[Leoshashi]

Saw this SX4 at my MASS. Met the owner too.


-Front left tyre burst at 140kmph, and the car flipped multiple times before coming to a halt. The right side was also badly mangled.

-Everyone was buckled up. Only the driver got some nose bleeding because of airbags.

-The car has an IDV of 3.5 lacs, while the estimated repair cost is approx 7lacs. The owner is hell bent on getting it repaired, with proper replacement body shell etc. This car is lucky for them and they'd like to have it back in family at any cost.

Regards,
Shashi

[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Saw this SX4 at my MASS. Met the owner too.
Attachment 1681644

-Front left tyre burst at 140kmph, and the car flipped multiple times before coming to a halt. The right side was also badly mangled.

-Everyone was buckled up. Only the driver got some nose bleeding because of airbags.

-The car has an IDV of 3.5 lacs, while the estimated repair cost is approx 7lacs. The owner is hell bent on getting it repaired, with proper replacement body shell etc. This car is lucky for them and they'd like to have it back in family at any cost.

Regards,
Shashi

I'm
How can sane people believe in something abstract - luck.
That car looks like a total loss from a mile.

[freak1201]

Some pics from last evenings accident on Mumbai Pune expressway

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

This car is lucky for them and they'd like to have it back in family at any cost.

Regards,
Shashi

Luck? The luck that bursted the tyre at 140km/h, costed them 7 lakhs, bleeding nose and a visit to the door to death? !!

[hserus]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Luck? The luck that bursted the tyre at 140km/h, costed them 7 lakhs, bleeding nose and a visit to the door to death? !!

What's that compared to a saved life?

My fiesta saved me just a couple of days back for much the same reason (though more minor accident) as the SX4 saved them, ABS, Airbags and a solid build quality.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/owning...ml#post4278825

For me, it is an immensely lucky car now. Even before this accident it got anything at all it needed and more. Now the sky's the limit.

[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by hserus

What's that compared to a saved life?

My fiesta saved me just a couple of days back for much the same reason (though more minor accident) as the SX4 saved them, ABS, Airbags and a solid build quality.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/owning...ml#post4278825

For me, it is an immensely lucky car now. Even before this accident it got anything at all it needed and more. Now the sky's the limit.

I know we say things like, Its my lucky day, Wish you good luck etc etc with a light heart.
But in this case are you guys serious or has reasoning taken a different level with something as abstract as "luck".
A car which has toppled multiple times, will have lost its chassis stability, handling etc etc if rebuilt after such an accident.
Add to it the cost IdV 3.5 and rebuild 7

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Jr Godzilla

A car which has toppled multiple times, will have lost its chassis stability, handling etc etc if rebuilt after such an accident.
Add to it the cost IdV 3.5 and rebuild 7

Though I am not sure of how well the vehicle can be built back to factory quality, in the post by Shashi he has clearly mentioned that the vehicle will get a new bodyshell. So that will include all panels, crumple zones, replacement of the entire skin and so on, which has put the repair cost at 7L, the cost of a new car when brought. Hence, there should be no concerns on stability, handling etc. The structural integrity is of worry only when the bent frame is pulled back to shape and tinkered. That is done in some jugaad garages and I have seen a Tavera in this condition brought back to form by the most crude methods right opposite my house. In this case where the shell itself is replaced the main concern is how well the parts are assembled together, which will be a feat for the garage if they get everything right. But financially, it is not worth spending so much on the vehicle at such a point with such severe damage. Having a replaced body shell, the resale value will become more pathetic than now and I am not sure if it will fetch any money later.

@Shashi what tyres were they running? Were the tyres the ones from factory or were they replaced and in good condition?

Though my SX4 had good tread left at 38k kms, I replaced the tyres since it had crossed 6 years and I didnt feel safe running on hard JK Vectras, which is a recipe for disaster.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by audioholic

@Shashi what tyres were they running? Were the tyres the ones from factory or were they replaced and in good condition?

The SX4 was a Jun 14 make(last batches), and still had JK Vectra's IIRC.

Regarding body shell replacement, I think its one of the better decisions the owner has taken, because I have absolutely no doubt about the quality of work which will be done here. Bodyshell replacement is regularly carried out at my MASS, so they are quite experienced in that regard. I agree that it's not a very good decision financially, but still better than straightening the frame using some jugaad methods which local garages use.

Regards,
Shashi

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

The SX4 was a Jun 14 make(last batches), and still had JKs Vectra's IIRC.

Regarding body shell replacement, I think its one of the better decisions the owner has taken, because I have absolutely no doubt about the quality of work which will be done here. Bodyshell replacement is regularly carried out at my MASS, so they are quite experienced in that regard. I agree that it's not a very good decision financially, but still better than straightening the frame using some jugaad methods which local garages use.

