You have four choices.

[Raza]

1.  Car
2.  Concrete barrier
3.  Tire
4.  Car behind you


If you said 3, you now have a broken front bumper on your pride and joy.  Way to top of a shit horrible day.  Go out with people after work to try and forget how much you hate your job and how terrible your day was, and on the way home, you can't avoid a blown tire on the roadway.  I hit it doing about 65, and thought I was okay.  It went under the car and came out the other side.  When I got to the surface streets, I heard scraping at the peaks and valleys of hills.  Get home, take a look.  The bottom of the front bumper is hanging off, and that was what was scraping against the ground.  I fucking hate my life.  I had a horrible day at work and it ends like this.  

[J86]

bummer dude.  Fortunately, bumpers are easily replaced.

[CJ]

Raza, I've been in your situation.  For me it was this:

1. Car next to the left
2. Car to the right
3. Bucket with concrete
4. Cars behind you


If you chose bucket with concrete in it, then you picked the right one!

[AutobahnSHO]

better than a tire WITH WHEEL IN THE MIDDLE. On a curvy interstate in the dark.

Cost my dad some motor/transmission mounts.

Sorry to hear though. .

[VTEC_Inside]

[Raza]

I'm going to try to get an estimate before I talk to my insurance company (I just switched companies, too, I don't want my premiums to go up).  First thing, what kind of claim would this be?  I've never made an insurance claim before. 

[Raza]

The news may not be as bad as I originally feared.  My buddy looked at it and it may be a separate piece:

[sportyaccordy]

That's nothing man. You don't even have to report that to your insurance. Just get a front lip

[Raza]

That's nothing man. You don't even have to report that to your insurance. Just get a front lip

Yeah, I think I'm going to be okay.  I've got an appointment to drop it off at my dealer Monday at 9AM (luckily I'm on late shift) and they'll give me a loaner to keep overnight.  I love my dealer.  Makes me sad that I probably won't buy another VW there after this one (unless the Golf R has a stick, then maybe).  I think everything will be fine. 

[GoCougs]

Wowzers - maybe don't be so hard on yourself. It's a relatively easy fix.

[Raza]

Wowzers - maybe don't be so hard on yourself. It's a relatively easy fix.

Yeah, analyzing it, it really was the only decision I could have made.  Sucks that it happened, but you're right, no point in obsessing over it now.  I'll just get it fixed and move on. 

[AutobahnSHO]

You could just cut it off and the vDub would never know.   

[Onslaught]

I can't say this for sure without looking at the thing in person but that shouldn't be all that bad. It still sucks ass however.
It's possible the lower engine cover is messed up too. But that shouldn't add much to the price if it is.

[the Teuton]

It's official: We at least know Raza doesn't look like Lt. Dan.

[hotrodalex]

better than a tire WITH WHEEL IN THE MIDDLE. On a curvy interstate in the dark.

Cost my dad some motor/transmission mounts.

Sorry to hear though. .

Try a mattress, box springs, and bed frame right in the middle of the interstate. I wasn't driving but luckily I told the girl driving to get over to the left early to get off the next exit and we simply passed by it. We saw the truck it fell off about a mile up the road.

[Raza]

I'm so confused.  This 2010 Jetta 2.5 drives so much better than the last 2010 Jetta 2.5 I drove.  The steering, brakes, and throttle are so much more natural, they're closer to my car.  Maybe it's in the spec?  The last Jetta I had was a higher line car, with leather, upgraded stereo, and it was definitely a different trim line.  This is absolutely a base car; looks like there are no options but the automatic transmission.  Perhaps the SEL model, or whatever they call it now, has the steering, brakes, and throttle tuned differently....

Anyway, I'll give it a full test while they have my car in.  Looks like it is going to be the lip and those splash guards under the car that need to be replaced.  Hopefully it won't take long to get it fixed and I can pick my car up tomorrow.  

It's been a rough couple of months for the Jetta and I.  First the intake fault, then I breeze through warranty, and now this.  I might have to get it a present (in the form of shocks/springs or a tune) soon.

[Raza]

$306 installed.  I'll have my car back in tip top shape tomorrow, $640 lighter in the wallet, though (got my 40K service in as well). 

[Raza]

Add the new lower valance to the 40K tuneup, and the car is running better than new. 

[Submariner]

You could have been rear ended by some teeny-bobing texting twat doing 15 over the limit...see, your day wasn't that bad!

In all honesty, it doesn't look terrible, but still it sucks.  I don't think it will be a major PITA to fix though, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.   

[AutobahnSHO]

Add the new lower valance to the 40K tuneup, and the car is running better than new. 

SHWEET!!

[MX793]

Add the new lower valance to the 40K tuneup, and the car is running better than new. 

Your car required an actual tuneup at 40K miles?

[Raza]

Your car required an actual tuneup at 40K miles?

I don't know if you'd call it a "tuneup".  I got new sparkplugs, oil change, brake fluid change (I think).  I don't know what goes into a tuneup, really, it's just a word I've heard a billion times.  Didn't feel like saying "service".

[MX793]

I don't know if you'd call it a "tuneup".  I got new sparkplugs, oil change, brake fluid change (I think).  I don't know what goes into a tuneup, really, it's just a word I've heard a billion times.  Didn't feel like saying "service".

Plugs at 40K?  My car calls for nothing but oil changes (and maybe an accessory belt change if they are worn or a new air filter if you operate in dusty conditions and it's really dirty) until like 75K miles.  At which point it calls for plugs and IIRC new coolant.  And when I pulled the old plugs at that point, they looked fine (no bad discoloration or fouling and the gap didn't appear too far off, if any).

[Raza]

Plugs at 40K?  My car calls for nothing but oil changes (and maybe an accessory belt change if they are worn or a new air filter if you operate in dusty conditions and it's really dirty) until like 75K miles.  At which point it calls for plugs and IIRC new coolant.  And when I pulled the old plugs at that point, they looked fine (no bad discoloration or fouling and the gap didn't appear too far off, if any).

Pretty sure.  I remember him mentioning it.  I think I have the itemized list in my car, I can check it and post up when I get home.  The car was running fine, so perhaps it's just precautionary.  

Yup.  Oil and what not, spark plugs, air filter, brake fluid, rotation, visual inspection (cough), 

[The Phantom]

Sue the state.  It was due to their negligence that the tire was still in the middle of the road.

[mzziaz]

That sucks, but the damage was pretty minor, and at leat it seems you chose the least bad option.

[Raza]

Sue the state.  It was due to their negligence that the tire was still in the middle of the road.

There are so many things that the state could be sued for with regards to road maintenance.  I mean, if you strip the pavement and then add a top layer but don't finish the road, at least sweep the fucking gravel away so my drive to work doesn't make me feel like in Blackhawk Down. 

Either that, or they did finish is, and the road surface is just worse than before. 

[Raza]

That sucks, but the damage was pretty minor, and at leat it seems you chose the least bad option.

Yeah.  All healed up now, out of my mind completely.  Barring my credit card bill...