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Well, that'll teach me...

6K views 24 replies 8 participants last post by  PatM 
#1 ·
Haven't crashed a car since the 70’s, as far as I can remember, though there have been a couple of near-death motorcycle crashes.

So tonight I was driving home, round a roundabout, then peeling off onto a main road – don’t think I was doing more than 35 or so. Accelerating gently out of the roundabout, the back end broke away, car spun round, front end crashed up the kerb with a fearful bang, then the rear (still rotating), flew up a steep grass bank, then back down again, coming to rest half on the footpath (good thing nobody was walking along it at the time) with both front tyres flat, engine still running.

Had to get the breakdown truck out, and of course my breakdown insurance doesn't cover accidents, so £100 later… anyway, I can’t get a proper look at it till it’s light, but I can’t see any bad damage underneath – yet.

Front wheels are I suppose suspect – can’t see any obvious damage to the rims (other than kerbing), but I suppose they might be cracked?

Guess the next stage is to get a pair of 2nd-hand front wheels/tyres, and drive it carefully to the garage and get the man to put it up and check everything out underneath.

Could have been a lot worse – there was a lot of traffic, and that coming the other way going fairly quickly. And if anybody had been walking on the footpath :eek:

I used to drive an M3, and you kind of expected this kind of thing, with 320bhp and rear wheel drive, so drove very carefully when the road was slippery. But it wasn’t wet or frosty tonight (maybe there was diesel on the road or something), and I was just accelerating gently with 135bhp…
 
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#3 ·
Most important thing everybody is safe, and you are fine.
These things happen and obviously something was not in your favor.
Hopefuly you will be able to get it right soon.
OK, managed to have a good look over the motor. Three wheels/tyres wrecked; front and rear bumpers scratched & bent (rear badly); some scratching (hopefully light) on the bodywork & headlights (went up a steep bank through some sloe bushes).

I’m not competent to examine the steering etc, but I hit the kerb very hard with front and rear n/s wheels, so can’t believe there wouldn't be damage there too. Taking it out to my man tomorrow to get it up on the lift and give it a thorough once-over.

The thing that really shocked me was how suddenly it broke away – went from road to footpath to way up the bank in less than a second I reckon. I’ve no idea whether I had any chance to apply opposite lock etc – it’s all gone blank.

I went back to the spot this morning, and there doesn't seem to be any diesel etc on the road, and it isn't cold enough for frost yet. My tyres are Continentals, at the correct pressure.

Really shaken my confidence in the car… I’ve always had contempt for front wheel drive, but am having a re-think :(

UPDATE have fitted 2 spares to the front (rear tyres are still inflated), and took it for a very slow drive, braking, lock-to-lock turning, over bumps etc, and all seems to be in order. Will know more after the professional exam :unsure:
 
#4 ·
Hog,

Do you have an F or TF? What sizes of tyres do have on it? I am wondering if this is one of those cases where it is a combination of type and size of tyres because a few years ago it seemed there were a few people that had similar incidents to yours.
 
#5 ·
Do you have an F or TF? What sizes of tyres do have on it? I am wondering if this is one of those cases where it is a combination of type and size of tyres because a few years ago it seemed there were a few people that had similar incidents to yours.
Oh? Hadn't heard that. But then I've only had it a little over a year. It's an '05 TF, 185/55/15 front, 205/50/15 rear; Continentals all round, correct pressures, loads of tread...?

Though my mechanic did say these cars were notorious for this sort of thing, and he's a specialist :eek:
 
#8 ·
Glad you are ok-I picked up on the-
though there have been a couple of near-death motorcycle crashes.
Which is close to my heart as I don't do the miles I once did on bikes but am a biker with plenty of choices-so near death experiences go with that territory! i just said to my wife (as I'm on holiday this week and like so many of us, using the spare days off, rather than loose them!) - I don't think ill op the R1 into town today..Ill take the MG...

Ive got an 02 TF160 that came with TOYO PROXIES and one blew last summer — side wall-so examining them all-pleanty on tread but all were starting to crack-so replaced like for like. Ive not found the TF to be a tail-wagger (Ive got an old CLK that does that!) So Id not be surprised it was a tyre-related incident or you just were unlucky and hit an oil-patch or some ice?
 
