It's been a while since I have been on the RX-8 club site, and with good reason. After moving from Los Angeles back to my hometown of New Orleans (bad move), I found a local car wash that did a pretty decent job.

Well, while getting my black 2007 RX-8 Grand Touring model washed at a local car wash, I heard a loud crash. I wasn't sure what it was but I could see out the window that the awning on the building had fallen. I walked toward the back of the building and obeserved a black car under the awning. As I got closer, I realized that it was my car. Now, I was running. When I got to the back door of the car wash, I realized that my RX-8 had been driven into the cinderblock wall of the car wash.

Apparently, the car wash attendant failed to inform his boss that he did not know how to drive a stick shift. He got into my car at the vacuum station and attempted to drive it into the car wash by flooring it and dumping the clutch. He deployed both airbags, demolished the front end, and tore up the entire right side on a steel awning support. To make make matters worse, he jumped out of my car like it was stolen and took off running. To add insult to injury, Louisiana law, as explained to me by 2 separate lawyers, only entitled me to the fair market value of my car, and nothing else. There was not even a provision for me to sue for the loss equity of my car!

Therefore, my RX-8 is gone. Please observe a moment of silence for my loss :-(

I opted not to get another RX-8 right now and will wait to see if a higher horsepower model may one day be produced. In the meantime, I got a 2011 Ford Mustang GT with .373 gears & 412 horsepower.

Word to the wise - wash your own car, or find a place that hand washes it so no one has to drive it.

I'll still log in from time to time to see what Jedi and the rest of the hard core Los Angeles scene is up to.

 

Holy f#ck good thing the ahole ran off....

 

Huh. That's alot of damage for a relatively low speed collision. It looks like your crash bar is missing.

Sucks though. Any discussion with your insurance company?

 

I would be guilty of murder had that happened to me. Hell, I almost want to find the guy for you and take care of it.

 

that is absolutley tragic man...sorry for your loss

 

Louisiana law my ***. That car wash is liable to make you whole. Sounds like you talked to two lazy attorney's. But what is done, is done I guess. Sorry for your loss.

 

He will Handle it for you.. Sorry about the loss

 

+1 on being tragic

also...

+1 on washing your car yourself...

 

damn sucks for you man, I had my rx8 totalled when it got rear ended by a bimmer. The other party's insurer offered less than mine and didn't really get my worth for the brand new tires and aftermarket parts. That's the cruel world for you. Well if you do end up back in an 8(like myself lol) hope to see your ride.

 

ouch, it hurts to see an 8 crashed :/

 

Technically, we don't know how fast he was going. He may have had a decent bit of distance to build up some speed, especially since he dumped the clutch.

 

He had to be flying when he hit that wall in order to cause that much damage! Dude, that is insane! Sorry for your loss

 

It does look like crash bar was missing though.

 

That sucks man! Where was this? So I never go...

Were not allowed to wash our cars where I live, so a carwash is the only option.

 

Not really. I'm sure the OP could put in some info regarding how far away the 8 was from the entrance to the car wash when he got out of his 8. It wouldn't have been farther. It's rarely more than 2 car's lengths, usually less than 1. They put the car ahead on the rollers and move up the next. More efficient to leave the owner in until they are ready to take it.

Even at 3 car lengths, you simply don't get that much damage at a 100% tire hookup launch. Even with plenty of room, 1st gear still is only 4-mph max. There are accidents involving 40-mph head-on collisions that don't look that bad. Look at the middle pic where it shows the damage up close. Find the crash bar.

Take a look at a few other crashed 8s. It's pretty obvious when the crash bar is taking a load of damage. There was another thread/crash a few months back about a guy that took out the crash bar, and shortly after had a <30mph collision with a guardrail, and it looks WAY worse than this. (thread was deleted when we advised him that if his insurance company found out that he pulled the crash bar, they would treat him quite harshly)


No, the OP's 8 didn't have a crash bar in it at the time of the accident.

 

I be the first one to say it ...

That will buff right out!

Serious wtf that guy just took off and ran? Wow.

Some laws are retarded, but its already done i guess.

If i were u will post this pic all over the internet in every single car forum, wih the name of the car wash place and their address, plus make a fb group and create a big fuss about it.

 

I don't know louisiana laws by any means but you should have enough room to file a lawsuit.

Car aside wtf was the worker doing? Why was he allowed to drive something he couldn't (either technically or legally) drive? This should be enough, add the car damage, trouble getting to work\time lost\the usual bunch of reasons to ask for money etc.
I'm sure the carwash would rather buy a new car through their insurance company than spend money on lawyers for a lost cause.

 

nice bfgoodrich gforce tires.

 

Why would you go to a car wash where somebody else drives your car. I figure the people who work at a car was are the type of people who don't have enough responsibility to work anywhere else but a car wash. The last guy I would let drive my car. If that were me, by the time I was done in court, I would own that car wash and a brand new car

 

That hurts. I'm sorry to hear this happen.

For those who think he removed his crash bar, seriously.. Look Again. God forbid insurance reads this and believes people saying he removed it.

He does have a crash (reinforcement) bar. Even has the foam cover. It appears the bar bent in the middle and hit his frame where the Crash Zone sensor is located.

 

wow, talk about being judgmental

But I see your point.

Still, I don't blame the OP for taking the car there. He said they had done a good job before.

But those laws there are plain stupid. The owner of the place should be liable...

 

I can help lol

If anybody ever hurts mine they better get as far away from me as possible because I'll be f'n pissed!!

 

I used to wash both of my cars on the car wash machine when it was still stock height. Now, it cannot even go to the rails, and i have to wash it myself.

Anyway, sorry on what happened to your car, but at least, no one got hurt.

 

I would be murderous, and I have only had my 8 for a week and a half, I can't even imagine how you feel/felt.

 

How are you enjoying not getting swirls?

I dont know, i just love washing my car, it almost feels like i havnt showered when i dont wash my car atleast once a week.