Almost a month ago we had a nice freezing rain here. Work shut down early because of the worsening conditions. I made it about a mile down the highway when I caught the slush pile between the lanes. I fish tailed a couple times and then went backwards into the median. When my back tires hit the grass I began to spin counter-clockwise back forwards. The front of my car it the beginning of a guard rail. No other cars were involved and I only got a bruise on my knee from it hitting the steering wheel. The driver'* door and fender are smashed, the front window cracked, strut and knuckle bent, rocker panel bent, wheel cracked (but still holding air?), and I noticed a slight "wrinkle" on the roof by corner of sunroof. Not good for business. Not good at all. I had it towed to a body shop and was inially told $2500 provided the finding of many junkyard parts. I thought that was fine, fix it. The guy looked and searched, having trouble and told me it was looking more like $3500. Some more looking and realization about CCR struts and HUD window; also was having trouble finding SSEi trim pieces. So it finally came to an estimate of $5000 after three weeks of part hunting. That is right about what the car is valued at, and who knows what other little things would pop up as a result of the accident so I decided not to get it fixed. Insurance covered nothing because I only had limeted collision.

As of now it is being stored in my pole barn. I have not decided what I am going to do with it. I still have 1.9 rockers, comp cams springs, OR pushrods and spring retainers sitting in the box they came in. Most likly these and some other parts will be up for sale on here, possibly the whole car or will be parting it out. I could not find another Bonneville SSEi or a GTP in my price range to make use of what I have.

The damage:
(Click on image for full size)

im sorry to hear about your car. but i would be extremely interested in several of the party from the car.

Oh boy...My car'* twin at birth.

Glad to hear you are ok.

Glad you are okay. These cars tend to hold up really well in a collision...good thing no one else was involved

CCR struts... Don't need them.
Fender/Door, $100 in binghamton.
Front Bumper $135 here in Rochester if the car is still there.
HUD Windshield - Not sure, but should be in same car as above
Trim panels - $fender, rocker and door - $75

The car is a 96 SSEi that the interior is fairly stripped. The doors and fender would be off an SE in binghamton.

The 96 SSEi is located here: www.performanceparts104.com if you want to call and see if you can get parts. it is cheaper if I pull them, but I don't know if I can ship. They'll pull and ship them. The interior was gone on the car and the motor too, but the front suspension might still be there. Don't think it was a CCR car though.

Ed morad would be another person to call or you can try this place out of Binghamton, www.donsauto.com


Hope those might help reduce the cost. If I was going to MI anytime soon I'd pull the parts and drop them off to you, but I have no plans to head that direction.

Glad to hear you are okay. I just got to know.... What the hell does limited collision mean? I am an agent and I've never heard of such a thing. Is it that you have a high deductible? Or did you buy your coverage from some guy in a dark alley?

let us know if you are going to part it out...depending on prices...things such as the motor, trans, wireharness, PCM, HL and TL could be claimed quite quickly

Uh-Oh- it looks like the vultures are circling.

I will list on this forum if I am going to part it out.

Having the CCR is just added expense, or at leas as I undeerstand it. I would need to replace struts all the way around to do away with the CCR.

I would love to find parts and fix it but I'm just not sure it is worth it...it would need to be put on a rack and streightened out and a section of the rocker panel needs to be cut out and replaced; both of these are beyond my doing. Plus I found a good deal on a 98 Grand Cherokee and got it, and with the new house my funds are all spoken for until I pay off the Jeep or my student loan, or get a raise. I do miss the car a lot. I may still try to collect parts to fix it, I dunno.

Limited collision is between full coverage and PL/PD. If I am less than 50% at fault I am covered, if I am over 50% at fault I am not covered. It is what I had on my old car because it was not worth much and I never changed it to full coverage when I got the Bonneville. And yes, I am kicking myself for never doing it.

And to make things worse the damn tow truck driver that took it from the body shop to my pole barn backed it into something and busted a tail light and put a nice dent in the trunk lid. They have not billed me for the tow so at this point I have said nothing about it.