Flimsy Ferrari??? | FerrariChat

Flimsy Ferrari???

Discussion in '308/328' started by PMDDMD, Apr 1, 2005.

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  1. PMDDMD

    PMDDMD Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    362
    #1 PMDDMD, Apr 1, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I've had a little question in my mind, but unfortunately must expose an embarrassing momentary lapse of intelligence on my part in order to get it answered. Not long ago I was preparing to take my 328 out of winter storage for its first run of the season. I didn't want to let it warm-up in the garage as I am somewhat averse to acute CO poisoning. As a result, I hopped in, and with my left leg out, manually wheeled the car backwards toward the driveway. At no more than 1 (yes one) MPH the car came to a crunching halt. Yep, you guessed it, the open door caught the garage door rail and jammed it.

    Aside from the paint missing on the leading edge and the 4" crease in the door skin, you would not know it was too badly damaged until you tried to close the door..it wouldn't.

    Long story short, my little impact left the door itself buckled requiring well over $2500 in repairs which are underway. Is this kind of damage typical from such low energy impacts? If so, I better hope no one ever T-Bones me!
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  2. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 20, 2003
    16,601
    Pittsburgh, PA
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    Matt F
    Low energy?

    How many pounds per square inch per second would you say you applied to that poor door?
     
  3. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
    Full Name:
    Kenneth
    CO poisioning seems to be underrated.

    Ken
     
  4. PMDDMD

    PMDDMD Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    362
    As much as my left leg can muster against a 3K lb vehicle in a 10-foot distance. I am thankful that the door hit the rail rather than the solid wall structure as it bent and absorbed a good deal of the hit. You can see the offending rail in the last pic after I bent it back somehwat into shape.

    I guess the term "low energy" is somewhat subjective, but, aside from a sparrow flying blindly into the side of the car, my impact would come in a close second in mildness of severity.

    Mind you, none of this excuses my stupidity for allowing this to happen in the first place!
     
  5. PWehmer

    PWehmer Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2002
    1,733
    Surrounded by Water
    3,000 pounds times velocity=energy

    Energy/area on edge of door = compression force

    And lets assume the house didn't deflect any.

    End result= wallet $2,500 lighter
     
  6. spike308

    spike308 F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 8, 2003
    4,461
    Austin TX!
    Full Name:
    Mike Z
    Start the car with the garage door open!
    If you are paranoid, add a big box fan.
    CO poisoning is indeed a problem, but for just a 5 minute warm up, door open, VERY unlikely to be a problem.
     
  7. PMDDMD

    PMDDMD Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    362
    Normally thats what I would do, but that day there was a rather stiff wind blowing into the garage..I've backed considerable fumes into the garage, and attached building in the past when the wind blows.
     
  8. gil308

    gil308 Formula 3

    Jun 22, 2004
    1,975
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Gil
    US Army Surplus Gas Mask = $20.00

    I recently suffered damage from road debris hitting my 308...$10,000 (fully covered by insurance). But I have found that any damage caused by me, i.e. dropping the battery on the front fender, dropping keys on the rear lid, etc., is much more painful to deal with. Knowing that I caused it and could have/SHOULD have prevented it hurts.

    I feel your pain. But lessons learned make us better owners. I guarantee you won't do that again (expensive lesson). Does your insurance cover it?
     
  9. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,196
    MO
    Looks like you have a window in your garage. Open it and get cross ventilation. That should be more then sufficient in conjunction with an open garage door to vent the area rapidly.
     
  10. PMDDMD

    PMDDMD Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    362
    I agree that the self-inflicted damage hurts the most because it's usually 100% preventable. Looking back on my life I've always learned much more from my mistakes than successes. I'm sure it won't happen again, but if it does, I'll deserve what I get!

    I must say that I have always tried to learn from the mistakes of others and try to not commit them myself. The stories/advice given by others on this site have certainly saved me some heartache and $$ over time. Although this lesson cost me, I felt obliged to share it, as humbling as it may be.
     
  11. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
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    Brian Crall
    Don't feel too bad . Many years ago I had a client with a Mercedes Gull Wing. You guessed already. Both doors were open when he backed out, what a mess. I took a panel beater a long time to make a new pair of doors and fix the roof structure.
     
