sprucegoose Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Man, am I stupid... I thought I was looking close enough as I was backing out of a parking spot today at a local store. I saw these these bushes behind me as I was creeping back, but figured I had plenty of room when all of the sudden BOOM and I came to a dead stop. What a sickening feeling! I have never done this before. I get out and look and the bushes were in these big planters made of landscaping timbers, about waist high. The plants were a good 4 feet in, and from inside the car you can't see the wall. Judging from the battle scars I know I'm not the only one that did this there! I can't believe the damage from going 3-5 mph. The worst part is it crunched one of the exaust tips I was so proud of on that car. The bumper is shifted in aprox. 1-2 inches on that corner, and the lower facia is hanging loose now behind the rear wheelwell. Now I have a project to do... I can't stand the thought of driving my beautiful Eldo around like this! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByStorm Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 I haven't backed up into any damage (yet) but, I am also having difficulty gauging the distance while backing up with my STS. I 'm usually at least 2ft or more from the stationary object behind me. So I kinda feel your pain. Peace out.... ByStorm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Ouch, sorry that happened. Glad it is something that can be repaired. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Dittos on the OUCH. I've done a similar thing myself; hopefully, it'll be better than ever when repaired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Who did not do that? I would tell the store owner about it. Post some pictures when she is as perfect as before the accident. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 You know, I think I will talk to the store owner about it. He recently took over the business and would probably be willing to do something to make this less likely to happen top others in the future. I definitely notice that it is harder to see things behind me in the Eldo as the trunk is so high and the sails are very wide. It's no ones fault but my own though! Yes, it will be an opportunity to make it better than before. A very optomistic way of looking at this, thank you! The rear bumper chrome strip needed to be replaced anyway... I tried buying a used one last summer, and the one that I was sent was not in good cond. at all. I'll post some pics of the car when I get a chance. It's so cold out there now, I can't even wash it (10 deg.) I want to just watch football games by the fire today and forget about that ordeal! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac STS Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 I once backed into a parked car (no damage to the other car, women was still in it!)...still have the paint damage in the rear threw on some tocuh up and i was off. Hope to repair it when some shmuck at a stop light rear ends me Im so bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STS Scott Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I inheritatied "Chronic Reversing Bump-into-Stuff Syndrome from my Dad. Even before i started driving he told me that no matter what, all Lawrence's hit stuff when they back up. I though "Yeah, right! I'll show him!"... but I guess I just have ended up reinforcing the family tradition! No matter how careful I am, something will catch me off guard when I am reversing. Suprisingly, for all the little things I have bumped into (usually stationary objects...I think cars are large enough to be excused from my Syndrome!), the rear bumper is almost like new. Only 2 little bruises that you would have to look for to see. i think thats a pretty good record...only 2 marks for over about 10 bumps! " ...'took my Cobra down t' the track, hitched to the back o' my Cadillac..." - Jan & Dean, 'hey little cobra' Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pats37 Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 My only complaint comes from front end hits. The front is so low it even scrapes those little concrete stops in parking lots. Curbs are even worse. Now I just don't try to pull in that far. I leave the back of the car to others. Both times I was hit I was stopped at a light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIMDTS Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 Ouch Sorry to hear that. I had a problem one time with a parking lot stop one of those cement blocks that you pull up to that acts as a stop The one that got me had a piece of redod sticking up a few inches could not see it I backed the car in and tore a big hole in the gas tank. Pulled out of the parking lot a car behind me is blowing the horn then he's pointing to the rear of my car I think Hmm what's up with that.I chscked the gauges and I had full tank going down real quick gas just pouring out..Well to make A long story short I don't back into the parking lot bumpers anymore after that ordeal. It's hard to judge distance when you get close with some of the cadillacs. My deville does have blind spots the truck is high so it's hard to judge when backing up.I do rely on the back up assist,when backing up those lights and alarms do work.Every time I back up and get close using the lights at the rear of the headliner I think to myself watch this POS be on the blink and I' smack something so far so good.. Yes those blocks still cause problems the front of my deville sits lower and it scarpes them and puts nice gouges in the lower valance I had mine repainted so now I'm careful when pulling in too..and leave some room so not to scrape it up.. Cheers Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Well, here is a quick pic I took of the damage with my camera phone. That lower rear piece flopping loose like that really looked bad. I has the exhaust hangers off here to be able to heat and bend the pipes back in place... Good news follows! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Here is a few of the pics of the doctored up Goose. I was able to pop out the 5mph bumper piston, it was stuck in by about 2"! Put a sissor jack in and cranked it out. '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 The rear is lined up pretty good again, can't really see it was hit from a distance. '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 If you look close you can still see the scuffs on the rear corner, but most should buff out. I'm not going to do too much more till winter is over in case I have another mishap. I'm just glad it looks decent, proud to be drivin' it again! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 sprucegoose, You did really good job! I personally would not do anything else. As I tell to people wondering why I do not fix a ding on a passenger door (blame PA back-roads in the winter): most of cars make their way to a junkyard in perfect cosmetic condition. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Spruce, I would ask a body shop about that impact piston, it is possible that once it collapses it will not do its job properly the next time and you will wind up with more damage as a result, just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprucegoose Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Spruce, I would ask a body shop about that impact piston, it is possible that once it collapses it will not do its job properly the next time and you will wind up with more damage as a result, just a thought That's true Scotty, hadn't thought about that... Hopefully there won't be a next time, but you certainly can't count on that! '09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi. '15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi '70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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