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Vette struck by lightning

MDKyleZ said:
Thanks for all the support. Well another day of waiting is ahead of me, because the guy from the insurance went to the wrong dealership.

I did however talk the the mechanic who was able to tell me that he did nothing to see what was wrong with the car, so they have nothing to tell the adjuster anyway. He is not willing to look any farther till he gets the word from them and they can not do anything till he looks farther. The shop also did not save the error codes from Saturday and the battery died over the weekend so no codes are even stored in the computer now.

So, when the adjuster does get to the dealership (the right one) they are going to be looking at a car with very little visible damage, (only exhaust damage, and some wiring and connecter melting) and no error codes in the computer. The mechanic was able to start the car but it still runs poorly; and in my opinion will most likely only get worse.

Do any of you guys have experience with this dealership? Thus far I'm not really confident in their work or professionalism. I talked to the insurance company and they want me to wait to move the car to a "specialty shop".

Any suggestions for good mechanics in this area or with-in a 100 miles? (Clarksburg, WV)

Thanks for all of your help.
Click to expand...

Can't help you out with a dealership, but it's encouraging that the insurance company wants you to take it to a specialty shop. That sounds to me like they really want you to have a fair settlement (whether it's fixing or totaling).

Also it would seem to me that a specialty shop might have some experience (or know someone who has) with an electrically charge vette.
 
I would think it would be totaled. I would discuss how they are going to cover latent electrical failures with your ins agent if it's not. If they have to replace a harness, that's probably big bucks. Reminds me of my '09 that got totaled from water. Replacing the harness became the Achilles Heel that finally did it in. Who's the ins co.?
 
mbwalker said:
I would think it would be totaled. I would discuss how they are going to cover latent electrical failures with your ins agent if it's not. If they have to replace a harness, that's probably big bucks. Reminds me of my '09 that got totaled from water. Replacing the harness became the Achilles Heel that finally did it in. Who's the ins co.?
Click to expand...

I already asked about latent electrical problems and it seems like they will cover them, with no problem, if they're related, and at this point they all will be in my mind.

State Farm.
 
Well, (im sorry to say this) but if they total it, maybe you can get the car cheap for a parts car, and get another LT4 Vette?

Its hard to think about, but if worst comes to worst...;shrug
 
MDKyleZ said:
I already asked about latent electrical problems and it seems like they will cover them, with no problem, if they're related, and at this point they all will be in my mind.

State Farm.
Click to expand...

The reason I asked about the ins. co. is that we have State Farm too. Initially our car was not going to be totaled from the flood. Wasn't happy about it, but not much we could do about it. Thankfully, State Farm was going to back the flood repair as long as we owned the car. Might be hard to prove a problem was flood related 10 years from now, but at least there was a chance. Like I said prior, it was eventually totaled.

While not nearly as bad as a flood, lighting has a mind of it own. Goes where it wants too, doesn't go where you think it would - weird. I guess I would be worried about a damaged harness. If a computer goes bad, no big deal. Pull and swap. Might cost a few bucks to repair, but it is a relatively simple fix. If the harness goes bad, that could be a big expensive mess. What's the value of the car?

BTW, we had a Torch Red LT4 - great car!
 
I think the damage MIGHT be less than everyone thinks... Lightning is six-figure+ voltage (some estimate 9 figures), but the the amperage can be inversely miniscule. And amperage is what makes toast out of solid-state electronics.

I think c4 circuits carry a 5V analog signal - pulse width modulation, and I think those circuits do cater well to waveform changes, which means the circuits could nuke before the sensors do (or the PCB's printed circuit boards).

Don't toss it just yet. Buy an analog multimeter, and do some testing while the insurance co reviews the claim. It might be a GOOD buy as a 'totaled' vehicle.

My .02

forum_2f455681_two_cents_small.jpg
 
From my (in)experience, I should probably add that State Farm will send out an adjuster. He'll talk to the mechanic to get a "first pass" what's wrong with it and how much it will cost. If it's not totaled, you'll then authorize them to go ahead and start to tear it apart to find the other problems. I'm not sure how they would determine if a wire is damaged (but hasn't yet failed) inside a wiring harness buried up in the dash someplace...

