ARGH!!!

I hit a 18 wheeler tire that was left in the road. The SUV that was in front of me went over it and I had nowhere to go due to traffic. It broke the airdam on my front bumper. I am going to go by Mini later today to find out how much to fix it.


I will tell you that I have had it with big trucks on the road. They spew rocks from behind them that have already put a big chip in my little minis roof. Now this debris in the road. I want this to end with these 18 wheelers. They are a terror to have on the road. I want then to adhear to 55mph, yes even on the 70mpr highway. I want them to be maintained, no more retreads no more overwarn tires. I want them to keep the rockshields in good condition. I want them to be held responsable for the debris they leave in the road. Lets serial number their tires and make them pay for the dammage to my mini. Some 18 wheel skeeve ball left this in the road and now its gonna cost me! I've had it.

So now if you are still following me what does it cost to put on the front bumper aero kit? Do I need to use the black grill and mesh. I have the chrome pack (05) and want to keep my bits o'chrome. Any suggestions?

 

If you saw the costs that you would have to incur to do have those things implemented, I think your story would be different. Any item sent via truck would increase in cost. I shudder at that thought

 

trains

 

ninjamini,

Did this break the lower black plastic grill? The same thing happened to me a while back. I replaced it with the M7 Ultimate Grill. Couldn't have been happier, and no more broken grills. I even got in a car accident and it didn't bend or break it.

 

I dont think that highway safety should have a price! Yes they need to maintain there trucks. The only really radical change would be there speed limit. They are far too heavy to drive that fast. Its not a Mini for goodness sake!

 

Yes I broke the lower black part. M7 Grill??? how about a link to a pic? how much was it?

 

Ninj

Could that possibly have been the same "skeeve ball" who left the tire tread in the highway that delivered your MINI from the port to your dealer???

regards

BTW when is the last time you saw a rail siding at the local Piggly Wiggly?

 

I ship a lot of stuff - read BIG and HEAVY - and I know the cost

However, I think ninjamini is saying they should obey the law (not that I do) when it comes to speed and to maintain their speed. The big trucks are the only ones that can use retreaded tires anymore and I see pieces of them all the time.

And, just because everything (except a baby) is delivered on a truck does not mean they should be exempt from the laws.

Earl

p.s.

Bob hit a ladder with his MINI and it came to over $10,000.00 to fix. Thank god the guy was a preacher/minister or whatever and knew he lost the ladder and came back like he should have and his insurance company took care of it.

 

No the truck that drove my mini to the dealer has maintence included. There it is well maintained.

 

They dont obey the law at OUR cost. Everytime they wreck it costs the consumer. Rocks flung into windows cost us $$$ They use retread tires to save themselves $$$ at the cost of our highway safety, accidents cost alot of $$$. They get a flat due to poor maintence they are too tired driving that they dont realize it scraping along the gound untill the rim flyes off and kills someone. I was almost that someone ounce. A rim came feet from crushing me.

Don't tell me about cost for these drivers when they dont obey simple safety rules like speed. We all know they fudge there books to "get it there on time.

Safety is more important that the cost. Thats why we have 6 airbags and alaphabet brakes.

 

Ninjamini, sorry to hear about your damage. I guess this happened while you were driving on I-95. I really dislike that road and try to avoid it as much as I can because there so much junk flying around is not even funny.

Did you get your roof chip fixed?

Also, if you want to keep the stock look, the airdam piece is around $30 at the dealer. Is not expensive at all.

Due to the MINI's low center of gravity and almost "brick like" aerodynamics, our cars are very prone to road debris damage, therefore, you probably need to adjust your driving style a bit in the highway to minimize your chances of getting hit by flying rocks or pieces of shreded tire thread:

1) Keep a at least a 4 second distance between your car and the one in front, so that way you give yourself room to react in case of an emergency.

2) Don't ride the rear bumper of other cars. Following to close its only asking for trouble and to get stonned in your bonnet and windshield. Keep your distance from other cars.

3) Drive at the speed LIMIT. Yeah it sucks but it does help!

4) BE`ALERT! specially when passing or driving around big trucks. Always try to pass semis and trucks but if you can't, then keep a good distance and wait until you get a chance to pass them.

5) READ the road! Stay fully alterted for debris, potholes and other junk that may hit your car. Excercise your eyes while driving so you don't get "fixed" on a point of focus. Check your mirrors constantly and look over the bonnet and see what cars in front of you are doing. This will give you a hint that trouble may be ahead.

 

EVERYONE in the road has to obey the rules, period! And this included speed limits. Not only the truck drivers are the ones that should observe these regulations but drivers of other cars as well.

