One less

[Driver Matt]

Just had a new clutch, cam belt service and fixed the aircon. Massive bill for just under £6,000. Took the car out yesterday in the dry and the rear end felt as though the rear tyres were soft but nothing too dramatic.

Today I was giving a lift home to a friend, pissing down but we were only going about 50. Pretty neutral throttle. Car leapt across the road and attacked the hedge on the other side of the road. Two or three complete revolutions. All four corners had a go at attacking the innocent hedge.
Most of the visible damage is to the near side, door, front and rear wings. I'm pretty sure that the underneath is pretty well rearranged. No airbag deployment.
Has anyone else ever had a similar incident ? I can still not believe the speed that this happened. I would say less than 1/2 second from driving straight and even to being buried in a hedge.

Will see what the insurers make of it but I'm not that confident that it can be fixed for a reasonable fee.

[Papalazarou]

Impossible to tell without having a look. Also obviously depends on the value of the car pre-accident.
My previous NSX had pretty minimal damage from the outside. But often, it's all the bits you've crushed behind the bodywork. It's been mentioned a lot before, but panels are shockingly expensive.
As a rough guide, an irrepairable panel will cost £2K+ to replace. Obviously if you've bent a chassis rail it's an automatic write-off.
However, if you you didn't hit it hard. For instance you spun it and it glanced off a couple of hedges, second hand panel repair might be an option.

Just remember it's just a car. A very nice car. But essentially a collection of metal and plastic. Oh and it didn't kill you. Lost mine in the wet too. Good luck with the insurance company.

Cheers,

James.

[nobby]

hi mate

really sorry to read the above ... in a word GUTTING

but at least you are alive and well and as James says the car can hopefully be reparied or replaced. lets not hope she is a total loss for you!

I had my car out the day in the wet, fortunately I had no such bother; tbh i find the car runs well in the wet, and i was doing slightly higher speeds than yourself, but nothing scary!

in terms of conditions etc do you think you hit oil or some other deposit on the road, cause it does appear to read that the car left the road a tad easy

hope you get the car sorted and we dont see another NSX assigned to the history books within this forum!

[PeteM]

Feel really sorry for you damaging a car is not a nice experience but glad you are both okay.

Sorry to ask this, but feel as drivers perhaps we could learn from this incident. Did this happen on a straight road or corner? the reason I ask is I know the rear suspension is dismantled to change the clutch and maybe this affected the handling/geometry after it was re-assembled?

Regards Pete.

[Driver Matt]

The engine and gear box were out for a cam belt change and new clutch.
The alignment was changed ( I do not know to what ) and the car felt soft at the back end in the dry on Saturday. Mid corner the back seemed to want to come round more as if the rear tyres were soft ( they were not ).
The road was straight and flat with a wet surface but no depth to the water. In the past the car has squirmed in standing water but this was instant and with less water than I've met in the past. I don't know if something broke or whether the rear suspension fired me across the road. In 20,000 miles of driving this car its never bitten before.

[PeteM]

The road was straight and flat with a wet surface but no depth to the water. In the past the car has squirmed in standing water but this was instant and with less water than I've met in the past. I don't know if something broke or whether the rear suspension fired me across the road. In 20,000 miles of driving this car its never bitten before.

Crikey Matt ! to do that on a straight bit of wet road and not hard on the throttle is alarming. I would like to think that the cause is suspension related due to the speed at which it let go.

Well you both got out okay and that's whats important, gutted for you in respect of damaging your pride and joy but thanks for shedding some more light on it to benefit others.

Good luck with the insurers.

Regards Pete.

[SILVER BULLET]

Matt, really sorry to hear of your incident today and hope that you and your friend are ok,

We travelled up to near Bristol today and although wet I doubt that your hit standing water so have to agree with Nobby that maybe you hit an oily patch, also roads can be extremely greasey after long spells of dry weather as soon as they get their first wetting, either way sound like you have been extremely unlucky.

Hope the car can be repaired,

Cheers,

Ian

[Silver Surfer]

Really sorry to hear this and hope you guys are alright.
I supect the culprit is a combination of factors...not least precipitated by the change in geometry of the suspension from the mechanical works done.
Poor alignment and geometry has big impact on the NSX. I remember when I first got the NSX...the rear felt light at speed and squirm on braking at the rear in a straight line despite Honda saying it was spot on...this was sorted after Kaz treated it and told me the geometry and alignment was completely out!

Hope it is repairable...maybe worth getting secondhand panels and see if it can bring the cost down if the chassis is OK.

SS

[214nsx]

Just had a new clutch, cam belt service and fixed the aircon. Massive bill for just under £6,000. Took the car out yesterday in the dry and the rear end felt as though the rear tyres were soft but nothing too dramatic.

Today I was giving a lift home to a friend, pissing down but we were only going about 50. Pretty neutral throttle. Car leapt across the road and attacked the hedge on the other side of the road. Two or three complete revolutions. All four corners had a go at attacking the innocent hedge.
Most of the visible damage is to the near side, door, front and rear wings. I'm pretty sure that the underneath is pretty well rearranged. No airbag deployment.
Has anyone else ever had a similar incident ? I can still not believe the speed that this happened. I would say less than 1/2 second from driving straight and even to being buried in a hedge.

Will see what the insurers make of it but I'm not that confident that it can be fixed for a reasonable fee.

sorry to hear this, just to let you know that i have the N/S door completed with glass if you need it.

regards
Phill

[batmobile]

Sorry - in my ignorance - what are downforce parts?

Regards
Leo