R50/53 More freeway debris damage
Originally Posted by H&J
I've never seen so many aluminum step-ladders, flower pots, lawn mower parts, strewn across the 101 or 580... glad that's all that happened this time to your Mini.
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Poco takes small rock hits everyday.Windscreen is very pitted, lots of direct hits with fingertip sized rocks.Makes me duck everytime.So far so good, crack wise.
I have dodged 70LB flax bails bouncing down the highway at me, they fell off the back of a 1/2 ton load.Watched a very large tarp blow across the road,change direction, come right at me. I have to deal with crossing from the ashpalt to the gravel shoulder, at 70MPH, all the time because of having to "share" with oncoming traffic. And then there is the critters.
Mostly in the dark.
Then there is winter,smacking into drifts of snow, watching it fly over the bonnet, like a snowplow
Hit a chunk of football sized ice on a snow covered highway, Dented the lower grill a bit. Going to get teeth painted on down there.
I have dodged 70LB flax bails bouncing down the highway at me, they fell off the back of a 1/2 ton load.Watched a very large tarp blow across the road,change direction, come right at me. I have to deal with crossing from the ashpalt to the gravel shoulder, at 70MPH, all the time because of having to "share" with oncoming traffic. And then there is the critters.
Mostly in the dark.
Then there is winter,smacking into drifts of snow, watching it fly over the bonnet, like a snowplow
Hit a chunk of football sized ice on a snow covered highway, Dented the lower grill a bit. Going to get teeth painted on down there.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Greenwood Village, Colorado
I know the feeling. About a month ago I was driving through Denver's big construction project on I-25 (T-Rex), and the car in front of me kicked up what looked like a 2 ft piece of pipe or rebar. It hit the top of the license plate holder, put a gouge in the bumper and grill, smashed the supercharger scoop to bits, and put a big dent in the hood. I'm so lucky it didn't go a foot higher or I may not be typing this. It came out to $2000 to fix it.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Encinitas, Ca
Originally Posted by MINIclo
Jeez, Shelly! I cannot believe your luck, sweetie! But to get a dealership to repair the windshield under warranty in Cali....now that is a minor miracle! Hope it's all done thoroughly and FAST! Clover
Especially since I didn't buy from them.Guess our MINIs attract more than stares of admiration - everything wants to get closer! Ouch!
lot15, up in the great white north, do you have to dodge polar bears too?
Shelly
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: USA
In Ohio we have two seasons - winter and road construction. Sure, enough it's now rock season. The winter does such a number on the pavement that each year, they strip large areas (several miles long) of the highway and leave it unstripped for weeks at a time. Of course, the stripping creates rocks, which SUVs, Minivans, and especially trucks kick up into the air. Literally, it sounds like it is raining marbles. There are paint chips all over my car. 
I HATE Ohio.....
I HATE Ohio.....
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 197
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From: Menlo Park
I-25!!!
Originally Posted by mil76
I know the feeling. About a month ago I was driving through Denver's big construction project on I-25 (T-Rex), and the car in front of me kicked up what looked like a 2 ft piece of pipe or rebar. It hit the top of the license plate holder, put a gouge in the bumper and grill, smashed the supercharger scoop to bits, and put a big dent in the hood. I'm so lucky it didn't go a foot higher or I may not be typing this. It came out to $2000 to fix it.
I moved from Boulder two years ago, and reading your note made me homesick - I've not yet had a chance to drive the Mini through the twisties in the foothills... your story reminded me of when I used to drive I-25 to Colo Sprgs... do you remember when the crane fell in 2002? That little bit of road debris was occurred right in front of me! I was in an old Nissan 4x4 at the time... in any case - I don't miss that stretch of hell - out here in the Bay area the 101 is like two I-25s sewn together at the hip. Happy motoring in Colorado. Would love to try ski season in a Mini with great snow tires...
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From: Moved from Leesburg, VA to Oceanside, CA Nov. 2003
Originally Posted by seashelly
The good news, the bumper is as good as new.
The bad news; I must have some bad car karma some where. The hole in the bumper happened about 2 weeks before our MINI 1 year anniversary. Once the bumper was fixed, we needed a new tyre due to a nail in the shoulder (actually picked up the nail before the bumper boo-boo)
Was drving home after having the new tyre mounted and just before home (not on freeway) a rock got kicked up and gashed a nasty spot into the bonnet, well above the clear bra.
It was bad enough I broke out the touch up kit - my first try ever and it turned out not too bad. :smile: But I did find some mystery spots on the back end of the car that won't come off. Whatever, most people wouldn't notice.
Today I was on the north 5 freeway again, near the El Toro 'Y' and I hear a big pop, see one of the wiper blades jump and think "a rock?" Couldn't see any damage. A few minutes later I see a crack start creeping up the windscreen. ARRGGHHHH!
But the good news is I stopped by a nearby MINI dealer, and they're fixing the windscreen under warranty, so maybe its not bad karma after all.
Shelly
The bad news; I must have some bad car karma some where. The hole in the bumper happened about 2 weeks before our MINI 1 year anniversary. Once the bumper was fixed, we needed a new tyre due to a nail in the shoulder (actually picked up the nail before the bumper boo-boo)
Was drving home after having the new tyre mounted and just before home (not on freeway) a rock got kicked up and gashed a nasty spot into the bonnet, well above the clear bra.
It was bad enough I broke out the touch up kit - my first try ever and it turned out not too bad. :smile: But I did find some mystery spots on the back end of the car that won't come off. Whatever, most people wouldn't notice.
Today I was on the north 5 freeway again, near the El Toro 'Y' and I hear a big pop, see one of the wiper blades jump and think "a rock?" Couldn't see any damage. A few minutes later I see a crack start creeping up the windscreen.
ARRGGHHHH!But the good news is I stopped by a nearby MINI dealer, and they're fixing the windscreen under warranty
, so maybe its not bad karma after all.Shelly
Dang!!! I guess we aren't the only ones with bad karma when it comes to cars... Donna
02' CR/W MCS (gone to MINI heaven - burned up)
05' Cool Blue MCSC "Ariel"
05' HB/W MCS
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Chicago, IL
Originally Posted by lot15
Poco takes small rock hits everyday.Windscreen is very pitted, lots of direct hits with fingertip sized rocks.Makes me duck everytime.So far so good, crack wise.
I have dodged 70LB flax bails bouncing down the highway at me, they fell off the back of a 1/2 ton load.Watched a very large tarp blow across the road,change direction, come right at me. I have to deal with crossing from the ashpalt to the gravel shoulder, at 70MPH, all the time because of having to "share" with oncoming traffic. And then there is the critters.
Mostly in the dark.
Then there is winter,smacking into drifts of snow, watching it fly over the bonnet, like a snowplow Hit a chunk of football sized ice on a snow covered highway, Dented the lower grill a bit. Going to get teeth painted on down there.
I have dodged 70LB flax bails bouncing down the highway at me, they fell off the back of a 1/2 ton load.Watched a very large tarp blow across the road,change direction, come right at me. I have to deal with crossing from the ashpalt to the gravel shoulder, at 70MPH, all the time because of having to "share" with oncoming traffic. And then there is the critters.
Mostly in the dark.
Then there is winter,smacking into drifts of snow, watching it fly over the bonnet, like a snowplow
Hit a chunk of football sized ice on a snow covered highway, Dented the lower grill a bit. Going to get teeth painted on down there..Also memorable, the pics I saw on NAM of a MINI with the "kills" on the side.
Dodging rocks throughout greater Chicagoland,
Tatt
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