72 VW Beetle was killed; now replaced

MikeCoke · 11-18-2009, 12:49 AM

Today we were traveling south on I-5 just North os Sacamento, CA in our Motorhome towing our 1972 VW Beetle when a car spun several cars ahead of us. Cars and the semi ahead of us hit the brakes. I hit the brakes and we came to a stop with plenty of room between us and the semi....deep breath. Then WHAM, a gravel truck fully loaded with sand, pulling a trailer fully loaded with sand, slammed into the back of our VW. The good news is that we're fine and that the VW acted as the "crush zone" and absorbed most of the crash. The bad news is that our cute little Bug is squashed dead. We'll be in Sacramento for several days getting appraisals on the VW (no appraisal needed....it is dead, dead, dead) and on the motorhome (no visible damage but there seems to be some sort of electrical problem...no rear lights including brake lights, Hopefully just a fuse?).

**RV Wizard** · 11-18-2009, 02:50 AM

I am so sorry to hear your beloved VW has passed on. I am glad though, that you are alright. That is one situation we cannot control but is one reason I travel a lot of the hours I do. What vehicle are you looking for as a new toad?

Jackm · 11-18-2009, 04:29 AM

Getting rear ended by a loaded gravel truck could have been fatal in any other situation. I believe that your little bug sacrificed its life for you. You got out easy my friend.

Jack

**Route 66** · 11-18-2009, 05:09 AM

I'm not an entomologist, but that bug is dead.

Glad y'all are OK

Chickadee · 11-18-2009, 05:30 AM

Mike, Wendy & Gordon:

A-yah....looks dead to me. RIP

Steve & Lynette

hardy1000 · 11-18-2009, 06:51 AM

Yep, it looks squashed. It looks like you left your embilical cord attached..don't forget it.
Very glad no one was hurt.

Wayne M · 11-18-2009, 10:13 AM

Oh so sad. No more "beetle."

So happy that you are alright and safe.

zigzagrv · 11-18-2009, 11:45 AM

Wow, that is really sad. Glad to hear everyone's ok. My pet peeve.....following too close.

dirko · 11-18-2009, 12:14 PM

Hi Ho: That is really sad. We normally buy a vehicle new and just keep it until it dies. I still remember the day our 1969 Mercedes (which I bought from the factory in Sindelfingen, Germany) was killed by a woman who ran a red light. It was over 30 years old and had about 650,000 miles but was in great shape.

The really sad thing about the bug is that they don't make them like that any more.

Dirk

AFChap · 11-18-2009, 01:11 PM

Wow!! Glad the people and MH did better than the Bug. I am curious about the front of the Bug ...did the tow bar cause the damage there by holding the Bug away from the rear of the MH ????

JRNOLL · 11-18-2009, 03:18 PM

Glad to hear that you weren't hurt.

sgtjoe · 11-18-2009, 03:45 PM

Sorry for your lost. I know what a great car the 72 Bug is, I had one. Hopefully the trk driver was tagged at fault for following too close, inattentive driving or too fast for prevailing conditions (catch all). Tell his company you want enough to replace the V-Dub. Good luck and sure glad none of you were hurt.

4gone · 11-20-2009, 05:07 AM

WOW, that thing took quite a shot! Glad it turned out as well as it did, considering what might have been... On another note, I would have the MH looked at VERY carefully, maybe by a good frame shop???. I can't believe with the hit that the car took and the front end damage on it that the MH wouldn't have suffered more. The tow bar and hitch mist have absorbed at lot of shock. Amazing!