The good news - my S-Type is finally back from 10 days at the body shop. A few weeks ago while driving I-40 near Nashville, a semi spun off a recap that looked like an alligator lunging at my car. It happened quickly and there was no place for me to go (a motor cycle next to me), so I had to eat it. At first, I thought it just damaged the front spoiler. Wrong! The short story - $6,300 of damage! Unbelievable. One by-product of the trip to the body shop - my lights were looking cloudy and I tried a couple of products to clean them up. They didn't work. I asked the body shop to take a look. They buffed the lights and applied clear coat...better than the day I bought the car.

The car looks great, but these trucks are dangerous. Last month someone was killed in KY in the same type of retread encounter. Be careful out there!

 

Sorry about the damage, but glad to hear that you're okay....

I don't see nearly as many truck retread pieces scattered on the highways as I did 20 or 25 years ago. I was hoping this issue was a thing of the past. Apparently not....

 

I've done my share of NASCAR driving on the highways for just the same reason. Glad no one was hurt, and your car is better then before.

 

It's rare to see tire alligators up here- I don't know of any difference in regulations that would make them less common in Canada so must assume that it's the summer heat that causes the tread loss. Your car looks great!

 

I think you're right. The heat is a factor as it cooks the interstates. Canada, eh? My mom is from Quebec city...and feisty Irish.

 

Glad you got it back looking good as new. I almost hit a tire carcass today in Maryland, laying smack dab in the middle of the road - guy in front of me hit it, and it made a lunge at me. Thankfully it was a near miss. I obliterated the front of my 1993 SAAB 9000 Aero a few years back on a retread outside of Charlotte. What a great vacation that was.

 

Well you jinxed me!!

Just hit my first "Tire Gator". I was on I-10 running 70mph at rush hour and there was no place to go so I just drove over the stupid thing.

The damage is documented in my 2005 STR parts request thread.

Did find something interesting about the STR. Behind the small panel on the front bumper that was broken is a threaded hole for the tow ring!

I know there is one on the back behind a small removable cutout but not the front. Of course it's not accessible so I don't know how useful it is!
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I see plenty of "gaters" on the roads up here in MN. Winter, summer, it doesn't matter. they're just a cheap fix that doesn't last very long. I took one to the grille coming up I35 somewhere in Tx or OK, Not sure. Luckily I was driving a U-haul and didn't have to get it fixed. It took out the turn signal then flew up over the cab. Had to stop and change my shorts after that one.