Driving home from downtown late tonight and hit a large piece of wood - looked like a 4x4 laying crossways across the middle lane. It looked a lot like what many semi tractor-trailer rigs carry suspended under their trailers, that they use under the trailer jack stands when parked. Unfortunately, I had vehicles on either side of me so I couldn't swerve to avoid it. I heard a huge bang and then a TPS sensor light came on for about 5 seconds and went off. I limped home certain I had blown a tire or two, only to find out the tires were all still at 36 psi. The front end alignment is now way off - steering wheel has to be rotated about 10-15 degrees to the left just to go straight. I jacked up the right front of the car and looked underneath certain there might be suspension damage, and found the right front 17" Conical Spoke wheel bent on the inside. The left front wheel looked fine from what I could see without jacking that side up. I have fly out of town tomorrow for the next several days and won't be home until late on Saturday, so I can't do anything about it til then. Sunday I'll take all the wheels off and check them for damage.

I wasn't the only person to hit the damn piece of wood either. Actually, our whole family was downtown for an event and my wife driving her Mazda, and my son in his 09 Clubman were just a little ahead of me on their way home and they both hit it also. I don't think, the Mazda sustained any damage, and my son has has 16" wheels and I think they absorbed the impact better than my 17" wheels. We will have to check those wheels and tires this weekend as well.

Unfortunately, we carry pretty high deductibles on our vehicles, so insurance isn't an option. So now I am going to bed wondering what a new 17" Conical Spoke wheel is going to cost me and how soon I'll be able to get it. Also hoping I'll only need one.

 

that's one of my nightmares - given that I have 1.75" clearance

put it on a lift somewhere, and go over it with a fine tooth comb...

a bloody 4x4! damn!

 

That happened to me in a previous car. Flat spotted two of my rims.

 

I believe the rim that is bent is also flat spotted, so pretty much toast. Anyone know how much a 17" Conical Spoke wheel goes for from Mini? Is there a cheaper source on the net than my dealer might charge? I may just go aftermarket with 4 new Rotas and sell off the still good Conicals.

 

Might want to check ebay. You can often find a deal out there. Also, you might want to also search out some of the dealers that have supported NAM a lot, they tend to have better deals from their parts departments (i.e. Morristown MINI or Prestige MINI).

 

Are you sure you don't have comprehensive for things like windshields, road debris, etc. On mine, deductible is $500 regularly, but only $100 for the random stuff like this and windshields. Recently had a claim for a road debris hit to the fog light area, and it fell in that same low $ category.

 

+1
Mine's the same way, I took a piece of blown tractor trailer tire to the front bumper, got it replaced by insurance for only $100.

 

Repairs could easily exceed your deductible. 3 members of your family hit the same board!? I teach my family to hit the brakes when faced with an animal like a dog or a deer - steering into a ditch or traffic not a good choice. Would have worked here too, then the 1st family member could have removed it from the road!

That or car pool next time.

 

That's why I never ride with anyone I look for breaks and stay aways from people.

 

Just as a general rule, I've suggested that stopping in the middle lane of a multi-lane highway in order to pick up some debris is a practice to be avoided. Now on the other hand, I have a neighbor whose dog uses my lawn for a rest room who I would like to nominate for that duty. Please advise where I should send him.

 

Well, I got a chance to do an inspection today. It looks like the right side of the car took the brunt of the impact. Front and rear right wheels were flat spotted on the inner rim and the inner lip was bent. Also sheared off the black plastic jack receiver in the rear and damaged a underbody plastic trim piece in the rear by the jack receiver. From what I can tell all suspension components look okay, but will need to have that inspected when I have the alignment completed. The plan right now is to order 4 new Rota RB's in Hyper Black and then put the two good MINI Conical Spoke wheels up on the NAM Marketplace as they are in great shape - only 5500 miles on the car. Tires look fine all the way around, and even with the flat spots on the rims they are holding air just fine.

