Hopefully you dont have to be a MySpace user to view the blog, but if you do, let me know and Ill give the story/pics on here.
Im not even sure what's going to happen yet. Im only 18 and this is my first wreck I've been in. I told the police officer I had full insurance, because I really wasnt sure what kind of insurance I had, I just knew I had insurance if the offcier asked for it. Well when i got home and told my father, he told me I only have Liability, and that basically Im ****ed. We lost my car and we can't get anything back for it. Our only option is to pick it from the ayrd its at now and part it out and get as much as we can for the parts.
It was a 96xxx mile '85 GT 4spd. Im extremelly dissapointed right now.
It's kind of ironic because just the other day I was in the O/T section posting about selling my car and looking at other, more expensive car options before I head off to college. Well the first thing I tols the officer when we watched them tow it away was "Well, time to start looking for anotehr Fiero".
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08:16 PM
PFF
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Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
Heh, I'm fine. It was kind of funny, because when the witness pulled over and I got out of the car, I stood there for awhile dizzy, and I rememebr ehr asking me if I needed to call for someone to pick me up and I said something like "Nah, I think it'll make it home". All 3 witnesses just kind of stared at me for a few seconds confused, then I saw the passenger side and I said "Scratch that." heh.
I probably will be parting it out, not sure exactly what the situation is right now. Im kind of leaving the decisions up to my dad since I was on his insurance and he knows more about it than me. We'll see what kind of shape the seats are in, they looked alright to me, at first glance. Glass did shatter though, they may have been marked up a bit.
My dad also mentioned hiring a alwyer and sueing, I'm nto exactly sure how that all works, but the guy didnt appear to be worth very much, heh. He wasn't even wearing a shirt.
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08:28 PM
ltlfrari Member
Posts: 5356 From: Wake Forest,NC,USA Registered: Jan 2002
Sucks but at least you are ok. It's probably not worth suing the guy if he doesn't have anything to start with. It will just cost you money and it sounds like his life is already screwed so you wouldn't be adding to it any.
If the guy didn't have insurance you can still take him to court and sue him for damages. Get three estimates to repair your car and keep all the receipts for any medical bills. You also want a copy of the police report. The court can attach his paycheck if he doesn't want to pay for the damage he caused and you could always try to get a lean against his property too. That way when he tries to sell he will have to settle with you first before the sale can go through. p.s. I am not a lawyer, but these are some things that can be done over here.
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08:34 PM
Formula88 Member
Posts: 53788 From: Raleigh NC Registered: Jan 2001
There's always a civil suit against the drunk driver. Since he was drunk, he's clearly at fault, and with the multiple warrants, it sounds like he's a habitual offender. Juries like to punish people like that.
Call one of those injury lawyers who get paid on percentage and see what they say.
You should still be able to buy the car back. A friend of mine (who has since passed on) was able to do that, though he had to sign his life away that he wouldn't rebuild the car for reselling. I'd find an 84-87 4 banger with bad running gear and swap all the stuff over.
wow, glad your ok, and that your car was good enough to protect you. As far as estimates to repair the damage go........its an 85 fiero and most insurance comanies see it as just that. So its totaled. BUT, you do have a strong suite against the other driver, and you should persue legal action to the fullest. Good luck, and I hope you find another just as nice as the pimpmobile.
I'd double check your insurance. You don't need collision coverage. What you need is uninsured motorist coverage. It's not that expensive and may may have it and not realize it.
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10:46 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
If you don't have uninsured coverage, you should. But I'm not sure it would help you if you don't have collision on the car, because typically the unisured coverage mimics what your regular coverage is. But if the other person clearly is at fault?? I'd check with your agent...
Keep your spirits up, the most important thing is that you are okay. As much as I hate to say this, the Fiero is only a car. They made over 370,000 of them, but there is only one you!
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11:07 PM
Apr 12th, 2006
Brian Lamberts Member
Posts: 2691 From: TUCSON AZ USA Registered: Feb 2003
The thing with insurance and old cars is that it's all a crap shoot. Even an 85 GT (kind of a rare Fiero) isn't, in most cases, worth more that a couple of thousand. So paying for full coverage is expensive and if you pay for it and have an accident, the best you're gonna do is a couple of thousand. It's just a bad bet to put full coverage on a 20 year old car. (Unless it's a lot more of a classic than a Fiero)
So then the day comes and some idiot rear ends you, t-bones you, or drops a carport on you. Or you drive into a utility pole. In any case, you're screwed. You groan and ***** a little, but the bottom line is that you will take the hit and move on. You didn't do anything wrong (none of my cars have more than liability insurance,) you just gambled and lost.
If you lived closer, I'd give you a real good deal on a nice rolling chassis. But Texas is a long way off.
Life's lessons are generally pretty painful. . .
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12:57 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36677 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Oww ! Glad you are ok also. I am always amazed by the protection the Fiero gives it's occupants. From your pictures it looks as if a passenger would have been unhurt also. How fast do you think the other driver was going ? Is that his vehicle behind the police cruiser ? Looks like you did your 360 acrobatics in the oncoming traffic lane. Lucky you weren't hit head on also, that is a busy street.
