Thursday, March 5, 2009

The death of my Jeep

I decided I need to unload my bad mojo from last week, so my friends, you get to be my vent readers. Mr. P. thank you for listening last week I can always count on you!

On Wednesday evening my wonderful, almost 18 year old daughter decided to be helpful and offered to go do the grocery shopping for us. She does this and it is a huge help, I hate going to the store.

As she was leaving the shopping center area, she approached the big intersection, put on her left blinker, and prepared to turn across traffic thinking she had a green arrow when in reality she had a green light and needed to yield to oncoming traffic, she started the turn and before she could do anything she hit an oncoming Blazer.

The great news, no one was hurt! Fortunately she was driving my Jeep and not her little 15 year old Honda Civic. My Jeep is a 1997 Grand Cherokee, Limited Ed., with a V8, so the impact did more damage to the Blazer. The bad news, since my Jeep was old, I only carried liability ins., it didn't make sense to carry full coverage on a car that would be totaled with a fender-bender.

The Jeep is totaled and has spankin new tires on it. My poor Jeep was such a nice car, didn't have but maybe 2 small scratches on it. I always kept it serviced and in great condition. It had loads of life left in it.

Now I need to pay the towing fee, get it to my house and then see about getting a wrecking yard to give me some cash for it. I have never done this before so maybe some of you have some good advice for me before I call the salvage yard?

Should I take the new tires & wheels (wheels are not new) off and sell them on Craigs List? And how should I approach the salvage guys so they don't rip me off?

I know Jeeps are a dime a dozen, but mine has all the extra's and a leather package, so I want to get as much as is fair for it.

I am hugely thankful that my daughter was not hurt, or any of the other drivers involved, but gosh I am going to miss my Jeep as is my 17 year old daughter who was going to get the Jeep this summer when I bought a new car, looks like that plan for a new car got moved up a few months!

The fun part is, I just went and tried on a new Audi. I want the Avant because of the room, but not White (as pictured) Black or Silver me thinks. (photos are poor quality, taken with phone)


I'm used to the extra room after driving the Jeep for so long and my trips to Costco always require plenty of space for all the stuff I seem to leave the store with! Can anyone get out of Costco for under $100? I think I have maybe 2 times, but I think there is a subliminal message in Costco that makes shoppers spend at least $100.

Anyway, the accident was sad, fortunate because there were no injuries and hopefully educational for my daughter.

It's not the end of the world, just the end of my red Jeep, but it's only a car. I'm over it.

MHL

7 comments:

  1. Ms. MHL: Glad to hear everyone made out ok except the Jeep. As far as salvage goes they will probably give you 35 to 50 bucks for it. I would for sure sell the tires before I let it go to the crusher. Maybe try something like “Free Jeep with purchase of near new tires!” Just a thought.

    As far the… cough cough… Audi goes you might want to do some research like at Consumer Reports or Edmunds.com or the like. Audi doesn’t have the worlds best reputation for reliability plus they cost as much as Mercedes I service to repair. Yes I may be a bit bias because of that but I speak the truth. Now that I bring it up. How about a Mercedes-Benz? You would look almost as hot in it as you do your Cougar :) The cost is comparable.

    fasthair

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  2. There ya go Fasthair...
    Spoken like a true car salesman - trying to make a buck off the less fortunate. LOL!

    Personally, if I went to a car, I'd go for a Honda or Toyota. I'll never be without my 4WD truck as long as I live in the north though.

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  3. Try selling the whole thing on Craig's list. And yes glad to hear baby girl is fine. We go to Sam's and $100 it is. My wife wants a Buick Lucerne(sp). They are pretty cool And repairs are a LOT cheaper on an American car than any import. I think Fasthair would back that.

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  4. Awww Thank you all for the well wishes about my daughter. It's the most important part of this all.

    I will try the Craigs List and see how it goes.

    Fasthair...$30-$50 bucks really? Gag, that just sucks in the worst way! Whiskey please!

    It's very unfortunate about your advice on "nix-ing" the Audi, you see the second my butt landed in the seat...I fell in love! My hands wrapped around the steering wheel and I was in heaven. I don't know, I think it could be a love affair for the books on the Audi. Has to be an affair, my heart truly belongs to the Cougar.

    I've never tried on a Mercedes though... it's a thought :-)
    MHL

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  5. a scap metal dealer will give you more money for it but prices are down like everythig else. But keep the tires because scrap yards will charge you for the tire disposal.
    Your best bet, pull the drive train and anything else salable and put it on craigs list. Then scrap the rest.

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  6. I'll echo my friend's comments that your daughter was not hurt and try to sell as much as you can separately for parts. You may make out pretty well that way. Also, you look really hot in that Audi if I may be so bold! WOW!

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  7. Thanks everyone for the advice and posts.

    Joker, it's good to see you back from your trip to Yuma, it sure sounds like you had a really great time. I've enjoyed the posts I've read so far.

    An update on the Jeep: I had it brought to my house on a car hauler a friend of mine owns. I saw him drive up and was watching him undo all the fastenings on the Jeep then I was stunned to see him get in the Jeep, start it up and drive it off the trailer!

    It sounds like all I need to do is find someone to scrounge around the wrecking yards for left and right front panels, a hood, grill and bumper. New head and fog lights, and the Jeep will be resurrected!

    The frame is fine, engine is undamaged, even the radiator seems to be ok, just need a new serpentine belt.

    I've got fingers crossed here and hopefully the Jeep will still be drivable for the girls. I'm still going for a new or newer Audi :-)
    (thanks Joker, you made me blush)

    MHL

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