Gunner and I were hit by a dodge 4X4 1/2 ton pickup truck this morning on the way to work. Gunner is in the collision center to find out if he can be fixed, doesn't look good at this point. I can say one thing though he saved my life this morning, and the grace of God I'm still here. We were rear ended in Hwy 55 North at 0630 and Gunner's rear end is crushed, two windows were blown out, the drivers seat is broken, the front left axle is broke, and the transmission is broke. When all is said and done, I was braking and down to about 20 mph when the truck hit me at 60+, it looked like anyone in the back seat would not have been hurt from the impact. Our MINIs are strong little cars, and now I know how much. I'll let everyone know how Gunner turns out but we won't be travelling to the Dragon this year but wil give next year a shot in Gunner or Gunner II. We are MINI owners and will remain so especially now. No one was hurt but I'll not be felling good for the next few days.

He is a picture, it is not pretty!

 

Dang man -- that's two in two days! Very glad that you are OK -- be sure to get your GP's opinion within a week (just in case).

Did they just not see you? What happened? Wow, what a great, safe car we all have.

Dang!

 

Wow!
Too bad for Gunner - but it is good you are OK - you did say that didn't you?

 

Glad to hear that you are physically OK. Sorry to hear about Gunner.

 

There were four cars involved in the accident, we were all braking for traffic. The car ahead of me dove left to avoid hitting the car in front of him and the pickup truck behind me dove left to avoid me. We were in the left lane of traffic with the median to my left so I had nowhere to go but right. I just got my wheels in the other lane, which did not have any cars, luckily however the pickup truck that hit me clipped the truck behind me in the rear right then hammered me just off center in the rear, picked my little MINI's rear right off the ground and shoved me into the car ahead of me. He almost rolled his truck when he bounced of Gunner. you can see form the pictures though that I got hit hard, 30-40 mph difference when he made contact. All I saw was his big grill just as he hit me, thought that we all had cleared each other until I got hit. No I'm ok but sore and probably more so tomorrow.

I'm very sad for my little car though but thankful of the safety built into it, MINI did it right. One thing though the airbags did not deploy, don't know if the sensors were jsut missed or if this is a problem.

 

Thank goodness you are ok. Sorry about the car...but it's replaceable. You aren't.

Hope you are back in Gunner II real soon.

 

The air bags are not supposed to deploy when struck from the rear. So I think that they did their job correctly.

Sorry to hear about you and Gunner. Glad you are OK. After something like that accident you'd be better off just getting a new car. It most likely will never be right again.

 

I know my thought exactly however I have to wait now and see what the word is on repair or not, should be able to find out by tomorrow evening I hope. This has been the best car I have owned and I hate to loose him but I agree it would be better to just be able to get a new one and forgo the problems of a accident repaired vehicle.

Thanks for all the concern and I appreciate it. I stuck on MINIs so regardless of what happens I'll be driving a MINI in the future. I cant' say enough of how hard I was hit and how well Gunner protected me, very impressive little car.

 

Scott,

I am so sorry to hear about Gunner Thank goodness you are ok. Hopefully you'll be back in a MINI soon. We'll miss you at the Dragon.

Lois

 

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss Did you happen to have a brake light mod installed? I went farther by installing a flasher to my center high mount brake lamp (CHMSL) and thankfully, no one's been blind enough to miss them

 

awww.. sorry to hear about the huge booboo.. Your the 2nd person i know that had their mini damaged by a truck.

I'd hate to say it, but with all the damage, he might be totaled. Did your air bags went off? If they didnt, they might fix him. If you have murcury Insurace, he will be totaled. My BF is a body repair guy, And i've been doing body work since i was 7.

Thats a daym shame.. But the atleast your ok. Cars can be replaced and fixed. Good people cant be replaced.

and i cant spell to save my life... editing

 

I'm truly sorry to hear about Gunner, I was really looking forward to seeing you guys at the dragon too. You guys are a great family and I'm truly thankful you are ok. It is truly satisfying knowing how safe our little cars are and I hope to see you in a shiny new Gunner II soon.

