My 3 week old X5 was just totaled

[DJJ]

thank goodness you are ok, that x5 held amazingly

[X5_2_OBX]

Woww. I'm SO glad you are okay! Thank you so much for sharing your story and the pictures- we are blessed to have such a safe vehicle!

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

Your accident is making news at quite a few places on the internet.
http://my350z.com/forum/showthread.p...16#post4177216

Reading that thread reminds me why this forum is so good. In less than 2 full pages of posts there, they managed to make a racist comment, and another one that alludes to poor English, a sexist comment, and another assumption that BMW owners are all fanboys.

[thisX5life]

First, I'm glad you came through the accident and hope you have an easy and speedy recovery.

Second, your photos remind me of the 2001 E53 that was crash-tested by the IIHS. It performed so well that BMW has it on display at the Zentrum in Spartanburg.

Yours looks worse.

I'm sure it's not the top of your priority list right now, but you might consider contacting BMW NA with your story and photos. This is exactly what I was thinking about when I chose to hand over a rather large check to my dealer: That the X5 might someday save my life. Yes, I love the way my X5 drives, I like the way it looks, and I indulged myself in all manner of options; but I wouldn't have given it as much as a test drive if I didn't believe it to be one of the safest vehicles I could own.

Every time I pull up to the fuel pump and watch the numbers head towards the stratosphere, I remind myself that it's a price I willingly pay -- not just for the enjoyment of driving my BMW, but also for the protection should the worst occur. Next time I'm buying gas, I'll be thinking of your photos. Thanks for posting them.

BTW, those look like CT plates; where was your accident?

[rshanholtz]

Thanks again everyone. The accident was on North Street in Greenwich. My wife just got the police report on Friday and the incident was even worse than I remember as it was happening. The woman driving the 02' Legacy struck me 3 feet into my lane. My left front tire after impact went up over her bumber, onto her hood and the truck continued up and over her windshied. I then went airborne for just over 20 feet before my right rear tire hit the road again. The truck then begin to roll clockwise several times until my roof and left side struck a stonewall. I took out about 10 feet or so of the stonewall and continued to roll clockwise until I struck a small tree upside down on my roof where I was finally stopped. The woman was issued a summons for "failure to drive right!" I believe that should be "failure to drive correctly" but that is the way it reads in the report.

As an FYI, I did contact BMW NA and Roundel with pics and the story, both replied via email but neither expressed a wish to pursue it further. My wife and I plan to write a letter with pictures to the Spartansburg BMW plant thanking the safety engineers and the line workers who build the X5 as I owe all of them my life.

[trueX5er]

how heartwarming

In my saab dealership every salesman's desk has pictures of a saab that was in a bad accident, and they lived. Maybe your dealer would like your pics.

I rest assured that I drive the safest convertible possible (unlike the *cough3cough*) and one of the safest SUV's on the road.
Glad you are still ok. I wonder how BMW assist still worked when the computer probably is kaput?

[thisX5life]

I know North Street quite well. I will not, under any circumstances, admit to having exceeded the posted speed limit there during my (misspent) youth...

Originally Posted by rshanholtz

... The woman was issued a summons for "failure to drive right!" I believe that should be "failure to drive correctly" but that is the way it reads in the report.

That means "Failure to drive (on the) right (side of the road, as opposed to the left side)." Look up 14-230 in the Connecticut General Statutes if you're curious. It's not a very serious violation, and its usual intent in a situation like this is to establish that the other operator was at fault in the estimation of the police.

BMW and Roundel may not want the photos and story, but they will remain in my mind for as long as I own my X5!

[M53R]

Im glad you went out of this safely. Your X5 did exceptionally well, way better than I expected especially after you told us the details...

[AeroG]

Originally Posted by rshanholtz

I have learned that the other vehicle was a 2002 Subaru Legacy and not a Ford as originally thought. The Legacy is totaled. Thanks again everyone for your kind well wishes.

Certainly glad you are okay. I was wondering about that because the blue airdam on the flat bed didn't look like a Ford component. Subarus are pretty tough in their own right. No match for an X5 though.

Again, thanks for sharing - glad you're here

[weirluo]

Lucky!!!