 

I am sorry, but the advice to avoid a 4' -5' long 4x4 laying crossways in the middle lane of an interstate highway or just coming to a sudden stop is just plain foolish. I'm afraid had either of us swerved into another lane or just stopped, we'd be worrying about much more than fixing damage or ordering parts. Risking human injury or death to avoid something in the road, be it debris or an animal is ridiculous. Besides, were were each separated by at least a minute or two. Fortunately ;there was no detectible damage to my wife's Mazda. My son's Clubman has a slightly damaged right rear wheel - inner lip bent and slightly flat spotted. Fortunately for him it is the same wheel that suffered a brake caliper bolt breaking with the caliper damaging the wheel, so the dealership already has a replacement wheel on order for him under warranty.

 

Slowing suddenly so you can change lanes or pulling to the shoulder to free the road of hazards would of course be as safety permits. Hitting something in the road at speed can also be VERY dangerous, for you and others on the road.

I will say it sounds like Mazda makes a stout car, my Son drives a 2005 Mazda 3 that serves him will driving 30,000 miles a year.

Two weeks ago we are on the way home on a 60mph road and were only minutes behind a motorcyclist that lost is life because of a bag of aluminum cans in the road. I bet he would have liked that to be removed. Just shows how short, tragic and random life can be.

Better yet, that the person with the unsecured load be found and charged with manslaughter.

 

Sorry to hear about the damage, at least nobody was hurt. But on the bright side, I think the Rota RBs are going to look incredible on your PW. I love the classic look too, so to your taste in wheels.

 

Id say you better check your tie rods and control arms. Something might be wrong there since you said you had to keep the steering wheel 10-15 degrees turned to go straight.

 

Yes, I am worried about the tie rods / control arms. I have done a visual and don't see anything, but I plan to have it looked at professionally.

 

+2

http://www.fastmini.net/rotarb.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...l-gallery.html

 

Yeah tie rods or control arms might have gotten bent. You are better off letting a mechanic look at it. Let us know what it is when you find out.
Good luck hope it aint too pricey.

 

My son thinks I may have "mushroomed" the strut tower on the right. Camber is way off on the right wheel.

 

Or bent the strut - take it to a MINI dealer or qualifiied frame shop - most def best to claim it on insurance. Might be the time to go Koni FSD's while you are at it.... Have the insurance company cut you a check - then specify the shop to install the KONI's and hand them the Rota wheels.

Kid's car got side swiped, mentioned it to a guy at work and he said just have the insurance company cut you a check. Never knew you could do that - got the check - never repaired the car - drove as is.

 

So I had it at the MINI dealership today and the results are the strut mount and strut assembly were damaged (ripped out) and the strut tower is "mushroomed". The Colision Center will repair the strut tower, and the strut mount and strut assembly parts are on order. With regard to the factory conical wheels that were damaged, the dealership has a guy that comes around with a machine and is able to straighten them. They think he can make them good as new, as he has repaired much worse. The damage was all on the inside of the rim and the outside still looks brand new. Fortunately, the control arms and tie rods all looked fine. Total damage including replacement of one tire that was damaged comes to about $1270 plus the Colision Center charge, which is yet unknown. So even with my $1000 deductible, it looks like an insurance claim.

While I really like the look of the Rota RB wheels, there doesn't appear to be a need for them now.

My son hit the same 4"x4" in his 09 Clubman, but he has 16" wheels vs my 17" wheels and he had already converted from run-flats to regular tires, so my thinking is the increased side wall and no run-flats allowed the impact to be better absorbed by the tires and wheels, thus saving damage to his suspension. Even though I don't find the ride of my Continental ContiProContact run-flats objectionable, I will definitely replace them with regular tires when they wear out. I am also going to order and install a set of the Craven Strut Tower Defenders as a precaution - we'll see if they help prevent future strut tower issues.

 

Glad you won't be getting the Rotas, I prefer the Conicals personally.

The run-flats are surely responsible for mushrooming the strut towers, and what interesting luck to have an accidental experiment with 16" conventional tires. I need to ditch mine before I have similar poor luck.

Good think you took it to the pros, I messed around with suspension damage with my GTI without going through insurance and spent a pretty penny.