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A (long) sad story

Joined
22 May 2002
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson, AZ, USA
I'm so bummed.

I've been looking forward to my trip to Phoenix this week for a while now, because the government was going to pay for me to drive my NSX down (instead of flying) and I could get Mark Basch himself to do my 45,000 mile service. Being in the military, there are few opportunities like this that present themselves. When they do happen, they are not to be missed. This time around, it was all supposed to go as smooth as glass.......

Saturday morning in Albuquerque I awaken to a dreary Weather Channel outlook for the trip to take place that day. From central New Mexico all the way to Phoenix, there are thunderstorms everywhere. Since I have to go to work in Albuquerque that morning, I can't leave until the afternoon. I'm beginning to accept the fact that I may be forced to drive the car in crappy weather.....I must be at work in Mesa, AZ at 8 a.m. the next morning.

A friend calls me at about 3:30 from I-40 west of Albuquerque and says he is driving on a one-inch thick sheet of hail that had just pounded the heck out of his Subaru. Great, I think......I wonder what would have happened to the NSX if I was caught in that storm!

I watch the radar picture and come up with a plan.......the storms are moving north, so if I initially head south and then go west, then I might be able to make my way around the worst of the weather. So, my plan is to head south on I-25 out of Albuquerque for 70 miles and then take the little-travelled U.S. Hwy 60 west from Socorro all the way into the eastern suburbs of Phoenix. Not bad, I think....rural roads, twisty canyon passes....this could actually be fun if I stay out of the rain! How little I knew...

I wait for a storm to blow through town and leave Albuquerque at around 5 p.m.. At about the 50-mile point, I got stuck in a very slow single construction lane that seemed to last forever. An 18 wheeler in front of me would let loose about ten gallons of water from it's trailer every time it swerved, which was often. I didn't think much of it until I stopped for gas in Socorro twenty minutes later. I found a ton of white streaks all along the car from the "water" the truck was dumping in front of me. It wasn't wiping off very easy, either! So, as the rains hit Socorro, I found myself in a self-service car wash using the rinse to clean my car of whatever was in the water that the truck gleefully spilled all over my car.

I get on U.S. 60 and head west, my troubles apparently behind me. Rain is falling here and there, and the roads ar all wet. At about 8 p.m., I crest a hill about 20 miles from the Arizona border and come face-to-face with the biggest porcupine that I've ever seen. It was the size of a very large tumbleweed, and I only saw it long enough for it to disappear under the left headlight.

BAM! I hear the sounds of Acura parts breaking and scattering across the road. I bring the car to a halt and it takes me a few seconds for me to realize what had just happened. I get out of the car and am greeted immediately with a "sssssssss....." and some type of smoke coming from the left front of the car. Oh, boy, I think to myself. I'm in the middle of nowhere and I'm about to become immobile.

I peel the remanants of the NSX bra up over the left side to reveal several parts barely hanging by screws and pieces of plastic. The spoiler is completely gone, hardware and all. The hissing is coming from the A/C condensor, as is the smoke. Whew....at least my engine's cooling system is intact!

With about a half-hour of minor surgery, I am able to get all of the broken pieces out and jerry-rig the bra to hold the rest of the front end together. I take some video of the giant road kill and the car, and gingerly start on my way down the road.

I find that I can only go about 55 miles per hour before the airflow pushes the remaining parts onto the tire. After hearing the resulting sound of plastic rubbing on tire, I decide that I'm no longer in a hurry to get anywhere. 50-55 mph it is.

Five hours later, at 2 a.m., I roll into the hotel parking lot in Phoenix. I put the car and myself to bed, and hope it was all a bad dream.

The next morning, on a whim, I decide to give Mark a call to see if he's in the shop. Sure enough, he answers the phone and I explain my predicament. He tells me to go ahead and bring the car on by (my original appointment wasn't until tuesday) and I make my way to the Shangri-La of all that is NSX these days.

Mark opens the door for me, and ushers me in. He heads out into the garage to get something, and I eagely follow him out amongst about a dozen NSXs of all years and colors. I'm in heaven! All of you going to NSXPO are really keeping Mr. Basch very busy.

To make a long story not-so-long, I left my car at Basch's today in the hands of the country's most capable NSX Tech. My list of "to do" items for Mark has gotten quite a bit longer, and now I will probably be returning to Albuquerque on Saturday without my baby. Aside from this potentially costing me several thousand dollars I don't have to spend, I guess that I am pretty lucky.

Lessons learned?

