Yesterday, here in So. Cal. we had Santa Ana winds gusting to about 70mph in the worst areas and 30-60mph throughout the whole basin, and as I was driving down a tree lined street in a very nice neighborhood, Encino, a gust of wind blew a large branch off of an old oak tree which landed on the front of my car and which after rolling down to the ground, I ran over it. By some miracle, it did not dent my hood, but completely scratched up my newly (3 weeks ago) painted front bumper and passenger side front quarter panel, and broke my front splitter lip in two places. At least I was luckier than the woman who was killed when a large tree crushed her car like a soda pop can elsewhere in southern California. But now, I have to take it in, have it resprayed, and shell out some more money to have it look new again. P.I.T.A., but I'm still fortunate as it could have been much worse. Moral of the story: Stay away from big, old trees in severe winds, and be thankful that you survived.

 

 

tberg,
Fortunately, you were unharmed and the damage is cosmetic. You're right - It could have been a lot worse (like your Pantera!). You might not have to pay out as much money as you think. Repair costs should be covered by your auto insurance, assuming you have comprehensive coverage and choose to make a claim. Even though your car was hit by a tree branch, that's not considered to be a collision since no other vehicle was involved. Non-collision damage is covered under the comprehensive section including, but not limited to, damage caused by theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters (hurricane, tornado), falling objects (like your tree limb or hail), animals (scratches, chewed wires), and riots. So, if you decide to make a claim, your out-of-pocket would be your deductible.
Stuart

 

Stuart,
You are correct and my deductible is $500.00 which is about what I will end up paying to have the splitter repaired and the paint done, so it's not the end of the world. Just another annoyance. As for it not being the Pantera, a forum member on the Pantera forum posted a couple of days ago with the horrible picture of his beautifully restored Pantera being nearly totaled while parked at a curb. I young woman on her cellphone lost track of what she was doing and nearly destroyed the car. Very sad. Almost as sad as the fact that I still haven't gotten mine back yet. On its way to be delivered to me the alternator fried itself, and another two weeks will pass before I drive it. I keep telling the shop owner, I, at least, want to drive it once before I'm dead or before I can't depress a clutch pedal any longer. It's killing me.

 

 

Brewtech,
Where in Studio City? I live just down the road in Valley Glen and my closest friend of nearly 60 years lives in Studio City. We ought to throw down a beer sometime.
Ted

 

I was in my house during Hurricane Gustav. It was getting very windy outside (I'd say 90 mph winds) at the height of the storm, so I went over to the window to look outside. My neighbor's tree chose that moment to blow over and hit my house exactly where I was standing (and my son and Mother in law). I watched it fall, but it fell so fast I didn't have time to react. Lucky for me, that wall of my house was made of brick, and the tree hit and bounced off after ripping a gaping hole in my roof. If my house was not brick, I am convinced I would have been killed. $50,000 later my house was repaired, but more importantly, My family and I are still alive.

Sorry about your damage, but grateful there were no injuries.

 

110reef,
I had a hundred year old tree in my front yard whose branches spanned about 80 feet providing my west facing house with a lot of shade for many years. One particularly large branch from which we had hung swings for my children when they were small, was dipping closer and closer to the ground to where I had to duck coming up the walkway to our front door. I was afraid it would break off and hurt or kill someone, so we made the painful decision to "amputate" this limb to prevent a disaster. Within a couple of weeks it seemed to me that the rest of the tree started leaning toward our dining room, and over the span of a couple of months I could see the dirt rising on the side of the trunk where we had cut the huge limb off. I am convinced that shortly the tree would have tipped over, roots and all, and fallen straight into our dining room. I then had the whole tree taken down immediately. The bad news is that we hated to lose the tree. The good news is we averted a potential disaster, I have a lifetime of firewood stacked in my yard, and the orange tree that had always been dwarfed by the old tree started yielding ten times as much fruit as ever before. i'm glad you escaped without injury and got your house fixed.

 

tberg sorry to hear about this, but glad everyone is ok... Sickening to see the Pantera in that way...

 

The tree that hit the house was tiny - maybe 2' in diameter - compared to a red-oak that went over in the same storm. The trunk on that tree was 5-feet in diameter, and it was probably 80 feet too. I counted the rings and it was 76 years old. It fell but didn't hit the house. It did take out 3 other trees with it when it fell - cracking them and breaking them so I had to take them down too. That single tree cost $5,000 to cut up and haul to my front yard, even after it was already "down". I no longer have any large trees in my yard after that storm. I hated to lose all of those trees, especially the red oak.

 

Ted, just saw this and glad you're OK. I know these are our babies, but in the end, you're health is what's important, a car is just a car.

 

 

 

Woodman and Oxnard here. I'll send you a p.m. and we'll get together.

 

Ted - When do you expect to get the Pantera back? Karen and I are going out of town for a couple of weeks, maybe you will have it back when we return. How many years have they had it now? sorry about the damage to your XKR. Regards, Ralph

 

Hi Ralph,
I hope you have a great time. It's been a while, let's get together when you get back.The Pantera was on its way to me two weeks ago today when it fried its alternator and had to be towed back. I would assume the part has come in, but I asked him to drive the car for 50-100 miles so that nothing else breaks down while I'm driving it. Hopefully, next week it comes home. Isn't the Jaguar drive that you coordinated coming up in the next 10-12 days up to Santa Barbara, can you send me the details? My best to Karen, have a wonderful time.
Ted

 

Listen, if you're just looking for someone to put a hundred miles (or so) on that Pantera, I can catch the 2:30 flight and be there in time for a sunset ride along the ocean. #VolunteersMatter

 

+1

 

 

Longhogrider, Texastraveler, and any other forum members are welcome to take the Pantera out for a day (if and when I ever get it back!). It should be loads of fun with 5.0L XKR power and torque in a car that weighs about 1200 lbs. less. It was a barrell of excitement at half those numbers before it got the new built engine. Just let me know when y'all are coming and we'll all have some fun.