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 Post subject: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: March 28, 2016, 11:31 am 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
My 2007 BMW 550i tried to commit suicide on Friday. I changed the music in preparation for a trip over Easter weekend and went back into the house. About 20 minutes later, I heard something that sounded like a tree had fallen somewhere nearby. Looked out the windows, did not see anything and did not worry about it. 10 minutes later my neighbor knocks on my front door. He says "Hi Paul, do you know anyone with a grey BMW?". I say "besides me?". He says "Its down in the woods behind my house." I say "WHAT!!!!!!!?!?!!?!?!?"
I put shoes on and go over there. My car is indeed in the woods and has crashed into a tree in reverse.
Now to the ghost. To get to where it ended up. it rolled down my driveway which curves to the right, then it jogged left to get into my neighbors drive after crossing the road, then straight down his really steep driveway missing all of the cars, then a hard right in order to miss his shed and woodpile, ran over a dead shrub, then through lots of branches, brambles and woods stuff before hitting a tree with some pretty serious velocity.
AMAZING! It had to have made about 5 turns to have pulled this off. How does that happen if the steering wheel is locked? No damage to anything besides my car.
Another neighbor out walking her dog sees the whole thing runs down to the car expecting to see someone slumped over the wheel. No one home, doors locked, flashers on.
So anyway, I must have knocked it out of gear (manual trans) changing the CD. I never set the brake since I got out of the habit years ago with an Integra that would freeze its parking brake in the winter. We pulled it out of the woods with my neighbor's SUV.
Car is in pretty rough shape, rear bumper, trunk caved in, rear window broken, steering wheel crooked, sunroof squeaks (and the cover for it is ....gone?), lots of scrapes from branches, lots of underbody stuff ripped off. It still drives OK. Hopefully not totaled. I really liked this car and don't want to be looking for a replacement.
I dropped it off at a local bodyshop Saturday first thing since he said he could store it inside out of the rain.
We took the NSX for our trip.

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 Post subject: Re: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: March 28, 2016, 11:40 am 
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Joined: November 16, 2015, 2:38 pm
Posts: 727
Location: Outside Hartford, CT
you forgot the most important rule of the forum... pics or gtfo!!

glad everyone is ok

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 Post subject: Re: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: April 2, 2016, 11:59 am 
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Joined: May 17, 2008, 10:55 pm
Posts: 328
Location: canada
I borrowed a car from my dad. He's from another part of Canada and did a bit of hosting those doing the westward jaunt. Had a basement suite in his house. One of these guys couldn't pay, so gave dad a 1981 Subaru (this was 15 years ago). So I borrowed it while my other car was in the shop (*sigh* back when they went to shops and I had only one car, a simpler age).
Let it warm up in front of the house, left to go put together something for lunch, come out and it is gone. I know I set the park brake, so theft... Damn, damn! the one week I borrow... wait, what is sticking out of that spruce tree 2 blocks down. Those look a lot like 1981 Subbie tail lights. Run, and delicately squeeze into the car and back it away asap, because this is a very very nice yard. Did not appear to have hurt the tree.

Casually mentioned to dad the park brake doesn't work. Oh for sure it doesn't- was all frozen up so he junked the cabling and put a big spring on the bottom of the handle, thinking he had a shot getting it through inspection like that, and did.


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 Post subject: Re: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: April 25, 2016, 9:15 am 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Car ended up totaled. Wrinkles in floor/body all the way up to the middle of the rear seat area. I could not find anyone willing to even try to straighten it. So sad....I loved that car. A tank, but a fun, fast tank.
So the end of the story is that I have self-delegated myself to the punishment Volvo wagon...less tank like and absolutely no fun at all. At least its comfortable... and my wife gets the new car. Happily I have the sports cars for when the weather is decent.

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 Post subject: Re: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: April 25, 2016, 10:03 am 
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Joined: January 10, 2008, 4:47 pm
Posts: 7652
Location: Massachusetts
I have one word for you Tube Frame Car! Who cares about floor wrinkles, once you put in a roll cage?

Amazing story, was the steering still locked when you pulled it out?

If you need help with the tube frame idea I know this wacky web site...

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SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
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 Post subject: Re: Ghost Driver!
PostPosted: April 25, 2016, 10:40 am 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Hey Marcus,
I have no idea if the steering was locked or not...I was in such shock that it happened at all!
The car is gone. I let the insurance company take it. As you know, I have enough projects to work on!
Paul

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