Bad luck

[Big Timber]

I know there's no such thing, but has anybody ever had a vehicle they thought was bad luck? My wife and I are starting to think that about our 2015 LC200. We bought it 2-1/2 years ago with 30,000 miles on it. We are the third owners. Shortly after we bought it we moved to Wyoming. About 2 months after that we smacked a deer head on at 80 mph on I-25. The whole front end had to be rebuilt and cost the insurance company about $38,000 and it took about 3 months to totally get everything right. Since then there have been little door dings and scratches here and there. I know, that's life, right? Especially in a cold, windy region.

Anyway, last week we were up in Montana visiting family and while we were eating dinner one night the vehicle got hit by a drunk driver in the parking lot. Fortunately there were eyewitnesses that got the license plate as he was speeding off. The police tracked him down and got us his insurance info, so that process is started now. The damage is about $3000 to the driver's rear quarter panel, bumper and tail light. The body shops around here are so backed up that we can't get it fixed until mid November.

So has anyone ever felt this way about a vehicle? How are the body shop schedule's in your area? The wife has about had enough and wants to get a different one, but we searched really long and hard for this one and I don't want to just let it go because of some bad luck. I'd actually rather sell the 1990 if we were going to get a new one because I'm not sure we'd get as much out of the 200 with 2 accidents on the record. What do you think? Aside from telling the wife to suck it up.

 

[bloc]

Maybe these things are so heavy they are generating their own gravitational field?

 

[afgman786]

The cruiser gods were telling you that you needed a steel bumper up front about 2 years ago. Now telling you that you need a rear as well... lol!
That does really suck though.. I think you would regret selling your 62 over the 200.

 

[KLF]

I bought an '04 Highlander for the wife back in '07, only had 35K miles on it, mint. 3 days later, got stuck in a freak hail storm, several dents in the hood and roof, but not really bad enough to get them fixed. A month later it got whacked in the driver's side rear quarter in a parking lot while we were inside eating dinner. Within 3 years we had to have the rear bumper replaced 4 times, none of them our fault. No issues after that.

She's now my ex but still has the car, 275K on it, going strong. I swore that car was cursed, but it's been a great car.

 

[LBridges]

Back in 2002 the wife was driving a minivan that she eventually tagged with a bad luck curse.

It was in an accident while at the dealers getting serviced (tech's fault). Then one of our older kids managed to run into the house with it (we have a split two-car affair and he hit the vertical center beam). Finally, It got tagged pretty hard with our youngest as a passenger while she was in it.

At that point the discussion was pretty much over. We traded it in on a 4Runner.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Maybe these things are so heavy they are generating their own gravitational field?

This would explain a lot. Almost every used 200 I've come across for sale has some kind of damage listed on carfax over the years. Many with multiple incidents of damage. I was starting to wonder.

 

[HGB]

Two incidents in 2.5 years is unfortunate, but hardly unfathomable. Let the reaction match the situation. Cool heads prevail

 

[Big Timber]

The cruiser gods were telling you that you needed a steel bumper up front about 2 years ago. Now telling you that you need a rear as well... lol!
That does really suck though.. I think you would regret selling your 62 over the 200.

Yes, I was thinking this same thing too. Would a steel rear bumper really have helped in this latest wreck? I'll have to look at some pics.

 

[Karbon]

My parents have a LC that's cursed. In about 2 years of ownership it has been hit in the driver side rear bumper, driver mirror destroyed, shopping cart like object to the driver front fender leaving a nice straight crease, valet backed the passenger side rear bumper into a wall, backed the same rear corner into a work van parked illegally and broke the passenger rear taillight, had the rear hatch struts fail (on mine they're older and fine), and had the fuel pump fail. Oh and now both front tires are leaking. That one has had more damage than the past 8 or so vehicles in my family combined over the last maybe 20 years.

 

[cboyd]

Yea, it’s cursed. Part it out. Dibs on the RWs! J/k.

good luck, it’s a good rig, just put some armor on it!

 

[au1994]

Bad luck or bad drivers, not sure which:

I found a 2011 LX w/130k miles when I was searching. Great price at just under 23k so I was wary when I asked for the CarFax. 4 wrecks, 2 of them listed as moderate damage, one of which required a tow.

 

[afgman786]

Yes, I was thinking this same thing too. Would a steel rear bumper really have helped in this latest wreck? I'll have to look at some pics.

The line on your bumper for where they hit, is real close to where a steel bumper would end... I honestly don't know if it would've done something for you.

In case you show this to the misses.. It would've definitely saved you!

 

[Rigger]

Hitting a deer is pretty typical in Wyoming.

 

[taccruiser97]

All comes under the heading of s**t happens. Fix it and drive it.

 

[Markuson]

Bad luck or bad drivers, not sure which:

____ happens to even the BEST drivers... Skills helps, but probability catches up sometimes.

 

[CharlieS]

My wife has a Honda CRV that has been hit at least 4 times when nobody was even in the car; it was parked. It is a dark green color - I mention the color because I think it plays a big factor. We joke all the time about it being unlucky.

 

[Cruisin911]

I think its less the car and more that washington state sticker in the back window....

Seriously though, here in Colorado, out of state plates create abnormal rage in people, specifically Kalifornia plates.

 

[KilaCruiser]

^ This is either hilarious or sad - verdict is still out. I rock NY plates in Jersey on one of our vehicles.... was told yesterday the tennis court was for locals only in a drive-by, a mile from my house (screamed out window for no reason, drove off). Not the best of times in our country when Jersey-ians are rude to NYers . Also, Montana's state lines are the best in the bus. Pretty sure Wyoming plates in Montana wouldn't elicit the same reaction though I do know Montucky views California plates like the rest of the world views NY/NJ. X3 near Whitefish, -1.5X for Bozeman.

Keep the 200, it's just more months of free and clear ownership stacking up on the other side..... For instance, I slowly drove into the wife's truck last night - the large screws I used on her plates ate right through my bumper paint. On a bumper that was just painted for a second time in my 2 months of ownership, to have it perfect (now out more than an ARB bumper through repeated screw-ups). One step closer to ARB replacement (it was an honest mistake).

 

[KilaCruiser]

BUT - hell no to waiting that long to have it fixed. That's worth a good drive to have it fixed in two weeks to massage away the frustration / put the accident in the rear-view / get sorted with insurance.

 

[Rigger]

^this^

Get it fixed and put it behind you.