spud101

Member
Driving down the a13 towards Southend this evening to go to a friends party I was at the 40mph avg camera works area and I spied this little 07 car weaving in and out of the traffic, I was doing bang on 40 and clicked the cruise off as he came belting up behind me, he swerved into lane 2 and got flashed by the bloke on my right and then he just swung into my line smacking my off side front right wheel and wing. I caught a look in as it was passing and there was 4 lads in it all drinking bottles of beer.

I told the phone to call 999 and kept repeating the reg until the I could give it the operator and then told her where I was and what had happened. She said she'd notify etc. and I should pull over to check for damage. I got to the BP garage and pulled in, other than what looked like a minor scuff nothing looked that bad but I was shaking with adrenaline. I had a sweet tea and some chocolate and thank my lucky stars I was taught to drive in the military with a lot of focus on controlling your vehicle under stress but it was really scary.

Anyway, I plodded on (I had a friend with me and she was also shaken up) and intended to check the damage out in the morning. The police said they'd be done for failing to stop etc. and I thought that was that but about 6 minutes before the restaurant at this roundabout there was this almighty 'pop' and the front end dropped! Air Susp. Inactive came up on the dash and to be honest I thought I'd had a blow out but when I pulled over and checked they were all fine. Anyway, the front is on the bump stops and her backside is in the air so I think something's happened to one (or both) of the front bags.

Personally I didn't really notice or feel the 'bump' but my friend said it was really loud and scared her, I was trying to keep the car on the road at the time and it wasn't my first attention.

I'm surprised how little external damage there appeared to be but worried as to what has happened under the covers. Anyone any ideas? I've never had an accident before (I'm 43 and been driving since I was 17). Well. Other than rolling a 5 month old E class in the highlands of Scotland on a patch of black ice but that's the RAF's fault as they taught me to drive in a front wheel drive car that you drop down a gear in black ice whereas it's the last thing you do in a rear wheel drive car. Oops! Needless to say she was written off but that's the only 'accident' I've ever had.)

Car's being recovered by the insurance etc. but I was looking for some advice as I'm not too keen on some bodgy shop getting her and not knowing a thing about air suspension etc.
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Doubt a little bump would cause suspension failure...unless the bag was really on its last legs...like on a major scale...and the jolt tore the bag....

Diagnostics is the best place to start.....wonder if the Height sensor was shaken loose or the arm snapped??

Glad you are all OK and the bastids got caught!
 
Thanks Saint, I'm fine but they didn't get caught, I gave the police their reg but I've not heard anything back yet. Hopefully it'll be on CCTV somewhere as it's covered with cameras on that part of the A13. As for the car I too was surprised but apparently my passenger said it was quite a jolt, my car is well maintained by a specialist firm and she was serviced (I get her done every 6 thousand miles.) only a month ago with no advisories. (I always get everything done when they point it out so that she doesn't let me down! :)

I'll wait and here back from the insurance.
 
Can't offer any help on your suspension but glad your all ok, could have been a lot worse in a lesser vehicle, hope they are caught.
 
Thanks Saint, I'm fine but they didn't get caught, I gave the police their reg but I've not heard anything back yet. Hopefully it'll be on CCTV somewhere as it's covered with cameras on that part of the A13. As for the car I too was surprised but apparently my passenger said it was quite a jolt, my car is well maintained by a specialist firm and she was serviced (I get her done every 6 thousand miles.) only a month ago with no advisories. (I always get everything done when they point it out so that she doesn't let me down! :)

I'll wait and here back from the insurance.


I had some bell-end undertake me in the ****ing rain, doing 85, who got stuck by a slow moving van which resulting in bell-end cutting me off, because i flashed him for being a kunt he decided to stand on his brakes in the outside lane. twice..

I have it on dashcam. so reported to the police with dashcam evidence.

Dashcam £30.. discount on insurance for having a dashcam... £50 !
 
I had some bell-end undertake me in the ****ing rain, doing 85, who got stuck by a slow moving van which resulting in bell-end cutting me off, because i flashed him for being a kunt he decided to stand on his brakes in the outside lane. twice..

I have it on dashcam. so reported to the police with dashcam evidence.

Dashcam £30.. discount on insurance for having a dashcam... £50 !
why not call the commissioner directly?
 
Hey up all.

Quick update. I've 'finally' heard back from the insurance and they say that (it's outsourced to buggery so there's an outsource incident manager, outsourced garage (who couldn't do it so they took it to Land Rover direct) and in any case they say the suspension failure is down to age / wear & tear. Now I fully appreciate she's 12 years old and it's coming up to the time when they may well be in need of replacing but surely it's just like if you have an accident and the tyres are damaged? They don't say 'well you've had 10k miles on them so we won't be replacing them' do they?

Plus, I've spent almost 3 grand on her on servicing, suspension bushes, etc. etc. to bring her up to spec, she's a very very clean well cared for old girl and I take her to a specialist garage (LRR in London). Her last service was 4 weeks before the accident and they didn't say a word about her needing new bags in the future.

What's anyones thoughts on this please? Personally I'm in the mindset of the above whereby even if a tyre is old they replace it but I'm open minded to hear anyone else's opinions?

Ta.
 
I cannot conceive that a small bump would cause an airbag to pop. Minor damage to bodywork should be repaired by insurance, but as for airbag i agree with garages assessment.
 
Many years ago some clown misjudged his overtaking manoeuvre & cut me up when I was driving my S3 109. I saw it coming & hooked my front bumper in front of the little '****'s rear wheel-arch then braked (to avoid a collision of course:rolleyes:) The entire back wing & bumper detached from his rusty hatch with nothing more than a couple of scratches on the galvanising on my bumper - but what could he say, knowing that he cut me up in the first place? We exchanged particulars but, unsurprisingly, I didn't hear any more.
'Ah landrovers were built in those days.
 
Many years ago some clown misjudged his overtaking manoeuvre & cut me up when I was driving my S3 109. I saw it coming & hooked my front bumper in front of the little '****'s rear wheel-arch then braked (to avoid a collision of course:rolleyes:) The entire back wing & bumper detached from his rusty hatch with nothing more than a couple of scratches on the galvanising on my bumper - but what could he say, knowing that he cut me up in the first place? We exchanged particulars but, unsurprisingly, I didn't hear any more.
'Ah landrovers were built in those days.

Land rovers are still built today. Unfortunately not from the same materials. :D:D:D
 
Many years ago some clown misjudged his overtaking manoeuvre & cut me up when I was driving my S3 109. I saw it coming & hooked my front bumper in front of the little '****'s rear wheel-arch then braked (to avoid a collision of course:rolleyes:) The entire back wing & bumper detached from his rusty hatch with nothing more than a couple of scratches on the galvanising on my bumper - but what could he say, knowing that he cut me up in the first place? We exchanged particulars but, unsurprisingly, I didn't hear any more.
'Ah landrovers were built in those days.
Hahahaha! That reminds me of an incident 5 yrs ago, got a knock on the door off a red faced chap asking for help and apologising profusely.my
Landy 110 was parked on the road and this guy had attempted a 3 point turn, reversing at 90 degs ish in front of the 110 and got his rear drivers side arch hooked up on the end of my ns front winch bumper. He must have messed about trying to get off before giving up and knocking my door.
His rear wheel was 8" off the ground and his rear quarter was wreaked.
Had to get me trolly jack out to get him free.
Scratched the power coating on me bumper very very slightly , his car was only a couple of years old.
Vauxhall zafia- 0 , landy 110 -1
 

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