Ouch. I was driving through LA a while back and I nailed a pretty big pothole. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but one of my lug nuts started coming loose. I got a little vibration a couple times, but tightening things back down made it go away. I did that a few times and things were OK until one of the nuts broke off Worst part was, this was on the way to see a buyer for the car...

It turns out I shattered a couple of parts when I hit that pothole, and several pieces have shaken off since then. Total damage from 1 pothole = $850. :impatient

BMW isn't paying for a penny, despite the fact that it's a pretty sissy part if a pothole would destroy it.

 

OUCH! Sorry about the pothole incident.......

 

take a picture of the pothole....turn it into your insurance they will get the $ from the city...

 

Quote: Worst part was, this was on the way to see a buyer for the car...


It's a sign - don't sell your MINI!!

 

So, what broke?

 

+1

 

What broke?

 

Tuls is right. Get a photo and either go thru your insurance agent or go directly to the city or state agency responsible for that section of the road.

This has nothing to do with MINI or BMW. This is strictly about properly repaired roads being fit for service.

 

i think someone is telling you that it's not time to sell your MINI yet...

 

I don't agree that it has nothing to do with MINI or BMW, the car is not well designed and/or not well built if a pothole can cause the kind of damage reported. Unpleasant as it may seem, occasional potholes are 'normal' enough that it should have been factored in during the testing, if not the design phase.

 

Umm, would the size of the pothole matter, or would they be designing a car for any pothole? What about the speed of the car when the pothole is hit? How about sinkholes, should they design the cars for those too?

 

I was wondering....have you checked your shock towers for mushrooming? It sounds like the pothole you hit could be big enough to cause this. ( mushrooming is the condition in which your sheet metal deforms where the shock meets the frame. you can check it by looking at the tops of the towers)

 

Yes, of course, one has to make a reasonable assumption here. If the original poster actually drove over the pothole, we have to assume it was of a size a reasonable driver (which we assume he is) would consider safe enough to drive over. If it was the size of a sink hole, then he would have gone out of his way to NOT drive over it, right ? Being in the LA area myself, I know that potholes up to basketball size are common, and certain railway crossings are very punishing (to the car and driver) as well.

Your point is well taken, however, there is a limit on how much punishment (from the roads) we can expect the car will be able to take. But expecting the car to be always driven on super smooth freeways is also unreasonable.

 

it's entirely the city's fault, I had a friend with an HRE 19" rim on his porsche ruined on TWO seperate occasions driving in LA, both times the city cut him checks though it did take some legwork/effort on his end. You NEED to carry a camera in the car and document the hole to have a much easier time w/ this.

Best of luck

 

jollygreenmini: agreed. I am confused by the LA area reference. Are we talking the state of Lousiana, or the city of Los Angeles. If it is the city, than I am confused by all the people bashing the roads. While they are not perfect, (heck, there is a pothole the size of well outside my apartment) in 26 years of driving here I've yet to suffer any damage from a road condition. Not even a bent rim.

 

Bummer and ouch!!! We hit a pothole last year - it was dark and had been raining so we didn't see it until BLAM!!! Flattened the tire and bent the rim a bit - thank goodness for tire insurance - only cost us $15 for a new one - whew!!

Sorry to hear about yours - it stinks....

Donna

 

My apologies to people in Lousiana, in my mind LA can only mean Los Angeles, how can anybody confused that with Lousiana ?

Since we're on the topic of bad road conditions in Los Angeles (metro area), I tell you I dread railroad crossings more than potholes. Before they finally repaved it, the worst one that I can name was the El Segundo exit off of 405 Northbound. I swear the entire front half of my car used to jump up half a foot when going over that at "normal" speed. The alternative was driving at a snail's pace at the crossing, and live with the honking from the car behind me.

By the way, the city is NOT responsible for maintaining railroad crossing areas, it's the rail company's responsibility. I know that because I did complained to the city, but there's nothing they can do. And if you think city hall is bureaucratic, try calling Southern Pacific .

 

To let people know and clear up some of the mystery here, this is definately a pothole I would have wanted to avoid... Unfortunately I was driving in pretty heavy traffic at night so by the time I saw it I was right on top of it. Like I said, it was heavy traffic so I couldn't have been going faster than 30, 35 MPH tops. If anyone's seen this bugger, it's on Fairfax heading north by the Grove/Farmers Market. I'll go out and take a picture and post it up for you guys.

Thanks for the advice about going to the city. Unfortunately, it was a couple months ago and it's probably been repaired by now.

If I could remember what parts were damaged I'd let you guys know, but I think it was a wheel hub (I'm not even sure there is something called that though). I know one of the lug nuts was "shattered" in the words of the service rep.

I got an earful from my dad over this - he says I drive like Parnelli Jones?? What a weird reference. I would have preferred Ayrton Senna or James Hunt, maybe. It wouldn't have made a difference anyway

 

OK, I went back there tonight to photograph it and it's been filled in - who knows when. I'm sure they had other complaints because the hole was small but DEEP so I'm going to contact the city about the damage anyway.

I'll let you guys know what happens as soon as I have news

 

I smacked a pothole in my '74 TR6 and bent the trunion, the wheel, and blew the tire. The pothole was about 13" deep and 24" across. It was filled with water and completely invisible. Doing about 45 mph. If you hit 'em right, you're toast. No matter what.

....Les

 

Ouch! (For your TR6) I hear ya, when you hit a pothole that is really a road hazard, you can't blame the car, chalk it up as "pilot error" or "**** happens".

 

Heh heh....."**** happens" for sure...

 

IMO....If you are running big wheels with a very low profile on city streets it is YOUR fault! The city should not need to keep every road and back alley in race track smooth condition. Your tire and wheel set-up is your choice. Count yourself lucky to get compensated by city or insurance

 

Well, in 8K miles, I have bent a right front S-lite and a right front HP EVO wheel. The pothole that I hit wasn't even that big!! My other car has absolutely, no problems with potholes that size and the wheels on it are LIGHTER and BIGGER than the Mini's. Unfortunately, the suspension on the S (with sports package) isn't really compliant at all. Looks like i'll have to start carrying around a camera... :(