A&Q about 350Z
Q:
My 350Z is less than 4 months old! Conversion van in front of me ran over a big assed muffler with about 4 feet of exhaust pipe (looked like a big truck muffler/exhuast) still attached on it and hurled it backwards right at the front of my 350Z. Exhaust pipe had to have a damn bend in it as well!!! So it hit harder than you might think. Swerved as far as I could but cars in lanes on both sides of me prevented my full panic swerve mode. Missed most of it, but hit it only on front end in front of passenger side of car. Damage not that bad, but car is no longer a virgin, alas Fair Lady Z. Thank God for Roy's Body Shop in Eldersberg, MD. Matt is a great guy and he knows how I love this Z car. He promised to make it as good as new and this body shop delivered. Damn good job. They have done other work for me on other cars. Excellent results. Paint really holds up 5 and 6 years later. They take special care. I have used other body shops in this area that I can NOT say good things about so it's not like I'm an easy sell. Their performance car body specialist that did the work also races at Mason Dixon dragway and really knows his stuff. He found, flagged and immaculately repaired several little spots of damaged that even I missed under the car. And I am damned picky and painfully thorough! Thank God for Roy's body shop. I am treating those guys at the body shop with 3 large pizzas for lunch in several days. I don't often come on this forum and sound like a cheer leader, but those of you who have experienced battle wounds to their Zs know what I mean. My front tire was replaced, but the wheel tested out ok. I just hope this big bump jolt as it ran over this road debi did not in any way hurt the beautiful delicate balance of the front suspension. I have 6400 miles now on car and was experiencing no feathering. The handling and feel subjectively seems totally undamaged and alignment tested as still on the money. Hate to see suspension have to take a hit like that when sooo new. But Fairlady Z flies again and seems as good as new. Got my fingers crossed suspension is ok.
Post Edited (Jul 16, 7:35pm)
A:
Date: Jul 16, 7:31pm
My 350Z is less than 4 months old! Conversion van in front of me ran over a big assed muffler with about 4 feet of exhaust pipe (looked like a big truck muffler/exhuast) still attached on it and hurled it backwards right at the front of my 350Z. Exhaust pipe had to have a damn bend in it as well!!! So it hit harder than you might think. Swerved as far as I could but cars in lanes on both sides of me prevented my full panic swerve mode. Missed most of it, but hit it only on front end in front of passenger side of car.
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MP :
Your exhaust pipe accident has got to rank as one of the biggest coincidences that I have ever come across. The same day that you posted this message the EXACT same accident ( in every detail ) had just occurred on TBS's evening movie THE RAT RACE. http://www.moviesforguys.com/comedy/reviews/ratrace.shtml
How bout dat for a major league coincidence !!!!
A:
>
> My 350Z is less than 4 months old! Conversion van in front of
> me ran over a big assed muffler with about 4 feet of exhaust
> pipe (looked like a big truck muffler/exhuast) still attached
> on it and hurled it backwards right at the front of my 350Z.
> Exhaust pipe had to have a damn bend in it as well!!! So it hit
> harder than you might think. Swerved as far as I could but cars
> in lanes on both sides of me prevented my full panic swerve
> mode. Missed most of it, but hit it only on front end in front
> of passenger side of car.
>
> ///////////////////
>
> MP :
>
> Your exhaust pipe accident has got to rank as one of the
> biggest coincidences that I have ever come across. The same day
> that you posted this message the EXACT same accident ( in every
> detail ) had just occurred on TBS's evening movie THE RAT RACE.
> http://www.moviesforguys.com/comedy/reviews/ratrace.shtml
>
> How bout dat for a major league coincidence !!!!
>
Yeah, I guess BS like this only happens to me. I mean that was the largest chunk of road debri I have ever hit in my entire life. Now did it happen anytime during the last (almost) decade when I was driving my 9 year old raggedy winter beater of a Ford Windstar. Hell no. Life insisted on waiting till I finally got my Z car to throw me this curve, sheesh. Heck I was already paranoid enough about things trying to bite my new car before this. But, the good news is, I think the body shop did a mucho excellent job and she's flying high again. The insurance paid for layering the painting in on just the leading edge of the hood to go along with full painting on the new front bumper/fascia. But the body shop, as a surprise for me, went on and fully repainted the entire hood. At no extra charge. And their color matching is immaculate. There should be a special place of honor in heaven for good mechanics and body repair people!
My Fairlady Z had no tire feathering before this and I just pray this didn't throw anything off to cause it to start. And even with the accident and all, I still absolutely love this car. She's not perfect, but a very very good all around performer for the money IMHO. I love her now more than ever for this tragedy she has soooo heroically overcome, sniff sniff. Maybe I should reward her with the HKS supercharger that is just being released to make us both feel even better. Yeah, thats the ticket, ha.