I-95 in South Florida is a dangerous ZOO. The funny thing is that I live next to it (Where the I-95 terminus begins in the East Coast all the way for 2,500 miles until the State of Maine)) but sometimes I prefer to pay the toll and drive in the Florida Turnpike because is at least more manageable.

 

Actually it was on I-75 at exit 1 heading to miami.

Nope I have not had the roof chip fixed. Bonnie set me up with some touchup, but, I am a little afraid to tackle pain myself.

I am glad to hear that the air dam is so cheap. What do you think that labor runs?

Speed limit....well umm. I have always been a 10 mph overthe limit max kinda guy. But with the mini...

I gave my 4 year old a stick of gum some months ago and he swallowed it after I told him to just chew and not swallow. He told me that "his tummy wanted to swallow it"

"My Mini wants to go fast...really fast" Its really not me.

 

If you have a decent tool kit set at home, I think you can install the airdam yourself.

I-75? Ough! don't get me started!

 

Yeah, I took on a giant retread within the first two months of owning my car. I-95....in Connecticut. Ughhhh.

 

i-95 gave me chips on my bonnet within an hour of owning my mini.
sometimes you have no choice in heavy traffic.

chips on the bonnet still aren't as bad as when i was in heavy fast traffic on the bqe in ny and ran over something (hubcap? roof rack? gun?) and it knocked my exhaust into pieces. nowhere to go, and the suv in front of me sailed right over it, of course...

 

Me too -- I ran over a giant former retread while driving a car that had less than 500 miles on it. I was able to make it the remaining 5 miles or so to the airport, but the handling was seriously compromised and there was clearly damage to the apron, wheel wells, and probably more. Fortunately for me it was a rental car and insured by my employer since I was traveling on business.

So sorry to hear about your MINI. I hope that when all is said and done, you baby will be better than ever!

 

ninjamini, sorry to hear about the damage to your car. Forget about maintaining roads and the unroadworthy vehicles that use them, spend the money on building dedicated super-twisty roads to be reserved solely for us MINI drivers!!

Here is a link to the M7 website and their ultimate grill. It's more expensive than the OEM piece but made from steel not plastic.

http://www.m7tuning.com/products/ultigrill2.html

 

Sounds like your damage is the same I had a year or so ago. Not the grill itself, but the lower airdam, the lowest piece under the plastic "mesh" grill. As Cooper4us stated it's only about $30 and the labor differs around the country but won't be too bad.

Godspeed.

 

I agree, retreds need to be taken off the roads. If you go back in the far enough you will read where a MINI owner (I think in CA) had a tire thrown on his bonnet. Broke the windshield and damaged the roof as well. Good thing for him and others around him he keep his cool and did not get into an accident. The 3 to 4 second gap rule is a big help and easy to do at 55 - 70 MPH. If your going faster (on I-95 sometimes there is no choice) a bigger gap may be called for. I have seen traffic moving at 85 and campers and 18 wheelers crawling up hills at 50. The difference in speed is a killer.

 

Went to Mini today and it looks like:

$ 40 for the airdam
$ 5 for the screen over the airdam
$110 flr 1 hour labor.
-----
$155 cuz some creep didn't take his flat tire off the road when he changed it.


I really hate trucks cuz they dont respect the road!

 

Im sorry to hear about your misfortune... Good to hear nothing else was damaged in the process.

Anyhoo, that is a reason I dont take the MINI on the highway anymore (unless absolutely necessary...then the drive in one lane only, stay away from big, dirty truck rules come into play). Who knows what could come flying at ya at those speeds, especially from those friggin 18 wheelers. The MINI is only taken on local roads....call me ****, but I would hate to hit something when I am that low to the ground and going that fast on the highway.

A second car wouldnt be a bad investment either. I take it everywhere, and not a worry comes to mind when driving it. Is it durable? Sure, its a BMW. 'nuff said. :smile:

 

I hit a big[size of a basketball]chunk of ice last winter,it was hiding under an inch or so of new snow,scared the ******* out of me.Stopped to look for damage,and it wrinkled the lower metal grill.I'm going to get a friend to paint some teeth on it and not worry about it.

 

Hey Ninja...I have taken my bumper off many times ...infact I helped with the install of my aero kit and CF bonnet....well I did most of it for that matter....ANYWAY...my point is buy the parts...and do it your self...you will learn alot...it makes you more compfterble with your mini too...so you will only be out 45 $

adn I agree....truckers and well everyone needs to be more responcable for them selves...and not just on the road....

 

Same thing happened to me in May '02 on way home from the dealer after picking up the car: 22 miles on the odo. Broke front air dam, bent the condenser, and broke the plastic piece that surrounds the radiator. Cost $1000 to fix. I hope you come out better than this! I am watching out for these things very carefully in my '04 S.