#9 ·
Sorry to hear of your unfortunate incident Hogweed.
If you suspect the tyres are the originals, then they are quite likely to now be hard after their 14 year life. This coupled with the likelihood that they sat ‘in one stressed position’ for 8 years would not add up to them being of their reliable best. If you add 17K of covered miles - as you believe they are originals- then it would be reasonable to think the remaining tread would also not have been in your favour.
Now time to replace with a full set of new?
Kind regards,
Austin.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Cheers guys. Interested in your thoughts about the tyres, Austin… I suppose I don’t know that much about tyres in general. I sometimes poke the wee car to the limit round that and other bends in the dry when in the mood, and its good handling always brought a smile to my face.

But then, the little I DO know about tyres is that I never found much difference between any of them on a nice dry road – a bit of water and all the demons come out. On Monday night, the road may have been a little damp at worst (but of course “damp” can mean “greasy”…) and I wasn’t pushing it, which is why I was astonished at nearly ending up on my roof. And I don’t have a roof, so not sure what would have happened to my head/neck if the car had flipped backwards down the bank :eek:

In that context, Pat, one of my first road bikes (back in 1974) was the beautiful American export Trident shown below. I only had it a week when it inexplicably went straight on at a gentle bend, directing me into a big tree stump the wrong side of 80. That time I DID break my neck, but luckily escaped with only lifelong pain, which comes and goes.

Then in 1987 the Japanese Defence Attaché, Mr Shimohata, pulled out in front of me just round a tight blind bend in North London in 1987 as I was ambling along on my brand new GSXR1100. That time I was doing about 20! Still somersaulted over his roof though, busting elbows, ribs, thumb etc etc. He quickly swapped his poor wife into the driver’s seat… that was the end of my long biking career.

This will all make me sound like a right tearaway, but since I gave my beloved M3 up 9 years ago, I‘ve accepted my age, and chugged round the country in a very relaxed fashion in my old diesel Rover 75 – I fear, though, the little TF brings my inner child back occasionally :rolleyes:

PS Austin - the existing tyres have been destroyed by the kerb, so no temptation to re-use them ;)

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#11 ·
I can't speak for any F drivers, but the 2005 I'm driving at the moment can also be a bit hairy at times. It's running Hankook tyres with plenty of tread all round, which I thought were a good brand.
However the back end can be a bit wayward coming out of tight roundabouts, and a certain T junction where I have to turn Right out of sharpish (poor visibility both ways).
Possibly the softer suspension might have something to do with it, but generally it behaves itself.
 
#12 ·

In that context, Pat, one of my first road bikes (back in 1974) was the beautiful American export Trident shown below. I only had it a week when it inexplicably went straight on at a gentle bend, directing me into a big tree stump the wrong side of 80. That time I DID break my neck, but luckily escaped with only lifelong pain, which comes and goes.

Then in 1987 the Japanese Defence Attaché, Mr Shimohata, pulled out in front of me just round a tight blind bend in North London in 1987 as I was ambling along on my brand new GSXR1100. That time I was doing about 20! Still somersaulted over his roof though, busting elbows, ribs, thumb etc etc. He quickly swapped his poor wife into the driver’s seat… that was the end of my long biking career.

This will all make me sound like a right tearaway, but since I gave my beloved M3 up 9 years ago, I‘ve accepted my age, and chugged round the country in a very relaxed fashion in my old diesel Rover 75 – I fear, though, the little TF brings my inner child back occasionally :rolleyes:




PS Austin - the existing tyres have been destroyed by the kerb, so no temptation to re-use them ;)
[/QUOTE]

Im not going to guess the max age of tyres theseday's, but I know its ITRO 5-6 years-They have date/stamp on them and my old TOYOS looked fine when I last checked (yes, the treads only ) and I rounded a bend on way to work in Deal and the tyre made that unmistakable flap-flap noise. Luckily Id invested in a full-size spare, rather than the Rover Kit that would have been like putting water into a sieve - I checked them all and yes, they were showing signs on deteriorating- I'm guessing they were 6 years old (Id had the car for 4 years). They are not off the shelf-so I had to wait a day or so before my new ones arrive.

