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Story time, thanks to Puckish One's thread that got me thinking. Mods, feel free to move this if I'm not in the right place. I do apologize, as this may be long.
A few years ago, when I was a senior in college in Lansing, MI, I started dating a guy we'll call J. J's dad was a mechanic, which is useful back story. About a week or two into our relationship, we decided to go visit a friend of his whose cat had just had kittens, so I could get a kitten. We left from his parents' house, where he lived, and I let him drive my car, since I didn't know where we were going. As we were driving up a four lane, no median road, going the speed limit, about 45mph, a car in oncoming traffic stopped to turn left. Apparently the car behind them didn't notice, then freaked out, and instead of A) rear-ending the turning car, or B) trying to merge to her right, instead swung out into oncoming traffic, AKA my car. J managed to turn the wheel to avoid a head on collision, but the car was still undriveable, and nearly totalled.
J's lovely parents came and picked us up, and J's dad called a tow truck driver he knew to pick up my car and hold it until the insurance company determined where it would be repaired. I got to go back to J's house and talk to my parents (my dad's name was still on the title) and the insurance company for a *long* time. I had to state, multiple times, that yes, J had my permission to drive the car. In the end, they accepted this and decided not to try to follow up with his insurance. Also, MI is a no-fault state, but the driver of the other car thankfully admitted to the cop on scene that it was completely her fault, which helped as well. The insurance company took over, and sent my car not to the VW dealership in Lansing (I have a Jetta) but to Dumass's, a big Buick and other types of car dealer in the same town. Here begins the trouble.
Thankfully, J and his parents were amazing people, and let me borrow one of the cars they had but weren't using, an ancient Cutlass, so that I could still get to work and such, and were very supportive during this whole time, as my family was in another state, and I was working full time during that summer. And on the bright side, I did get two kittens, now full grown cats, named Lily and Franzia out of the deal, as J felt badly for me, and I got to keep the cats when we split up.
After about 2 months pass, Dumass's calls and states that the car is ready. I'm psyched. I'm working a benefit at the zoo the day it was finished, but my parents were in town to move my brother into his dorm room, and went to pick up the car. When they got there, they noticed a few things wrong (the bumper cover [this black plastic shield under my bumper for in case I hit a curb
] was not completely attached, for one) and then, when they put the car up on the lift to fix it, they closed the driver's side door, and the window fell out. That's right folks, it fell out of the car. So, the car stayed at Dumass's for another night.
The next day, we go back. I test drive the car, all seems well, except the stereo isn't powering on correctly, but my brother, the car stereo whiz, manages to fix it on his own. We take the car and go to run a few errands. It's only then, when we open the trunk to load up groceries, that we find a surprise in the trunk. The dealership apparently decided I'd want a souveneir, since they left my tire in my trunk. The whole metal hubcap and rim and all, that they'd taken off the car since it was bent, was just chilling in my trunk. So we go back, drop that off, and think all is well.
A few weeks down the road, I'm driving and go over some railroad tracks. The next thing I know, the entire bumper is hanging off the car, giving off sparks as I drive. I get my brother to go with me to drop the car off at the dealership at 10 at night, and have to call J out of band practice to come pick us up. The next day, I walk to all my classes, and finally get a call that the Dumass's courtesy van will come pick me up and bring me to pick up the car. They get me back, and the manager tries to convince me that I must have driven over a barrier and ripped the bumper off. I'm not dumb. I have ripped off the bumper cover twice
by driving over curbs, and I know how it feels to do that. This time, I hit one bump and my entire bumper fell half off the car! I tell the manager this, and he gives me attitude, ending up by saying "you're just lucky we're fixing it for free under the warranty for the work we did earlier for you."
At this point, I've had enough. But then, my father and I notice that the car is making a lot of wind noise on the highway, which is because, lo and behold, the door frame on the door they fixed after the accident is not fitting properly to the car, and is missing a piece. I call the insurance company and flat out refuse to take the car back to Dumass's. After a while, and several phone calls, they acquiesce and let me take the car to a mechanic back home who had worked on my father's SUV. They fix the door, and give the car a once over to make sure there is nothing else blatantly wrong, which, praise be to dog, there isn't. At this point, I consider the whole ordeal over.
Funny thing. Not six months after the ordeal is finished, I loaned my car to my brother to go to the gym while I was in class. After class, I call to find out why he's not there to pick me up, and he's practically in tears, he's so upset. Why? Some stupid woman hit my car in a parking lot. She drove forward into the back end of my car while my brother was sitting in a parking space. All I could do was ask if he was ok (he was) and if the car was driveable (it was) before I broke down laughing so hard I almost cried.
In the end, I just paid to get the busted tail light replaced myself at the dealership, and left the bumper as is, with a little scar to this day. Hey, it gives my car character.
