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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | 
After spending most of a beautiful Sunday "Leaf-Peeping" along the Hudson River in upstate NY, Jeanette and I were taking "TheLongWayHome" along a rural highway in Sussex County, NJ.
Cruising along, we come up to a young girl in a Pontiac Sunfire stopped at a blinking yellow light to make a left hand turn. We come to a stop behind her and wait for her to turn . . .
BAM!
Dumb f@ckin' blond in a Kia NAILS me from behind!
In addition to the evident "sheet metal" damage, the brunt of the impact was absorbed by the after-market trailer hitch that I installed, which (through the frame) propelled the entire car forward) . . .
BAM!!
Despite valiant efforts to evade the girl in the Sunfire in front of me, I grazed her tailight/bumper, smashing the PISS out of my left front end.
Thankfully, everyone walked away without a scratch. Jeanette bumped her head on the seatbelt "take-up" housing, which resulted with pretty much just a headache.
Car is "Totaled".
I'm Totally Pissed.
Anybody that "knows" me will tell you that I loved that car and treated it like I treat my guitars. Granted, it's not an expensive, luxury/sports car, but it was the best that I could afford, served me well, and provided me a LOT of fun driving. I maintained it RELIGIOUSLY, and tried my BEST to keep it immaculate. Unfortunately, the insurance company doesn't "see" any of that when calculating a shitty little three year old economy car with 55K WELL-maintained miles.
Looking to replace it, but having a degree of difficulty.
First priority: It's GOTTA be "Stick".
CanNOT drive an automatic (besides these cars "suck" in automatic). Several dealers I've gone to around here can't locate any w/stick (people are pussies out here).
Would LIKE to find an '05 "lefteover" if I could.
Besides evident cost-savings, they've somewhat "re-designed" the '06's, and I don't really like 'em.
If anybody knows of any dealers that might have what I'm looking for, please contact me. If I can find what I'm looking for at a reasonable distance, I might consider flying out/driving back . . . .
btw:
Seat Belts DO Save Lives . . . |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Totalled??? Damn.
Let me see if there's anything out here... maybe I'd drive back with you. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Thanks, Mood.
I appreciate it, but CA might be a BIT out-of-range . . . . |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I HATE IT when the insurance companies just look at the numbers and then total out a car...especially a well loved and maintained one.
Good luck with the search.....you can always check out ebay motors and pay with paypal ;) |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Bummer...To bad the insurance companies have to be such weasels about things like this.
As a typical OFCer the first thing my eye went to was the Ovation trade-mark right in the middle of the dent. It took a minute to realize that it's from an Ovation case and you just glued it on. Very cool. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | PT Cruiser, Cliff??
Bummer. Big Time.
Glad to hear no one was hurt. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Contact customer service for a new emblem. Wait, what is this post about?
Glad you are alright, maybe its time to buy that Gig-Wagon you really need! Why you are stuck on a stickshift I can't fathom.
"The Middleman always gets hurt!" |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I rented a PT Cruiser for a week out west. It is a great car...and I'm a dyed in the wool Chevy guy. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Sorry to hear it, Cliff. I could tell you loved that Cruiser, it really seemed to suit you. Seems fitting that you should replace it with something as similar as you can find. VERY glad you and Jeanette are both ok.
Happened to me last year, an 83 year old man came flying through a stop sign (he told the cops he didn't even know he was driving, thought he was parked somewhere...), and totaled my Dakota. Less than 2 years old.
Seat belts DO save lives. In my case the airbags saved me from severe chest injuries. Now I drive an '05 Honda CRV. This sucker's got 4 wheel antilocks, all wheel drive and airbags EVERYWHERE!! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Here.
Auto Trader search in the Northwest
Road Trip? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | I've got an extra emblem I'll pop in the mail today..... |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Glad you're both OK. Strangely enough I was at the body shop this morning getting a quote for repairs to where some d*ckhead drove into the back of me as I sat at a red light.
And in the body shop was a much customized (fantastic chrome wheels) PT Cruiser. I thought about you, then came home and read this.
Hope you find what you're looking for. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Brad;
The Ovation "tag" (which IS from a case) was a "giveaway" by Master Keller at the first Tour/Jam. Picked up that car the day after we got back from that Tour. The tag went on that evening. Used 3M VHB Tape to affix it. It wasn't coming off . . .
When I went to the TowYard yesterday to empty it out, I was tempted to pry it off. Opted to just let it be "buried" with it. Kinda' like a wedding ring . . .
Woodster;
The car was pretty much all the "GigWagon" I really needed. With the rear seats removed (which was the FIRST thing I did when I got it home), it held ALL of our gear (with room t'spare), plus it did about 27mpg.
"Driving" requires shifting gears.
Doing it with just gas/brake pedals are for golfcarts and bumpercars . . . |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Was she on her cell phone? The guy in his jaquar, who hit me, while I was on my bicycle, was talking to his fiance! Fortunately, I was thrown up in the air rather than on the ground and landed on his hood. When he got out of the car he said: What are you doing there? I said, what are you crazy? Call the motherfuckin' police. Still talkin' on the phone, he says to the fiance, gotta call you back.
Everything worked ok for me, no injuries worse than some bruises, but man what a shock. And what a jerk. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Thanks, Paul! |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | This might be an alternative to the PT:
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=2&storycode=9686
It lacks the PT mojo, but it should work and the price is right. |
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Joined:
October 2002
Posts: 178
Location: New York, NY | I'm really sorry to hear that Cliff. I'm glad you and Jeanette are OK. It stinks when such a beautiful day ends on such a sour note.
It's funny, an4340 and I thought the same thing (about the cell phone). What the hell was that woman behind you doing? Because she obviously wasn't looking at the road. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | "Petting her Poodle", no doubt . . . .
judging by her "aim", she was probably trying to tune her Taylor. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | an4340;
Hey! that's a nice box!
What kinda' CAR comes in it??
:D
Thanks, but I think not . . . |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Thank you, Cliff. I really didn't want to see you rolling into the Factory parking lot in that. Unless you were selling ice cream out the side windows... |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | IxNay on the OxBay . . . .
Master Wagster owns one . . .
:D |
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Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Cliff,
I have a few connections with dealers here in the Fayetteville area, NC might be able to find you one. I'll make a few calls. maybe I can find you one. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | Hey Cliff...
I'll trade you a CC65 for the car ;)
Norse(gotta keep tryin)man1 |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 64
| First and foremost, I'm glad Cliff and Jeanette are okay. They're good friends and I'd be saddened if they were hurt.
With the loss of "'Ol Blue", I feel like I've lost a different kind of good friend. That car had provided me with a bit of relief as it was the first indication that Cliff had showed up at the gig and didn't leave me high and dry to fend for myself. (He'd usually get there first and have the stuff loaded in before I even left the house...WHAT A GUY!!!)
Also, Cliff's not lying when he said he loved that car more than most things. More than once, if it had been raining at a gig, he'd ask me to lie in a puddle as he drove through it so as to not get it's tires wet.
Hopefully, one of you can help him out with his search. PLEASE MAKE SURE HE GETS TO THE GIGS...NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR ME SOLO.
* Seriously, Cliff. Glad you're both okay.
Golf carts and bumper cars... :D |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 231
Location: N.J. | Cliff,
Have you tried Buhler Chrysler on rte.35 in Hazlet? If not,call them and ask for Darin Buhler and tell him that Phil Barbour from the Jersey Viper Club sent you and explain your situation. Darin is a great guy and extremely helpful. Good luck. |
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R.I.P. Old Friend
