[Diggs59]

Sorry for the pics, they're from my Blackberry. It was a 3 car accident in the Belle Chasse tunnel here in New Orleans. It happened to be a very cold morning, water on the road and the tunnel has a pretty steep down sloped grade. There was traffic in the left lane or I would've swerved to avoid the vehicle in front of me. I probably got it down to 20 m.p.h. before impact. The guy I hit in the ass had just hit the guy in front of him in the ass too. It looks like he'll need a new rear bumper at minimum and who knows what else the repair shop he chooses will end up finding....

On a lighter note, my rental car is a Ford Fusion (no pics) and this car is pretty freakin nice. It's been a long time since I've driven a Ford (I'm a Jeep guy) BUT lets just say: the dealership can take their sweet ass time with the repairs. LOL. The adjuster hasn't performed the estimate on the Forte yet. I took it to the stealership for the repairs, so the waiting game has begun.

It looks like I'll need (at minimum) a new bumper, grill, right front quarter-panel, headlight mounting brackets and a hood.

I may need a new left front quarter panel (has a small bend on the point of it) and a radiator. That's really about all I know just from looking at it briefly before the tow-truck arrived. I will update this thread when the estimate is complete and the repairs are done. BTW, this is the first accident (that was my fault) in 15 years of driving. Still pretty disappointed with myself. The Grand Cherokee would've stopped in time.

 

[fas93]

I'm so sorry to hear you've been in a wreck!!! Good to know no one was seriously hurt! Keep us posted on what happens!

 

[Aidensgrand]

sorry to hear that man! i feel your pain

 

[Khonshu]

Forte owners beware lol seems like stuff is happening to everyones car I have an appointment with the insurance tomorrow for my car

 

[Diggs59]

The estimate was emailed to me last night. The grand total is: 3,393.54

Like I suspected, the radiator will need replaced too.

 

[lleader]

The guy I hit in the ass had just hit the guy in front of him in the ass too.

Don't know how insurance works in your area; here we have 'no fault' so your own insurance pays no matter whose 'fault' it is, but before no-fault came into being here I'm pretty sure your accident would be classed as the other guys fault because he ran into the other car first. Of course timing would be of consideration, but if you were right behind him then you would not have been expected to be able to stop if his car stopped abnormally fast because hit someone. Basically you can only be charged with following too close if the other car is able to stop normally and you can't. If he stops because he hit someone then you can't be expected to stop in that circumstance.

 

[Red Rocket]

That sucks! Glad to hear your all right.

 

[Diggs59]

Don't know how insurance works in your area; here we have 'no fault' so your own insurance pays no matter whose 'fault' it is, but before no-fault came into being here I'm pretty sure your accident would be classed as the other guys fault because he ran into the other car first. Of course timing would be of consideration, but if you were right behind him then you would not have been expected to be able to stop if his car stopped abnormally fast because hit someone. Basically you can only be charged with following too close if the other car is able to stop normally and you can't. If he stops because he hit someone then you can't be expected to stop in that circumstance.

No citations were issued. The guy that was hit in the ass by the guy that "I" hit in the ass left the scene because he was in a Chevrolet Avalanche and didn't take any noticable damage from the Jetta. I knew that I could probably battle it out in court or through police reports BUT I instead chose to take it like a man and pay for the incident/accident. After all, I did hit another guy in the ass and that shouldn't have happened. I'm still very disappointed in myself. More than anything, I'm pissed at the Forte though, I just feel like it should've been able to stop in time. I may have been able to get away from this ordeal scott-free BUT in the end, I guess I'll have to grin and bear it. No more 5 car lengths away for me. It will be 10 or more in the south, I swear to you, (please don't take this the wrong way Southerners) but you can't drive for 'ish. I've driven in a-lot of places and New Orleans is by far the most non-driving place I have EVER lived. Philly = check, D.C. = Check, Los Angeles = check. NAWLINS is wretchid.

 

[JoshT]

...No more 5 car lengths away for me. It will be 10 or more in the south, I swear to you, (please don't take this the wrong way Southerners) but you can't drive for 'ish. ...

Ho no you didn't just go there!!!

Just kidding bro. I'm a southerner all the way, born and raised in middle Georgia and I gotta agree with you. It's the very reason I'm getting ready to sell my motorcycle, I'm to scared to ride it around here. Funny thing about it is when I go north for what ever reason (usually skiing) when I see bad driving I usually also see a tag from my state or one bordering it.

Good luck on getting the car back together, and don't get to attached to that rental.

 

[Diggs59]

Ho no you didn't just go there!!!

Just kidding bro. I'm a southerner all the way, born and raised in middle Georgia and I gotta agree with you. It's the very reason I'm getting ready to sell my motorcycle, I'm to scared to ride it around here. Funny thing about it is when I go north for what ever reason (usually skiing) when I see bad driving I usually also see a tag from my state or one bordering it.

Good luck on getting the car back together, and don't get to attached to that rental.

No harm meant...I mean after all, I'm the jack-ass who slammed into someone else. I have an update on the new cost to repair it after a supplemental estimate was performed (that's what they find after the body shop digs into it a little) and the new grand total is: $4,734.02 That sure seems like a-lot considering the pics but the labor is around 50% of that total I would guess......

 

[Serdarat493]

It's good that everyone made it out okay and everyone had insurance...

After almost 5 grand in damage i wonder what it takes to total one of these Forte's?

 

[Rainyraven]

It's good that everyone made it out okay and everyone had insurance...

After almost 5 grand in damage i wonder what it takes to total one of these Forte's?

I think somebody on the forum had a forte totaled out at around 11,000
can't remember exactley

 

[Diggs59]

I think somebody on the forum had a forte totaled out at around 11,000
can't remember exactley

Correct, I asked the body shop manager if he could comment on what it would take and he said between 10,000 and 11,000 (stated that around 75%) of the total cost to see it totaled.


I got it back on Friday evening, (no pics yet because it was dark) and the next day, me and the family took a 1,000 mile road trip. She's running great and I looked it over pretty hard before I paid them and everything looks wonderful. He also said that all of the repair work is guaranteed for the life of the vehicle. That was comforting as I fear that the New Orleans heat will eventually take its toll on the clearcoat after a while.

 

[mog320]

WOW!!!! Hate to hear that you had an accident. Glad you are okay though. I was in a similar situation when I had my accident. It's was either the wall or the Semi truck. Keep us posted on how things turn out for ya.