Crashed? Miss MY Truck lessons learned

[JARichard]

Well on April 14th I wrecked my truck:{ No it wasn't my FAULT!!

TO make a long story short I have been fighting the guys insurance for the whole time. He cut an illegal U-turn while talking on his cell phone. My rental is an 04 QC short bed 4. 7L. While I have been loyal to Dodge here are some things I noted:

This rental vehicle hauls BUTT.

I can park this 2wd anywhere.

That is where the positive stops.

Gas is $1. 77 per gallon this morning. Diesel is $1. 57

Rental makes a whole 12mpg my diesel made 15 loaded or unloaded I would average at least 15.

I find that the back seat storage area is smaller in this truck.

It sits to low to the ground.

These little bitty mirrors suck.

The front seat is softer than mine and that steel beam is a big pain in the #$$!!

I miss the height of my truck!!

I miss the color of my truck!!

I miss the SMELL OF DIESEL IN THE MORNING!!

Well this list is getting long. Here is some advice!!

Take pictures of you truck often. Because of my job I carry a digital camera with me at all times. I tried to avoid hitting the guy

and take the ditch but still clipped him the ditch and the field. I got numerous scratches and dents from excursion through the field. The appraiser said all of those scratches and dents were PRIOR damage. Well little did he know I only had 4 nicks and 1 dent on BIG RED. I ended up finding a disk with pictures of Big RED on them. ( My computer crashed on 4/9/04). Well the same moment I found the disk my WIFE called and said, " Cant you down load the pictures from the stupid truck site you are always on?" GUESS WHAT those pictures made the insurance realize what kind of damage wasn't there before the accident and they are fixing everything. Well, I hate the fact she cant appreciate me on TDR but it was a good point.

SO always keep current pictures of your rig.

Save some to your gallery in TDR. It will save your butt if your computer crashes and it gives me something to look at.

IS THERE ANY ONE NEAR LAFAYETTE,LA THAT WILL LET ME BORROW THEIR TRUCK FOR A FEW DAYS? I know that is wishful thinking but I feel like I lost a friend.

Thanks

Body damge $6,987. 00

Pride Damaged PRICELESS

 

[XcumminsX]

OUCH... sorry to here man. .



Nick

 

[Iguide]

Wow man that really sucks. Sorry I don't live close enough to lend you my rig, which I probably wouldn't anyway. However if you come to NH you can ride around with me while yours is in the shop. Best of luck & wishes when you get her back. Take Care

 

[PHX ATC]

It's time to take up drinking in the meantime.



It'll make the time fly by!

 

[XcumminsX]

Originally posted by PHX ATC

It's time to take up drinking in the meantime.



It'll make the time fly by!

LMAO...

 

[JARichard]

If I still drank i wouldn't have been able to afford the truck!!! I am an all the way stupid drunk or sober sort of guy.

The funny part of the whole deal was I left my house early to make my runs and beat the UPS driver to the office who was delivering my gauges.

 

[guava]

questions in regards to frame repairs.

I've been thinking about this question for a while and was going to post it today. Then I saw this thread...



The new frames are 'hydro-formed'. You can't drill them, you can't weld them, so how are you supposed to fix them? It seems that any method of repair is going to do the same damage that welding or drilling would do.



This is really just a curiousity question. You know, for when I drive over the top of some car.

 

[JARichard]

Yeah well I watched them measure out the frame and suspension on the rack. My truck frame was a hair more than 1/8" off at the frame. We only hit corners at a glancing blow but I was doing around 50 mph

There is plenty of adjustment in the bumper to make up that 1/8" of an inch.

OHH another negative about the 1500 rental is 1000lbs. in the back makes it real squirelly

 

[JARichard]

Just came from Dodge dealer. They put the new fender on this morning and have it all primed. It has been cool to watch this whole process. The body foreman even told me how cheap the factory paint is compared to their repair job. He stated," That they must have a bean counter watching the drops of activator mixed with the paint" He also explained the fact they use the same paint mfg. Well any way they appear to be doing quality work on the body. Which more than I can say for their regular service dept. MAN I MISS "Big RED"

 

[JARichard]

I added pics to my gallery

I know you guys are just gonna enjoy my misery. I added 4 pics of the accident to my reader's rig gallery.

I tried to avoid this wreck I did see what he was doing but couldnt stop fast enough. Look How high on my truck the damage was done and how low on his. That is a 2 WD 1/2ton FURD. At least I know my brakes were working.

Because of the grass and everyhting all over the truck I could't see the numerous scratches and dents along the bed and body.

I wonder if the insurance company will send me some of their pictures.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I had to drive a rental car for a week while on a trip to Florida. It sure is good to be back in my truck!



You're lucky with fuel prices there, you can't find fuel of any variety here for less than $2 anymore



Vaughn

 

[JARichard]

Vaughn ,

we produce most of it here. It should be cheaper. Thats how I make my living making wells flow again.