Regards,
Shashi

They may be the best, but I have had a Zen fixed which had even lesser damage than this. All that was changed was the bonnet and the bootlid. The Chassis was kept under tension for 2 weeks, and there was NO other way to fix that. It was never the same after this. It lost all handling, and occasionally the rear doors would decide that they will not shut properly.
For all the notions of the car being lucky, let it go after such scenario. It will not be "lucky" the next time around.
In fact, my folks had an accident in our 800 on the jaipur highway, and it got ripped up after impacting 3 trucks, but noone was even lightly bruised. They got her fixed(of course, in those day, EVERYTHING was fixed), and kept her around citing the luck. Luckily, nothing happened again, but she was stolen and the claim financed the zen partly.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

The owner is hell bent on getting it repaired, with proper replacement body shell etc. This car is lucky for them and they'd like to have it back in family at any cost.

A saner option would be to buy a new safe car and not to drive at 140kmph any more.

If i had an accident like that, heck i would definitely not like getting back into it

A car is not a living thing which has somehow willingly saved it's occupants. Ah well we are humans because of our sentiments and if it pleases them to do so then by all means let them is what i say.

But expecting same results when and if another similar accident happens is just wishful thinking.

[harry10]

Keeping sentiments aside if they were so impressed by their lucky save they should have taken the total loss amount, add some more and get a new or used Sx4 rather than repairing this one. Any knowledgeable person will tell them the car won't be same no matter how good the repair will be.

And they should be told not to drive more than 90-100 even on our highways. 140 isn't a safe speed on our roads and it's high time people understand this.

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

The owner is hell bent on getting it repaired, with proper replacement body shell etc. This car is lucky for them and they'd like to have it back in family at any cost.

Originally Posted by Jr Godzilla

A car which has toppled multiple times, will have lost its chassis stability, handling etc etc if rebuilt after such an accident

Originally Posted by audioholic

Though I am not sure of how well the vehicle can be built back to factory quality, and I am not sure if it will fetch any money later. .

With all respect, from all the posts above, I get it that we understand that the BODY SHELL of the said car is being replaced. Now if that is true and my general knowledge serves me right, the whole body Shell IS a WHOLE NEW CAR in itself. It's about 90 percent of a car, right?

If I'm not mistaken, this is what a bodyshell is:


Now in this case, it's the whole "car". At least more than 90% of it. So the only thing left do add will be exterior body panels (which are totalled in this car and will have to be new, I guess) like doors, boot-lid, bonnet, bumpers, lights, etc, interiors, suspension frame, the suspension components themselves and the engine and wheels. Most of these components will have to be new as well in this case.

The only possible things that can be carried over here I think, is primarily the engine maybe, wheels and some savage-able suspension components. I would personally replace the suspension frame as well, because it's the only part left here which could potentially cause handling issues in this case if it took a hit directly or indirectly in the topple.

I don't know why people are speaking of structural rigidity concerns here! The main body Shell which is the main "structure" is being replaced! Also, the lucky "CAR" which the owner speaks of will not be the same car at all after the job! Except for the engine and some other crumbs. And wheels maybe.

Am I missing something here?

Originally Posted by freak1201

Some pics from last evenings accident on Mumbai Pune expressway

Wow. What was the accident? That car seems totalled!

[Viv3k]

Originally Posted by Jr Godzilla

I too wondered why and how could Europe & UK allow

If a person has driven only in India or any other country which does not maintain EU or UK standards, allowing to drive, is a major flaw in their rules and a liability let loose.

Once you have passed your Theory, only will then will you realise, how many rules you were not aware of and still had the opportunity to drive.
You should pass the practical test with a few hours training, provided you have good driving habits and follow MSPSL.

Cheers!

Yes, the first time I started driving here, I had my colleague who had one advice "Forget every rule you have ever come across before and concentrate on what I am going to tell you". He explained most of the signs, scenarios and other things in detail (god, Germany has so many rules). To make things complicated, it takes at least 50 kilometres to get used to the right side driving

However, the my driving type and skill back in India did help me (though it used to make me tear my hair back home). The distance between vehicles and following the rules is pretty much the same for me; be it India or Europe.

Originally Posted by harry10

Keeping sentiments aside if they were so impressed by their lucky save they should have taken the total loss amount, add some more and get a new or used Sx4 rather than repairing this one. Any knowledgeable person will tell them the car won't be same no matter how good the repair will be.

And they should be told not to drive more than 90-100 even on our highways. 140 isn't a safe speed on our roads and it's high time people understand this.

When someone is involved in a severe crash like this and survives, the car becomes an important part of their lives. It is weird how the human brain works but in most cases, they want the car back and running. Same applies the other way round as well. I know people who have sold their vehicles for killing a cat or dog citing bad luck :( The don't seem to realise that bad luck is behind the steering wheel.

The problem is it is extremely difficult to talk them out of it. If my uncle would have listened to us, he would have still been alive.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by pixantz

Am I missing something here?

At the risk of going OT, if it was my me and i was getting a repair work of that magnitude done from an ASC, i would be second guessing every rattle, every bump and every noise when i drive.

[Viv3k]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

At the risk of going OT, if it was my me and i was getting a repair work of that magnitude done from an ASC, i would be second guessing every rattle, every bump and every noise when i drive.

This is so true and definitely not OT.

Every single rattle, every vibration will make you run to MASS for a check up. Also, the repairs will be done by humans who can err and the strict quality control done at the factory is missing. Worse, if you ignore something and it causes another crash, you will not be able to forgive yourself if something bad happens to anyone.