. Would have likely cut my head off on the rear edge of the hood had I not been wearing a seatbelt.
First one ,First Car 1970 850 Mini. Breaks failed going down a 1in4 (steep hill) Put it into the hedge and flipped it = totaled 
Not a scrach.....
Second one Third Car 1990 Mini. I hit a granite gate post, doing 45mph pushed the drivers side in by 4in. Insurance fixed it
It was never the same....
Been bump free for 15 years now
Not a scrach.....Second one Third Car 1990 Mini. I hit a granite gate post, doing 45mph pushed the drivers side in by 4in. Insurance fixed it
It was never the same.... Been bump free for 15 years now
Been driving for 33 years and never totalled a car. Had one done for me by a hail storm a couple years ago though. Took the settlement, bought the salvage, replaced the windshield and one mirror, and drove it 2 more years.
Don't know yet (knocks on wood) 
, unless you count the one I was not in. 10 year old 1979 F-100: I lived on the bayou, always parked under the house, on shell surface. Never set the e-brake because it was parked with at least one wheel in a low spot (see what's coming?). One day I started it, then remembered something I left upstairs. While looking for it, I heard a big splash, looked out the window, saw truck floating out into the bayou. 
It sank until the roof was just below the surface. I called my future wife, told her I was not going to come over after all. She married me anyway. 
Now I always use e-brake 
.
, unless you count the one I was not in. 10 year old 1979 F-100: I lived on the bayou, always parked under the house, on shell surface. Never set the e-brake because it was parked with at least one wheel in a low spot (see what's coming?). One day I started it, then remembered something I left upstairs. While looking for it, I heard a big splash, looked out the window, saw truck floating out into the bayou. It sank until the roof was just below the surface. I called my future wife, told her I was not going to come over after all. She married me anyway. Now I always use e-brake .
Driving on the highway at 55 mph in a construction zone. Everyone in front of me slams on their brakes for some unknown reason. I follow suit.
The jerk who was tailgating behind me doesn't react quick enough, and BLAMMO! He compresses the back of my dad's car like an accordian. They totaled the car. I wasn't hurt, thankfully!
BTW, my dad's car was a 5-speed "Valelunga Red" Peugeot 505 STX, (which incidentally, had one of the sweetest engine and exhaust notes I've ever heard, due to it having a great V6). We were both very disappointed that the car was totaled. What a great sedan!
The jerk who was tailgating behind me doesn't react quick enough, and BLAMMO! He compresses the back of my dad's car like an accordian. They totaled the car. I wasn't hurt, thankfully!
BTW, my dad's car was a 5-speed "Valelunga Red" Peugeot 505 STX, (which incidentally, had one of the sweetest engine and exhaust notes I've ever heard, due to it having a great V6). We were both very disappointed that the car was totaled. What a great sedan!
1975 Honda Civic CVCC
Tripped on a curb making a fast left at a high rate of speed, rolled twice and landed on it's wheels minus the wind shield. What a view!
Famous last words on entering turn WATCH THIS..... Duh
This was in 1977, neither my buddy nor I were wearing our seat belts at the time.
Just a couple of bruises and a scratch. Came to believe God has more in store for me at that moment on.
That was an awesome little car, very MINI like and the closest thing I could get to one at the time.
Famous last words on entering turn WATCH THIS..... Duh
This was in 1977, neither my buddy nor I were wearing our seat belts at the time.
Just a couple of bruises and a scratch. Came to believe God has more in store for me at that moment on.That was an awesome little car, very MINI like and the closest thing I could get to one at the time.
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,078
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From: Piqua, OH
1959 Morris Mini Minor
Not totalled, but it spent about 3 months getting a new right driver's side repaired. Some guy ran a red light as I was pulling from my parking space and creamed me. I had no injuries, but my poor Mini had to be flatbedded to a body shop.
Not totalled, but it spent about 3 months getting a new right driver's side repaired. Some guy ran a red light as I was pulling from my parking space and creamed me. I had no injuries, but my poor Mini had to be flatbedded to a body shop.
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,010
Likes: 11
From: Ridgefield, CT
1966 MGB.
I was racing a '68 Triumph Spitfire on a winding road late at night, hit a patch of sand, spun around a few times and hit a telephone pole.
I bought that car for $200 in 1976. I put $3K into the restoration, totalled it 3 months after it was done and sold it for parts ...got $500 for it.
dean.
I was racing a '68 Triumph Spitfire on a winding road late at night, hit a patch of sand, spun around a few times and hit a telephone pole.
I bought that car for $200 in 1976. I put $3K into the restoration, totalled it 3 months after it was done and sold it for parts ...got $500 for it.
dean.
1987 Ford Escort GT, totalled in Nov 1990. 110mph combined impact speed (not my fault). The oncoming car rode up my hood (you can see the marks from his hub caps), spun me out where I got hit by a second car. Took a couple hours to remove the roof and lift me out. The firewall was pushed back and pinned me to the seat and the headrest split my head open....20 some stitches to close. 