(1) 18 Wheelers are the devil incarnate, and they are most happy screwing with you when you're stuck right behind them with nowhere to go.

(2) Porcupines are a hell of a lot bigger than I thought they were. They also smell pretty bad.

(3) Mark Basch, in my initial impressions, is one hell of a nice guy.

(4) If you're going to pick one city in the USA to have NSX troubles in, Phoenix should be at the top of that list.

If you've read this far, I thank you for listening to me vent a little frustration. Maybe soon I'll have a follow-up to this that brings better news!

Chuck
Stuck in Phoenix without my baby

------------------
'91 Black/Ivory NSX
'89 Gray/Gray F-16C
 
Viper Driver,

I am so sorry to hear all the trouble you went through. But, I am glad to hear you got it to Mark's shop. If there's one guy on this planet who can help you out on your NSX, he's the one.

On a side note, I saw your signature and now understand your username.
smile.gif
I wish my "daily" driver could be as cool as yours.
smile.gif


------------------
1995 NSX-T
1999 3.2TL
2001 Odyssey
1992 SC400
 
Chuck...sorry to hear of your misfortunes!
frown.gif
I wish you would've called me; you practically passed my house on the way to Scottsdale (I'm a night owl too, and was still up @ 2am). You could've crashed at my place, and we could have cleaned up your baby in the morning. I would've been happy to lend you one of my spare vehicles too.

Anyway, if you want to borrow my NSX bra for the trip home, just let me know. Your car is in excellent hands with Mark, so don't worry. I'm sure things will turn out just fine.
smile.gif


About the weather: it sure has been a strange this year! Last month it hailed for the first time that I can remember in my 20 years here, and then it rained this weekend (which usually never happens in October). Fortunately my NSX was garaged both times, although my Stealth got thrashed (I just got it detailed too!).

I hope the rest of your visit goes smoothly. How long are you in town for?
 
My deepest condolences to your NSX. Hope she gets well soon.

The NSX lost her bra? There's a smug joke or two in that for people with crude minds. :p
 
.....amongst about a dozen NSXs of all years and colors. I'm in heaven! All of you going to NSXPO are really keeping Mr. Basch very busy.

Say, did ya happen to see a red one from Texas?
wink.gif
 
"Porcupines are a hell of a lot bigger than I thought they were. They also smell pretty bad."

That is the funniest thing I have heard in a while
smile.gif
LOL

I'm glad you can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for the smile and sorry for your misfortune. It happens to the best of us.



------------------
James
2000 Red/Tan
South Florida
http://members.aol.com/flnsx
 
Viper Driver,

You may be able to file an insurance claim for the damage.

Sorry to hear about it - but remember, just like with emvanderpol's totalled car, anything mechanical can be fixed or replaced. It's a pain in the butt, but at least no one was hurt. Except the porcupine.

And be glad you don't have a Porsche, or everyone would be telling you the old joke:

Q: What's the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?

A: On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.
 
The porcupine isn't hurt, it's dead.
 
Thanks for listening to my rant. As you all know already, it's the things you have no control over that tend to frustrate the most.


Originally posted by FuryNSX:
On a side note, I saw your signature and now understand your username. I wish my "daily" driver could be as cool as yours.


smile.gif
It doesn't have a cupholder, either.
smile.gif



Originally posted by PHOEN$X:
frown.gif
I wish you would've called me; you practically passed my house on the way to Scottsdale (I'm a night owl too, and was still up @ 2am).


Thanks for the offer....I'm actually staying at a hotel in Chandler. There's four other people I work with here, and I had to meet with them before the morning trip to Mesa yesterday.


Anyway, if you want to borrow my NSX bra for the trip home, just let me know. Your car is in excellent hands with Mark, so don't worry. I'm sure things will turn out just fine.
smile.gif


I'm thinking that the entire front end will have a fresh coat of paint on it before the job is done. I'm not sure what I'll do about getting it home, but I'll keep your gracious offer in mind. Damn, there's a lot of nice folks on this forum!

I would like to have a healthy car to drive on the twisty U.S. 60 road back to Albuquerque, though. I'm sure you Phoenix locals take your cars on that road a lot by how fun it looks to drive.


Fortunately my NSX was garaged both times, although my Stealth got thrashed (I just got it detailed too!).

I hope the rest of your visit goes smoothly. How long are you in town for?

Bummer on the Stealth. I think my NSX is a rain magnet.....almost every time I would wash it this past summer it would rain within a day. I think my car was singlehandedly responsible for ending the drought in New Mexico this year!

