HOLDEN CRUZE TEST DRIVE - $19,990 TO WRITTEN OFF IN UNDER 10 MINUTES

[Camping Grant]

Hi All

Well, didn't I have an adventure yesterday.

I went up to Brisbane to test drive a 2nd hand Holden Cruze, 18,000+ kms, $19,990 on the lot. Beautiful car and top of the range. So the dealer gives me the keys, I grabbed SWMBO and the two rug rats, put them in the back of the car (the dealer didn't come with us), and head off for the drive.

So we'd been out of the car yard for about 5-10 minutes and stopped at a red light. My wife and I were discussing the price and decided we'd head straight back to the yard and see what we could get for our old crap car. So, our light turns green and we head off across the road, we got across three lanes of traffic and then Kerryn (my wife) yells at me to look out, and then BANG!!!! A young bloke in a Peter Brock special Holden Monaro t-boned us. We all managed to get out of the car OK, but then my son Bailey (who's 5) started complaining of a sore chest. So, an ambulance was called. When they arrived, the police also arrived and the fire brigade. All with bells and whistles going. Bailey then came good and my wife was taken to hospital with a sore neck and seatbelt bruising. My other little fella Riley who was on the impact side (the passenger side) and I are all OK (I've got a bit of a sore wrist). Kerryn was checked over at hospital and released later.

The car we were test driving and the Monaro will both likely be written off. At least I still had my old banger car to drive. The problem is I've heard that the other driver is saying he had a green light, but we've got a witness that backs up our story. I'll hear back from the Police from Hendra (who were absolutely brilliant) on Tuesday. I also don't know where the fire truck was from, but I can't thank them enough...they were absolutely brilliant - a great group of blokes.

So when all is said and done, we learnt a very valuable lesson yesterday...always make sure your kids are in their proper child seats and fastened in properly, no matter how long you're going to drive for, because you never know when they could save your kids life. The other thing is that I definately like the Holden Cruze CDX and I now know how well they stand up to a crash...will I buy one, definately if I can find another one at the right price. I should contact my local Holden dealer on Monday and see if they can source one from somewhere.

Anyway guys and girls, have a great Sunday!

Cheers
Grant

[D4D]

Ouch, glad your family is ok, hope it works out ok for you.

[Fivid]

Bad luck but a great outcome with all of you safe and well.

 
Dave

[cancan]

Glad everyone is ok. If I am test driving a car and have the kids I always move the booster seats. With the amount of idiots on the road you just never know and running red lights appears to be normal in Brisbane, I see it everyday.

[Jenko67]

glad to see you and your family are ok, but I am interested in the response from the dealer when told what happened....

[Camping Grant]

glad to see you and your family are ok, but I am interested in the response from the dealer when told what happened....

They were genuinely concerned, considering that my wife was taken in an ambulance. No issues. If, and only if, I am "found to be at fault", or if the police deem that they are unable to determine who was at fault, then i'm liable to pay their insurance excess of $500.

Cheers
Grant

[Withy]

Not a great experience for the Family to go through, hope everyone recovers well.
Was actually reading yesterday(only media facts) that the Cruze outside the Commodore so people must be happy with them.

mike

[JCOJ]

Glad to hear that everyone is ok.

Keep us informed on the outcome - lucky you have that witness!

[wartim]

Glad to hear everyone is OK and your family seem to be taking this in their stride.

The trouble these days is you cannot trust anyone else on the road.  My kids are only 13 & 15 yet I am already teaching them things to look out for on the roads in an effort to build something into their subconscious that may save their lives oneday.

As a future defensive driving measure and one of the things I am teaching my kids is even if the light is green always look left and right before proceeding.

It saved me one day - I was about to turn right at my green light into a major road when a car travelling at 80Kph went straight through his/her red light.  The driver didn't appear to even know they just crossed an intersection and went through a red light as they never even slowed down.  What's more is there is a red light camera on the intersection however it is moved around and mustn't have been in service on this day - Bummer.

Good luck with finding another car.

Cheers

Wartim

[Fun Police]

I always wait a second or two at a set of lights onto a major road exactly for this reason.

If the ahole behond me decides to beep his horn, I put the hazard lights on and get out and put the bonnet up.
Evil I know, but I hate beepers.....

[weso]

Glad to hear that everyone is ok.

Keep us informed on the outcome - lucky you have that witness!

+1 

[sol]

G'day Guys
Glad to hear all ok after accident.It's a scarey world out there in the traffic.
My daughter has a 2011 Cruze and loves it.

                                             

[Signature035]

Glad all are OK.   It's situations like this that convinced me to run an on board dashcam....  Just incase some bonehead claims he had the green light....   


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[Mumof3]

Glad to hear all is ok. Same thing happened to my Aunt a couple of months ago. Not so lucky though. Car written off also, but broken bones and suffered a heart attack straight after accident. P plater said same thing, that he had green light and that my Aunty ran the red. No conscious what so ever, and even seeing my Aunty in the state that he had caused, could lie. They should be charged with making a false statement. Joke, basically only get charged with neg driving, then you got to try and claim through Green slip and prove injuries.

[gonefishing]

So glad you are all ok.  and that you are satisfied with the Cruze even after the accident.  I think the heat gets to us QLDer's sometimes and we just lose the plot!  Mind you if you pass that on to any one, I'd deny it! 

[two+four]

Glad you are all ok. I am very pleased to hear how well the cruze hold up on a Tbone as y son has one and loves it. I had previously heard of one getting rear ended by a patrol at speed and the driver walked away as well.

[spargo]

...I'll hear back from the Police from Hendra (who were absolutely brilliant) on Tuesday.

....

I bet you don't.  Chase them up, chase them up, and then chase them up again.

My wife was slammed off the road in a hit and run on Brisbane's northside in Early December, with a witness getting the drive-off car's number plate. We've spent 7 weeks chasing up the officer who we saw at Hendra straight after the incident, and are yet to receive a call back, or anything formal regarding the investigation. This was not a minor incident, this arsehole sideswipped a car off of the road at 60km/h and drove off. Either they're understaffed/under resourced, or he's just lazy. We have had to pay the insurance excess because the police have not nailed this clown, despite witness statements and very clear proof as to who did it.

Good luck.

[Camping Grant]

Thanks Spargo, I'll keep on to them tomorrow to find out. My wife is in a fair bit of pain and may have issues with her kidney(s) now, so I need to know who's at fault to see about a claim.

Cheers
Grant

[BigJules]

Glad to hear you're all OK. Also nice to hear that the dealership were reasonable about it.

Good luck, hope your wife is fine.