A few years ago, when I was a senior in college in Lansing, MI, I started dating a guy we'll call J. J's dad was a mechanic, which is useful back story. About a week or two into our relationship, we decided to go visit a friend of his whose cat had just had kittens, so I could get a kitten. We left from his parents' house, where he lived, and I let him drive my car, since I didn't know where we were going. As we were driving up a four lane, no median road, going the speed limit, about 45mph, a car in oncoming traffic stopped to turn left. Apparently the car behind them didn't notice, then freaked out, and instead of A) rear-ending the turning car, or B) trying to merge to her right, instead swung out into oncoming traffic, AKA my car. J managed to turn the wheel to avoid a head on collision, but the car was still undriveable, and nearly totalled.
J's lovely parents came and picked us up, and J's dad called a tow truck driver he knew to pick up my car and hold it until the insurance company determined where it would be repaired. I got to go back to J's house and talk to my parents (my dad's name was still on the title) and the insurance company for a *long* time. I had to state, multiple times, that yes, J had my permission to drive the car. In the end, they accepted this and decided not to try to follow up with his insurance. Also, MI is a no-fault state, but the driver of the other car thankfully admitted to the cop on scene that it was completely her fault, which helped as well. The insurance company took over, and sent my car not to the VW dealership in Lansing (I have a Jetta) but to Dumass's, a big Buick and other types of car dealer in the same town. Here begins the trouble.
Thankfully, J and his parents were amazing people, and let me borrow one of the cars they had but weren't using, an ancient Cutlass, so that I could still get to work and such, and were very supportive during this whole time, as my family was in another state, and I was working full time during that summer. And on the bright side, I did get two kittens, now full grown cats, named Lily and Franzia out of the deal, as J felt badly for me, and I got to keep the cats when we split up.
After about 2 months pass, Dumass's calls and states that the car is ready. I'm psyched. I'm working a benefit at the zoo the day it was finished, but my parents were in town to move my brother into his dorm room, and went to pick up the car. When they got there, they noticed a few things wrong (the bumper cover [this black plastic shield under my bumper for in case I hit a curb
] was not completely attached, for one) and then, when they put the car up on the lift to fix it, they closed the driver's side door, and the window fell out. That's right folks, it fell out of the car. So, the car stayed at Dumass's for another night.The next day, we go back. I test drive the car, all seems well, except the stereo isn't powering on correctly, but my brother, the car stereo whiz, manages to fix it on his own. We take the car and go to run a few errands. It's only then, when we open the trunk to load up groceries, that we find a surprise in the trunk. The dealership apparently decided I'd want a souveneir, since they left my tire in my trunk. The whole metal hubcap and rim and all, that they'd taken off the car since it was bent, was just chilling in my trunk. So we go back, drop that off, and think all is well.
A few weeks down the road, I'm driving and go over some railroad tracks. The next thing I know, the entire bumper is hanging off the car, giving off sparks as I drive. I get my brother to go with me to drop the car off at the dealership at 10 at night, and have to call J out of band practice to come pick us up. The next day, I walk to all my classes, and finally get a call that the Dumass's courtesy van will come pick me up and bring me to pick up the car. They get me back, and the manager tries to convince me that I must have driven over a barrier and ripped the bumper off. I'm not dumb. I have ripped off the bumper cover twice
by driving over curbs, and I know how it feels to do that. This time, I hit one bump and my entire bumper fell half off the car! I tell the manager this, and he gives me attitude, ending up by saying "you're just lucky we're fixing it for free under the warranty for the work we did earlier for you." At this point, I've had enough. But then, my father and I notice that the car is making a lot of wind noise on the highway, which is because, lo and behold, the door frame on the door they fixed after the accident is not fitting properly to the car, and is missing a piece. I call the insurance company and flat out refuse to take the car back to Dumass's. After a while, and several phone calls, they acquiesce and let me take the car to a mechanic back home who had worked on my father's SUV. They fix the door, and give the car a once over to make sure there is nothing else blatantly wrong, which, praise be to dog, there isn't. At this point, I consider the whole ordeal over.
Funny thing. Not six months after the ordeal is finished, I loaned my car to my brother to go to the gym while I was in class. After class, I call to find out why he's not there to pick me up, and he's practically in tears, he's so upset. Why? Some stupid woman hit my car in a parking lot. She drove forward into the back end of my car while my brother was sitting in a parking space. All I could do was ask if he was ok (he was) and if the car was driveable (it was) before I broke down laughing so hard I almost cried.
In the end, I just paid to get the busted tail light replaced myself at the dealership, and left the bumper as is, with a little scar to this day. Hey, it gives my car character.
Didn't damage the car too badly--just the left front fender, light, and grille. The bodywork was covered by the insurance. After repairing the fender, installing a new light and grille...I was horrified when I saw the "repairs" to the wiring. Rather than do the job right, it was half-assed. Extra wires were crudely spliced into the harness...with the old ones still attached, and the bare ends against the bodywork 
I swear, I think they thought they'd get away with it because I'm a woman.
If you don't mind me asking, where in PA are you? I live in the Harrisburg area, and I have a grandmother in Lancaster, so I've been to both ends of PA 283. If you don't feel comfortable saying in public, and would rather tell me in private, or even not at all, I understand. 
Next time I go to the dealership for an oil change, I'll have them look at it (on other models of the same car, the seat pushes all the way back).
Good story, repsac.
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