I'm in town until friday night/saturday morning. I'm flying simulators all week at an old Air Force base in Mesa (Williams.)


Originally posted by NeoNSX:
The NSX lost her bra? There's a smug joke or two in that for people with crude minds. :p


You should have seen what I had originally typed.....you would have made jokes about me taking off MY bra!


Originally posted by AndyVecsey:
Say, did ya happen to see a red one from Texas?


Is yours the one Mark is finishing up some BBSC work on? I think that's the car Mark gave to me as a loaner while mine is getting fixed. (ha ha, just joking) I don't remember the license plates on too many of them, but the red one I just mentioned looked like it was getting Mark's attention yesterday afternoon before I came in.


Originally posted by Nsxtasy:
You may be able to file an insurance claim for the damage.


I'm thinking about filing a claim, but I already have one filed from a previous accident in my truck last year. I'm worried that they might give me the boot or dramatically increase my rates if I file my 2nd claim in two years. Of course, when I see the estimate for the repair, I'll probably be forced into filing anyway.


Q: What's the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?

A: On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.

smile.gif




------------------
'91 Black/Ivory NSX
'89 Gray/Gray F-16C
 
Viper Driver,

Sorry about your mishap. Your OK, so all else can be fixed.

Did you end up with a police report about the "Porci"?? Did you get a picture? If so, I believe this would be "comprehensive" and not collision, so your rates would not be effected.


HTH,
LarryB
 
I would like to have a healthy car to drive on the twisty U.S. 60 road back to Albuquerque, though. I'm sure you Phoenix locals take your cars on that road a lot by how fun it looks to drive.


Is this the same 60 fwy that goes through CA?
 
Chuck, dont worry about the INS, I am sure that you have USAA as I do. I have had over 70 or so tickets in my fine driving career along with around 5 or 6 accidents and mine is cheep. In fact my NSX is less expensive than my Grand Cherokee. Dont know why. That sucks. And as far as pilot, are you doing anything around 51?

------------------
8k RPM in a recliner!
 
Viper Driver,
Sorry to hear of your misfortunes. Now go jump in that daily driver of yours, push the power levers to the wall and go vertical! That should take away some of the pain you must be feeling.

NSXTASY, I like it!!

Q: What's the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?

A: On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.
 
So, other than Porcupine, what else is on the menu for NSXPO this year?

Glad to hear no permanent damage (other than the flattened spiny one).

Have fun at XPO.
 
Originally posted by Larry Bastanza:Did you end up with a police report about the "Porci"?? Did you get a picture? If so, I believe this would be "comprehensive" and not collision, so your rates would not be effected.

Hmm.....I didn't think of that. There was no police report (I was in the middle of nowhere at night....two cars went by in the hour I tinkered with the car by the side of the road.) I did, however, get some video of the deceased spiny thing on the road before heading out. I'll have to ask USAA about it.


Originally posted by Joel:
Is this the same 60 fwy that goes through CA?

I'm not sure. It goes pretty far east, though.


Originally posted by UrbanPilot:
Chuck, dont worry about the INS, I am sure that you have USAA as I do. I have had over 70 or so tickets in my fine driving career along with around 5 or 6 accidents and mine is cheep.

Yep, I'm USAA too. I talked to them today and it seems like it will be rather painless. I didn't ask about the comprehensive vs. collision, though, and I'll probably need to call them back and ask about my future status. I'm least comfortable with things that are out of my control, and this is definitely one of them.

And as far as pilot, are you doing anything around 51?


Do you mean the real "Area 51," or the NSX-related one near San Diego? One of them, the answer is no. The other, I can't talk about.
smile.gif



Originally posted by nsxbadboy:
Post the video.

I can't, since I'm away from home and the firewire cable that I normally use to upload videos. Also, I don't have a host.


Originally posted by NSX2B:
Sorry to hear of your misfortunes. Now go jump in that daily driver of yours, push the power levers to the wall and go vertical! That should take away some of the pain you must be feeling.

I would, but I'm flying "simulators" this week. Not much of a thrill, I'm afraid!


Originally posted by ZNSX17:
So, other than Porcupine, what else is on the menu for NSXPO this year?
Glad to hear no permanent damage (other than the flattened spiny one).

Have fun at XPO.

I'm not sure what's on the menu......I can't make NSXPO! My car probably won't be ready by then, anyway.
frown.gif


Thanks again, everyone, for the kind words.

Chuck

------------------
'91 Black/Ivory NSX
'89 Gray/Gray F-16C
 
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