  12. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2002
    6,370
    Toronto / SoCal
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    Rob C.
    That really would have been a mess. What an awful mental picture.
     
  13. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
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    Nov 20, 2003
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    Well said, Pete.
     
  14. Crawford

    Crawford Formula 3

    Mar 5, 2003
    1,294
    Nashville, TN
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    Crawford White
    I did the same thing years ago with my NSX. The edge of the door window hit the railing of the garage door. FORTUNATELY, the metal railing gave way and bent very nicely. The window was unscathed!
     
  15. Mario Gonzalez

    Mario Gonzalez Formula 3

    Apr 13, 2004
    1,333
    Out of my mind
     
  16. Ducman491

    Ducman491 Formula 3

    Apr 9, 2004
    1,591
    Mentor OH
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    Jason
    A friend of mine did that to his Oldsmobile once only that folded the door back to the fender. We were in high school and not really paying attention. I think if I did that to a Ferrari I would pull forward and close the door while I thought about what I had done.
     
  17. Artvonne

    Artvonne F1 Veteran

    Oct 29, 2004
    5,379
    NWA
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    Paul
    I dont know what the pounds of force would be, but if we consider it was rolling 3 mph, thats just over 2 feet per second. Thats over half the length of the door and stopping the car to a dead stop in one seconds time. If you think about it deeply for a bit you start to realise the inertia, and the physics involved, and you realise a sparrow hitting your car is many magnitudes less. As far as getting T-boned, you talking about coming at the door broadside, and spreading the weight over a very wide area. Of all the wrecks ive heard of or seen with Ferrari cars on the street, excepting the 348 in Rio, ive never heard of anyone being hurt. Actually, for what you did to your door, it and its hinges must be awfully stout. Most cars would have gave in and went into the body and done even more damage.
     
  18. Tifosi66

    Tifosi66 Formula 3

    Nov 30, 2004
    1,786
    Jiang Jia Jie
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    Li-Ge
    A guy once wrote to the Letters section of FORZA about his encounter with an 18 wheeler on the freeway. The rig sideswiped the 308/328 ( can't remember which, but they share the same architecture anyway..) and T-boned it for about a hundred feet or more. The 3X8 held fast, didn't buckle up but the tyres blew. Suffice to say he was pretty chuffed about the Ferrari's structural integrity and went on to say he'd be less than lucky if he took the Camry instead.
     
  19. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    May 4, 2001
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    The exact same thing happened to a friend of mine with his 308.
     
  20. Simon

    Simon Moderator
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    Aug 29, 2003
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    LOL Just don't forget to remove it before going for a drive.
     
  21. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

    Jan 31, 2002
    11,285
    Colorado
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    Dave
    There is reinforcement in the doors of US model 3X8's and, anecdotally at least, they hold up very well in crashes. I guess the engineers did not work on the problem of backing an open door into a stationary object.

    Dave
     
  22. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 5, 2002
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    [QUOTEQuote:
    Originally Posted by gilnsammy
    US Army Surplus Gas Mask = $20.00



    =Simon]LOL Just don't forget to remove it before going for a drive.[/QUOTE]

    Unless you're in Los Angeles!

    John
     
  23. PMDDMD

    PMDDMD Formula Junior

    Apr 1, 2004
    362
    Interesting note..I noticed that my insurance rates for the 328 are pretty low, even for the full coverages most of us have. My agent said that most damage claims made for these types of autos are from "self-inflicted" causes often stemming from stupidity..not usually collisions with other vehicles.
     
  24. Malfark

    Malfark F1 Veteran

    Oct 31, 2002
    5,307
    Mud Island, Europe
    Full Name:
    Markem
    ...unless you have the latex suit on as well ;) MARK
     
  25. MRFOTOS

    MRFOTOS Karting

    May 26, 2003
    232
    Maui, Hi
    Just be glad you didn't back up your BMW SUV with the door open,It would have destroyed the rail ,and pulled out the side of the garage, and cost about
    $ 5000 to fix that mess, lucily the BMW would not have a scratch.
    Consider youself lucky to have messed up with the right car.
     

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