A sad ending...

[Chip Hutchinson]

Last night after work at 2:42AM I had a near head on collision with a drunk woman driving in the the wrong direction on the I-405 in Bothell Wa. I didn't see her until it was almost too late, but at the last instant swerved to the left. The impact tore the right front wheel, hub assembly and CV shaft out of my car. What a mess.
My daily driver, a red '96 LSi with 213K was in perfect operating condition. Next summer I was going to repaint her as the mirrors and quarter panel trim had faded to a different color and the hood, spoiler and bumpers had small chips.
I had just purchased 4 stock wheels for the summer touring tires I was going to put on her next spring, a spare transmission as well as a set of front CV shafts and rotors/pads for all 4 corners.
I will be in the market for a '96 or '97 as soon as this insurance stuff is settled. I loved my little red rocket ship, but now I want a black one.
I am thankful that the SVX is such a safe car. The pile of wreckage I walked away from looked like somebody probably died in there, but if you look inside and ignore the airbags and broken glass you can see that the passenger compartment is completely intact.
Drive safe my friends...

[icingdeath88]

That is terrible . So sorry to hear that, but glad to hear that you're ok.

[EdfromSF]

Sorry to hear about your 96 and happy to hear that you walked away ok.

Ed

[Rod.]

Glad to hear you're OK, but sad to hear that your SVX had to lose her life to save your's. May drunk drivers rot in hell.

[SVX92-97]

Sorry to hear the terrible news, but Thank God your safe and unhurt. I too lost my 96 red rocket, but in a rear end collision from a woman driving a Ford F-250. Are you going to part out your car? Good Luck finding a black 96 or 97. There was a nice looking black 97 on ebay last week.

[mysvxrocks]

That really sucks... glad your ok though. I hope that other person gets whats coming!

I know this isnt black, but it is a 96, local, and under 100k... Its been on Craigslist for a bit. Might be worth a look?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/ctd/2636051306.html

[subeman90]

that really sucks but I am glad to hear you are fine.

Do me a favor and sue the hell out of her now.

I have such a bitter hate for drunk drivers

[Conn SVX]

Yes very strong , have always been . I remember seeing a 1981 Subaru GLF in the back of a Subaru lot when I bought my 1st one . The car rolled off the highway down an embankment,( they said rolled at least 4 times) . If you looked at the car on the inside it looked beautiful, the woman kicked out the window and got out before the police arrived . That was the selling point that sold me on Subaru. Glad you are ok RED ROCKET rest in piece. BTW did the RED ROCKET have a donor card

[immortal_suby]

Glad to hear that you are OK. You'll find a nice one to replace her!

[Bobb]

Hi Chip, Sometimes going to the left is a good thing. Near Ann Arbor, Michigan were I live a guy on alcohol, and several kinds of drugs did the some thing only the victim never knew what killed her. Of course the drunk had not had a drivers license in years. You are very lucky to have not been alone. You had a Subaru as co-driver. Glad to see you are alright. As has been said, hope you find a real nice "BLACK" SVX to replace the one you lost. Take care, BOBB

[kwren]

Originally Posted by Chip Hutchinson

Last night after work at 2:42AM I had a near head on collision with a drunk woman driving in the the wrong direction on the I-405 in Bothell Wa.
I will be in the market for a '96 or '97 as soon as this insurance stuff is settled. I loved my little red rocket ship, but now I want a black one.
I am thankful that the SVX is such a safe car.

Drive safe my friends...

Thank you, Chip, at our house we try. My wife just corrected me, I should have said, in our car, we try, and we pray a lot. Scarey world out there, especially in our state.

More often than not on a daily basis, I am singing the praises of the SVX... I believe it is the safest car on the road.

Insurance stuff... tough stuff. It is hard to evaluate your injuries for the first few days after an accident. Be careful what you say to those insurance folks. They would not give you a nickel for your car if they didn't have to.

We just finished the settlement about a year ago on a wreck that just about did me in and the wreck happened about 7 years ago. My accident totaled our 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon that had over 300K on it and it was still good enough that I could have went out and started it up and driven across America in it.

Irregardless of how great your car was, they will offer you about 1/3 of the value, maybe not even that. They will try to stall till the Lord comes back and after that, I don't suppose any of us will care.
Good luck with a replacement, but don't expect a lot of help from the insurance people. A lawyer probably would be of no use for you either.

Take care,
Keith

[svxfiles]

Glad that you were OK.
Sorry about your car.

It's kind of like that new Subaru comercial;
She saved my life,
I'll never forget that...........

[Chip Hutchinson]

Thank You to all of you. I am feeling better. I also feel for the young lady that hit me. Her mother called me and said that her daughter was afraid to call because she thought I may have been severely injured. I am not in as much pain now as I was yesterday, and soon the pain will be a distant memory.
If you think it cannot happen to you... You are wrong! Stay vigilant. Your best defense against bad or drunk drivers is simply a matter of increased vigilance, and even that may not be enough. Let us hope that it is.

Chip.