Hi...

I just crashed my car, not too bad- but it is so painful when it comes to what I have done in that short moment...

I took a left turn at a very steep hill, at a T-intersection. As I took the left turn, the rear of the car started to slide out to the left- but ESP wasn't correcting the rear. A bit of counter steer helped, but within a blink of an eye, the car gained the grip again and bam!...

The car turned right, and went over the sidewalk border, which was luckily about 4-5" high... then crashed to the rock on the sidewalk...

Lucky that no one was on the sidewalk...

No one was injured in the accident, but as soon as the car landed, I thought that it was going to be really nasty accident. The impact on the car was pretty strong, although it did not harm the occupants... (Myself and my mother)

So, there I exited from the car- and noticed the coolant rushing out of the radiator. I first thought that the accident was even worse than what I have thought of... but, I saw a fully intact passenger side axle and wheel. Bumper was of course severely damaged, and I saw a huge chunk of metal that seemed like an ABS pump or so... this part worried me a lot, thinking that this accident could be a big one...

After a quick inspection around the car, I soon recognized that the whole car was lowering itself down to the ground as what I have read on the forum as an infamous "airmatic: vehicle too low! Visit workshop!” I did not want to move the car until the tow truck came, but I had to move the car..... With rubbing sound of the fender wall (do you say well or wall).

Close look on the huge chunk of some kind of motor that fell off from the car revealed that it was the airmatic compressor, which was right in front of the front passenger wheel. It was taken out as the rock struck on the lower passenger side of the bumper.

Now, the towing truck parts come in....
I called my insurance company, but I had to wait for 15 minutes, no answer... so I just hung up and called Mercedes roadside assistance. The lady at the roadside assistance told me that it would take more than 2 hours for a flatbed truck to come, so I told her that I will wait- since my car was sitting on someone's driveway..

After 2 hrs of cold ambush, a regular tow truck comes to me and says that he couldn’t do it- I was so frustrated to see a regular tow truck after 2 hrs of waiting (it's an urban area. 3 minutes away from the highway). The next thing I know- the truck driver tells me that I need to wait at least 3 hrs for the flatbed truck...............

SO I wait.. Without any sleep for next 3 hrs. All the coolants have drained out, so the heater was gone... Again, it was pretty cold inside the car, since the only heating device I could turn on was the seat heater. So the flat bed truck arrives, then spent next 45 minutes loading the car. He had hard time securing the car because there was virtually no space to secure the strap on the wheel because the car was too low...

Dropped the car at the Mercedes body shop, and I am now just waiting for tomorrow for an estimate....

=======
My rough visual look around says that I need:

1. Radiator (cracked bottom plastic)
2. Airmatic Compressor (may work- not sure)
3. Airmatic Compressor bracket (all bent)
4. Front bumper (stripped)

I was so fortunate that I have not had more damage than this....

I am just praying there to be no more hidden damages to my baby......

1. The repair shop I dropped off my car was the MB only repair shop that seems to be run by MB Canada... Do you think I cannot go wrong with this body shop?

2. Can I use 2003+ S55 or other 2003+ AMG sports package front bumper as a replacement? Would it interfere with lights and the grill on the hood?


3. I am wondering if there is any way to order the parts by myself through an insurance claim- I mean, should I not care about the price of the parts since I am making an insurance claim? I am so confused right now...




Please help me in a deep grief of having my baby hurt...!

 

Glad everyone is okay!

 

Sorry to hear. I have a few questions:
When you started skidding did you apply the brakes or take your foot off the gas? Did you see ESP light flash?

I live in a snowy area so I rely on ESP quite a lot, the sudden gain in traction could be due to ESP kicking in and your steering inputs.
I've had ESP consistantly not kicking in when the car is sliding, so after some research, I found that ESP will only work when the tires are ACTIVELY spinning, meaning that some torque has to be delivered to them. So i've learnt to hold the gas in the event of fishtailing, which worked quite well, but it takes some practice to apply the gas not brakes, it tested it out in a parking lot before i did it on the open road.

hope everything goes well.

 

thx for your comment..

well, this accident wouldn't have happend if ESP did not kick in!

When tail slid out to the left, I countersteered to the left with gas, so that the car was virtually drifting like one would see on the movie. Right after I felt as if I was gaining control, the car suddenly oversteered BECAUSE ESP kicked in- and killed the gas- therefore the ESP just killed the gas before the rear got corrected.. ...

I am heading out to the MB body shop now, hoping for everything to go well!

Thanks!

 

Really sorry to hear. I know how you feel about it, I been in situations like that.

But. I believe you've been driving front-wheel drive cars before you sat in S-Class, because counter steering WITH GAS is only an option with front-wheel drive not the rear-wheel.

It's a golden rule. With rear wheel drive you should NEVER accelerate in situations of sliding or drifting. You just pour oil on the flames when you do.

With front wheel drive It's MUST to accelerate in case of drifting because the front WILL pull the car out of it.

Trust me. I live in the country with 6 months of thick layer snow roads in a year so It's a must know rule in here.

 

Same thing happened to me two weeks ago, except ESP only did me good. My rear start to slide out (steered too hard, too fast on slick wet pavement) and ESP flashed and quickly cut the throttle.

I'm sorry to hear about your case.

 

Make sure you check the axles out well. Check them driving on wet pavement also.
I slid into a curb and both tires on one side hit the curb and I had problems driving on wet pavement after that. I soon sold the car.

 

I got the damage estimate on this morning.. Just talked to the shop foreman.

The shop foreman said that I need frame alignment- since the right passenger side of the car is lifted @ about 0.5"

THIS SUCKS

He also said that he will need to replace the thrust arm.. just on the right side.

I hoped if he could replace all the shock absorbers around the car, but apparently that is not gonna happen. I wonder if there is any way to "USE" my insurance in this way!

So, the damage.

$16000 CDN..



and it is going to take at least a month for the frame straightning.

To this date, the parts I need are:

1. Radiator
2. Windshield washer fluid level sender
3. Front bumper cover
4. Airmatic Compressor and the bracket ( I think this is once piece material)
5. Thrust arm

If I sum these up on the internet, the total comes out to be $1300 USD...

I just cant believe how expensive things could get to repair everything at MSRP parts rate, especially with the frame stragitning..

Should I just leave the car at the repairshop? I am confused...

AH,
Things Happen..

 

OMG MANN THAT REALLY SUCKS!!! i would just declare the car totaled. $16,000 is a little too much for a 2000 or 2001 s class. im sry to here this man.... good luck with it