As for bike mishaps-Im not going there as theres alway someone worse off/has a better tale to recount. I have a modern-day Triumph in the stable-I managed less than 900 miles last year on it! Most of that was one trip to Epuleques. 1974, Id not ridden a bike before- I was a late-starter, (1976) having been pushed down the car experience and threatened with God-knows what if I even contemplated a motorcycle (Irish Father..)
I have had loads of bikes and still do have- oldest being my 400/4.
Ive a few cars, as well :)
Well, us old'uns have to do something other than decorating of a weekend...

Back to the tyre thing- one of My sons started me on the TF's as he brought one back in about 2007, from memory- Kids by and large dont make good mechanics or show any interest in getting filthy or working on cars- so I became Chief and only mechanic. We repalced his tyres from recomendations on here, as well as many other maintenance-items. So, the Forum is a great source of inspiration and Ive used it since those days, even though Ive only had my one for 4 1/2 years. Mechanically, mines better that his Trophy MEMS 2- and mines older- but cosmetically, his was a head-turner- my ones not but mine cost me £1500. Its been re-sprayed every shade of silver except the correct one.
 
#13 ·
OK, I checked on the Continental website, and here’s what they say:

“Continental is not aware of any technical data to support the removal of service for tires past a specific age. But the same principle applies to the tires of your vehicle as it does for any other part of your car – age matters.

Together with other members of the tire and automotive industries, Continental advises that all tires (including spare tires) made more than ten years ago should be removed from service and replaced with new tires.”


So they’re saying there’s no proven reason to replace them – but probably just to be on the safe side, replace them after 10 years.

It also tells you how to date your tyres, and it seems mine were made in 2010 (pic below indicates 2010, Week 09.

Anyway, as I say, they’re trashed anyway…

Now it’s a question whether to claim on the insurance, or just pay for repairs etc myself. Trouble is, bearing in mind the low book value of the car, they’d probably write it off, and give me next to nothing for it…

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#15 ·
Well, she’s been up on the lift for ½ an hour, Mr MG and me going over her with a fine tooth comb, and amazingly, no sign of any damage except the towing brackets are a little bent. Mark says these wee motors are actually pretty strong underneath.

So just need to get a set of wheels, then see about the bodywork. Some pics… worst is the front n/s wheel, bent rim; then front o/s. You can just see the tyre a bit split where the rim has been gouged by the kerb.

Rear wheels actually don’t appear to be damaged (I suppose because they’re trailing), but I’ll be getting a full set. Rear bumper or splitter or whatever they call them nowadays isn't great, and the front bumper was pushed back far enough to crease it in both wheel arches, but apart from that isn't too bad.

I’m not sure how the rear bit got so badly wrecked, as I crashed forwards – I can only assume that the grass bank was so steep that it graunched the footpath as the front of the car went up in the air. As I said before, I thought it was going to flip back on top of me :oops:

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#20 ·
Mine were very much like that when i had a blow-out. Sidewalls were perished but Id done 19k on them! As I said earlier- still plenty of tread left when it happened but they were about 5 years old. The Return of the Giant Hogweed is a song penned by Genesis and on 'Nursery Cryme'
 
#21 ·
The only thing my mechanic recommended I had looked at was the tracking, due to the massive knock to the n/s front wheel.

The car feels absolutely fine to drive, but the steering wheel, is slightly off centre now.

I was going to get 4-wheel alignment done on my old Rover 75 – would that procedure include tracking adjustment if I got it done on the TF too?

Sorry for my complete lack of knowledge here!
 
#22 ·
Hello Hogweed,
Your last post suggests that although the steering wheel is now off centre - it wasn’t before. If that is the case, then something has been distorted in the accident, and any wheel alignment adjustment from here is simply going to ‘accommodate’ that distortion.
Personally if the steering wheel is off centre and it wasn’t before, then I would be looking for a reason why, rather than simply making adjustments.
OK, use the alignment equipment to point you in the right direction which will help to trace where the distortion is, but correct that first.
Kind regards,
Austin
 
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