... she as stopped dead at a stop light; Audi A3 behind her. A 17 year old on a cell phone whacked the A3 at speed, and pushed the Audi into my wife's All4.

Happily, she had her OEM Mini bicycle rack on the Countryman. It probably saved the Mini. Broke the rack, but the Audi took it in the front and back very hard.

Just spent 10 minutes taking the rack off and plugging in the body colored plugs. One little mark on the rear bumper (1/4 size of a postage stamp) and that's it. The rack came off cleanly. SWMBO said it drove fine and felt right, so, we'll wait for the insurance weasels get their job done.

Happily, no injuries.

 

Wow, at least she is ok and it sounds like lite damage.

 

My wife had same experience only she was the A3 part of the equation, $8000+ damage to her VW Golf, which in the end didn't matter since they bought the sucker back with dieselgate.

Anyway glad no big damage or pain on your end, motoring on!

ps - I'd like to shove those cellphones up a certain part of the anatomy of the user.

 

Raining buckets here today, but she drove the Mini to work. No drama. I know wheel/paint guy who can spiff it perfectly for about $100 give or take, and the rack will get insurance estimates of full pop retail - we only put it on 2 months ago and it came new in the box.

 

As a motorcyclist first (I only drive my Audi TT when it rains...) I loath, hate and abhor cell phones. Sure, I have one, but I do not answer it in the car and sure don't pay any attention to it on two wheels.

 

Very glad your wife is OK! But unfortunately with the bike rack being bolted into the unibody, I'd expect there to be "hidden damage".

 

Glad she wasn't hurt and your Mini minimally damaged. Here in Hawaii it's illegal to drive and talk/text on your phone unless it's hands-free and they just passed a law where you can't walk across a street while talking on the phone or texting... Ha! You still see people with phones glued their heads while driving and enforcement is hit or miss though...

 

I checked underbody... happily bolts came out slowly but with no drama (i.e. not bound).

She says it's a-ok.

And if she's happy, I'm happy

 

Estimate in... no frame damage (as I surmised), so total estimate came in for a little over $1000... it'll buy a new rack, fix the little place on the rear bumper and leave enough left over for dinner and a movie.

 

Grrr. The story continues. Audi A3 that tagged my wife after being hit from behind by a Mazda. Both Mazda and Audi are Geico customers. "Exceeded insurance" so they are saying "no money for you" for SWMBO Countryman All4 bike rack that was destroyed.

It ain't over yet. I'm going to open up a big can of whoop *** on the insurance weasels. She was stopped at the light, the Mazda tagged the Audi, and the Audi hit the bike rack. Bastards.