I recently took my happy little Honda Fit to the dealer, for the very first time in its entire life since new, to have them do some service. The car was nearing its first 'birthday' (100K miles). There are things due at that point such as valve adjustment (no really, the car has solid cam followers), fresh fluids, and a couple of recalls, all of which added up to enough reason for me to let the dealer work on the car. Basically I was getting it all ready for its second 100,000 miles.
The dealer I took the car to was Piazza Honda of Reading. The day I took it to the shop was May 22, 2014. On that day a hailstorm went through Reading and demolished every car on that dealer's lot, including mine. The pictures do not do justice to the damage. Every panel was dented at least a half dozen times, most of them much more. The windshield was shattered. The metal trim was smashed. The dents were big and deep, way too much for PDR; panels would have to be repaired or replaced. It looked like a fastball pitcher had used the car for target practice.
The insurance adjuster was only partway through the write-up when the "ENOUGH!" light lit up on his screen and the car was totaled. We negotiated on a final figure, including the fact that I had just had $700 worth of services performed, and they cut me a check.
And I bought this. 2012, v6, 4wd. Silver with gray interior. A plain jane as Tacos go; tow package and not much else. But it's my first ever pickup truck and I have to say it puts a smile on my face. Maybe not as much as the Fit did - that car was a full hoot to drive on back roads, nimble and tossable and eager to please - but, well, it's a truck.