Shannah

 

Glad you are okay--sorry about Gunner. Luckily, insurance will be on your side and you will get your baby fixed or replaced.

One word of advice, I got tagged on 40 a couple years ago at much less speed--maybe 20mph the guy behind me knocked me into the one in front. I had some serious whiplash that did not show up immediately but really started bugging me about a week or so later.
My chiropractor was awesome. I had never seen one before..I actually admit that until I went, I put chiropractors in the same category as snake oil salesmen...I just figured they were non-doctors for a reason or something, ya know? Well, my guy fixed me straight and I felt much much better by the time I stopped seeing him. Got an insurance settlement for that as well as my car--well worth the trouble given how much better it made my neck feel.
He was quite good, has worked on some of the Rams players etc and he was not pushy, letting me decide how much treatment I was comfortable with, etc. Good experience. If I was ever hurt again, i'd go back. If you want a recommendation, PM me,

 

Sorry to hear this. As you have already been told, be sure to get a thorough medical check. Gunner is going to get one at the body shop, so you might as well get one also.

These little cars sure do take quite a bit of punishment and still keep us safe.

We hope everything works out okay for you.

 

Thanks for your concern Mishka, I did get checked before I headed for home yesterday and there were no broken bones. I did wake up with a crease across the back of my head this morning, probably from the headrest but it seems that from where it is it prevented me from getting more extensive damage then it could have been if the headrest was lower.

I'll be waiting for final word on Gunner today, hopefully, and see what I need to do next to get back into a MINI, either Gunner or Gunner II as a replacement.

I'm not giving up my CROC number since I'll either get Gunner back or replace him with another CR/B, I like the color. I did not have the rear fog/brake light mod probably will after this i all said and done but it would not have helped me for this accident, too much speed for the truck to have made a difference of seeing me or not.

Scott

 

Thank goodness you are all ok. Your MINI did what it was designed to do save you. Please keep us updated.

 

Wow, so scary to see these horrible accidents this week, they are so similar to what happened to me years ago that I'm feeling uber vulnerable again. I was also hit by a truck who was going fast and didnt brake (big commercial vehicle and driver seemed to have been napping) while I was pretty much stopped in traffic. My Honda did better then I did, the whiplash proved to be more then what it seemed and really messed up my life for awhile. Do see a doctor and observe how your whole body is doing over the next week or so, the impact can have more repercussions then you might expect.

Best of luck, glad things were not worse.

 

Oh, man; glad to hear you are OK.

You say the rear seat area held up fine? I always worry about the safety of my rear seat passenger as I take her to school every day.

 

i feel horrible that you (possibly) lost your Gunner just as i picked mine Gunner up today. But i am glad to hear that you are safe and healthy and that your Gunner did his job! May his successor be as admirable as he was.

*hallie

 

Wow!!! So sorry to hear about you and Gunner. 55 Highway is a traffic PIT. Good to hear you were not seriously injured. We sure will miss you and Gunner at the Dragon this year.

As someone else has put it. Gunner is replaceable - you are not.

God Speed

 

Hi Scott
Just read about your accident. I couldn't believe it!!! Glad to hear you are okay. Like everyone said, Gunner can be fixed or replaced. Hope to see you back on the road soon.

Pat

 

Glad you're okay! I have my kids in the back, nice to hear first hand experience for the MINI safety cell strength.
Was the truck driver on the phone?
Idea: since we're so attached to our MINIs, has anyone had a funeral for their dead car?

 

Scott, Good to hear that you are well. Thanks for sharing your mishap with us. I've only had my Mini for a month now and I forget how well built this car is. Hats off to the Mighty Gunner!
Best wishes!
-Tara

 

Wow. I am so glad you are ok. Hate to think what would have happened if it had been in another kind of car. yuck. My boss saw the aftermath of this accident. She saw Gunner getting loaded onto the truck. I just hope everything turns out ok for you, and your MINI.

 

Scott, have decisions been made on what happens to your car? Are you going to get Gunner II? Just curious. I missed seeing you guys on the dragon, you should have come anyway, you would have enjoyed it. I definitely want to see you guys down there next year.

Shannah