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08:38 AM
cliffw Member
Posts: 36677 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Yeah, thats actually the thing that scares me most. When he pulled out to hit me my first reaction was to swerve to avoid him and I did so without even checking for oncoming traffic. If there had been a car coming the other way, who knows what kind of condition I'd be in now.
He couldn't have been going too fast because it's not like he ran the stop sign, he came out and hit me from a stop. So I dont think he could have been going over 10mph. I think I was going about 45-50 though, as I slwoed down from 60 and tried to avoid him.
I still plan to make Round-Up 9.5, hopefully with another Fiero by then, if not, then whatever it is Im driving this summer.
Edit: And yeah, that is his car behind the officers car. It was a black escort, mid 90's I guess. You can see the side street that he pulled out from on the left side of that screen.
Im hoping that maybe they'll find out that he wasnt the owner of the car, because if it wasn't his car, I think I can still get money from whomever's car it was?
[This message has been edited by AutumnsOATH (edited 04-12-2006).]
When the other driver is historically a drunk driver, chances are he has few assets to go after and probably little insurance. Unfortunately the legal sytem seems to take pity on these driving disaters and let them back out to drive again without insurance or on suspended licences.
I wish I knew anyway to keep them off the road.
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04:39 PM
Apr 13th, 2006
Brian Lamberts Member
Posts: 2691 From: TUCSON AZ USA Registered: Feb 2003
Keep the first one a gross misdemeanor, anything after it within like 5 years make it a felony. Make dui accidents felony assault. Make DUI accidents with injuries aggrevated assault. DUI with fatalities should be murder.
Same thing for driving and talking on the cell phone.
I have a CDL, the presumed drunk level for commercial drivers is half of what regular drivers face. In Nevada, it's .004, which works out to 1 beer within the last hour or so.
While that may look really bad, I totally honestly think that car is definately fixable, and worth fixing. It looked to be in great condition. I cant see too well, but it looks like the suspention took the brunt of the damage and the vital frame pieces seemed to stay mostly unharmed. It may be a wee bit costly, but I'm sure you could get your car back up and running again. Do you work on your car or get it taken in?
Edit: your 18. If you don't already work on your car, this would be a great starting point.
[This message has been edited by 86fierofun (edited 04-13-2006).]
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02:44 PM
AutumnsOATH Member
Posts: 361 From: Schertz, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2004
I've done very minor things. Mainly because I dont have the tools to work on it.
There's an older guy that works at the local Meineke that helped his friend rebuild his fiero years ago, so he's the mechanic that I usually take it to when I need something done major.
Sorry to hear & see , it took a bad hit, I used to rebuild late model salvage cars--so most anything can be fixed, might want to try a Attorney that works & gets paid --only if you win against this guy..Good Luck..
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10:13 AM
Murciero Member
Posts: 70 From: Salisbury, NC, US Registered: Jan 2006
I'm having trouble with sending out PMs for some reason, but I did get your PM Amber, and that's probably the best offer I've received yet. Thanks for the help. I'm still waiting for my insurance company to get back to me so we can negotiate what I'm getting out of this. The only thing that turns me off is the automatic, but I plan to get my car back one or another, so I suppose the 4spd could be swapped in. I'll get back to you as soon as I hear from them. Do you have an Email account?
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12:02 PM
Apr 18th, 2006
AutumnsOATH Member
Posts: 361 From: Schertz, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2004
Well I talked to a friend today that knows quite a bit about the whole legal system, but he's not a lawyer or anything.
Anyway, he told me to hire a lawyer and sue for everything I could, evemn if the guy appears to have no money.
He said what would happen is the State of Texas will cut me a check for however much money I win, and I'll get my money. Then the Defendent will just owe the State of Texas, and will if he doesnt pay the state of texas, that just means more jail time for him.
Which is pretty much on the contrary to what everyone else has been telling me, but I believe this friend knows what hes talking about so Im gonna look into it.
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05:44 PM
Apr 19th, 2006
AutumnsOATH Member
Posts: 361 From: Schertz, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2004
They're giving me 2000 for the car, and theyre letting me take the cd player out, but not the seats.
I dont want them to take my seats.
They said I can buy back the car for salvage value, 400 dollars.
Here's my problem. Id have to get it towed from the yard to my house, thats about 100 dollars. I'd have to get it stored somewhere I assume, while I part it out. At about 40-60 dollars a day, lets say 4 days, thats ~200. After parting it out, Id have to pay a lsavage yard to take whatevers left. Im guessing thats like paying the salvage value again, so thats 400.
That's 1100 dollars it'll cost me to get my car back and part it out. Does anyone have any idea how much I could get out of the parts? I'm guessing, at most, 1500, but worst case, I could be losing money.
[This message has been edited by AutumnsOATH (edited 04-19-2006).]
p.s. I am not a lawyer, but these are some things that can be done over here.
Glad you are ok, though. 