Let the mechanic know your wishes. If it can be fixed, and you don't have any concerns, then by all means let him know. If you won't trust it ever going down the road again because you're worried it will constantly be in the shop, then let him know that too.

Don't be mean to the adjuster, just work with him. Make him an ally rather than an enemy. Our adjuster was a good guy (I didn't meet him), but it took almost a month before State Farm gave up trying to fix it.
 
MDKyleZ said:
Thanks for all the support. Well another day of waiting is ahead of me, because the guy from the insurance went to the wrong dealership.

I did however talk the the mechanic who was able to tell me that he did nothing to see what was wrong with the car, so they have nothing to tell the adjuster anyway. He is not willing to look any farther till he gets the word from them and they can not do anything till he looks farther. The shop also did not save the error codes from Saturday and the battery died over the weekend so no codes are even stored in the computer now.

So, when the adjuster does get to the dealership (the right one) they are going to be looking at a car with very little visible damage, (only exhaust damage, and some wiring and connecter melting) and no error codes in the computer. The mechanic was able to start the car but it still runs poorly; and in my opinion will most likely only get worse.

Do any of you guys have experience with this dealership? Thus far I'm not really confident in their work or professionalism. I talked to the insurance company and they want me to wait to move the car to a "specialty shop".

Any suggestions for good mechanics in this area or with-in a 100 miles? (Clarksburg, WV)

Thanks for all of your help.
Click to expand...

Well glad your Ok, the car can be fixed or replaced. When i was a kid living in Atlantic city, sometimes walking on the beach the morning after a bad storm you could find these hazy glass plates. They were just were the lightening had hit the sand and turned it into glass. Lightening is some scary stuff. I saw once on the discovery channel, that the voltage in one lightening bolt is enought to power LA for a week? Freaky stuff ! ;shrug
 
it really sux that the insurance didnt total the car..
because this has got to harm your confidence in long trips., bad weather..life and death stuff...or does it.?
 
It does suck, but thus far they have not decided weather they are going to total it or not.

If they don't it's up for sale, I'll get another but after seeing what happened I don't even want it unless it is fixed correctly, which at this point has not even been looked into.

The dealership where it is sitting has made me a good offer on it; (in fact nearly twice what I would sell it out right for) as it sits.

(If I put it down as a trade in on the Nissan GT R in the show room.)
 
MDKyleZ said:
The dealership where it is sitting has made me a good offer on it; (in fact nearly twice what I would sell it out right for) as it sits.

(If I put it down as a trade in on the Nissan GT R in the show room.)
Click to expand...
Don't fall for that crap,You can probly get the Nissan GT R for the same CASH at another dealer without a trade!!:thumb:thumb:thumb
 
gmjunkie said:
Don't fall for that crap,You can probly get the Nissan GT R for the same CASH at another dealer without a trade!!:thumb:thumb:thumb
Click to expand...

When they told me that my response was something like this, ;LOL;LOL;LOL;LOL Followed by a statement such as "Prove to me that you want to get rid of the GT R and we'll talk". They offered to match and subtract a $1000 from any dealers price that I could find as a comparison.
 
Hang on... You are going to trade an AMERICAN CORVETTE for a japanese gtr? How about a ZR1?

Plus, there are sooooo many problems with the gtr like the required tune ups if you want to keep it under warranty. That is if you can keep it under warranty bc if you have a heavy foot or race it, the black box voids the warranty...

:cool
 
MDKyleZ said:
The dealership where it is sitting has made me a good offer on it; (in fact nearly twice what I would sell it out right for) as it sits.
Click to expand...

That's because they know what the lightning did, and it isn't a hard fix...

Unless the offer was only on a trade???
 
Schrade said:
That's because they know what the lightning did, and it isn't a hard fix...

Unless the offer was only on a trade???
Click to expand...

listen man,...just tell them to replace it with one just like it..except NOT struck by lightning...lol
 
Still not sure what is going on with the insurance so no plans as of yet to purchase anything new right now, but the 2010 Grand Sports are really beautiful, in cyber grey.
 
State farm is towing the vette to what they referred to as a trustworthy shop today. We'll see how that turns out and I'll let you guys know.

Anyone know anything about C&O Motors in St. Albans near Charleston, WV?
 
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