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Jimarq · 08-24-2007, 10:44 PM

Last Friday, August 17, 2007, we wrecked our "new" 2000 30' Excella on it's maiden voyage exactly 27 days from the day we brought her home to Texas from Colorado Springs. We were traveling between 60 and 65 miles per hour in a 70 mph zone in daylight. Our tow vehicle is/was our "new" (29 days) 2004 F250 diesel crew cab pickup. We were approximately 25 miles from our house when the trailer began shaking violently. We were on a dry, paved, two lane highway meeting on-coming traffic and traffic following us. Before Jimmy could reach the trailer brakes we were going down the bar ditch being driven by the trailer instead of us doing the driving. We were both safe and physically alright when we came to a stop with the trailer jack-knifed into the pickup.
The only thing we have in the way of an explanation to what happened to us was that we were missing a valve stem on the right rear tire of the pickup. It could have come off during the wreck but we were not able to locate it at the scene. Our tire store said that the type of valve stems we had on the truck were inferior in that they could break off very easily. Jimmy had had the tires on the pickup rotated the day before we left our on our ill-fated trip and we had put less than 30 miles on them since they were rotated.
Insurance company still has not gotten to us with a final verdict but we have counted 15 exterior panels damaged, unknown how many interior panels, 4 broken windows, etc. on the trailer. Is it totaled? Have you ever heard of anyone else having such incredibly bad luck with their new Airstream?

krikles · 08-24-2007, 10:48 PM

How awful - I feel so bad for you guys - glad you are ok!!!

safari57 · 08-24-2007, 10:51 PM

First off, thank heavens you are all okay physically. What an awful thing to happen, whether it's a maiden voyage or after years of use.

From what I've seen JC has done wonders with trailers, but it will depend a lot on the condition of the frame and whether the insurance company feels it's worth the effort.

Same goes for the truck but my guess is it could be fixed, not knowing if the frame or anything else was damaged.

Keep us posted on what the official determination of the cause of accident turns out to be and how the insurance company decides to deal with this.

What a crummy thing to happen, we feel very badly for you.

Barry

str8strm · 08-24-2007, 10:51 PM

So sorry to hear of your bad luck. Keep us posted.

KeithC · 08-24-2007, 10:56 PM

Howevery things look now, thank goodness everyone is alright and unharmed.

Replacing "things" like trailers and trucks are the easy part. Reparing bodies is much harder.

Let the insurance company take it's due course. A single vehicle non-collision accident is a very straight forward claim to resolve.

We're thankful everyone was safe and sound.

Please let us know how your insurance company treated you...so that we can judge them on your claim and their performance.

**azflycaster** · 08-24-2007, 11:09 PM

What a terrible thing to happen. Thank goodness you are both ok.
My guess is that it will be a total. With that many panels and the rest of the damage, it would cost too much to repair.

You asked:

Quote:

Have you ever heard of anyone else having such incredibly bad luck with their new Airstream?

A short while ago a member told what happen to a friend who was not a member. They were bringing home their "new" trailer that they had just bought. The trailer also went into a sway and rolled. They were both safe, but the trailer was a total. The worst part was, they had not taken out any insurance on the trailer.

**Stefrobrts** · 08-24-2007, 11:14 PM

Looks like a soft landing for such a scary accident! Glad everyone is ok.

Just out of curiosity, what sort of hitch did it have?

TBRich · 08-24-2007, 11:38 PM

OMG! Thank goodness you are both OK... We re so sorry to hear about your accident. I can't imagine how you must feel. What a discouraging thing to happen... Let's hope the insurance comapny meets expecations and the end of the story will be brighter than the beginning...

Keep us posted...we're thinking of you...

TB

janetb · 08-24-2007, 11:48 PM

Jimmy and Marque, What a frightening and devastating experience! Although you're all ok, it still must be unbelievably upsetting to have this kind of damage to a new truck and beautiful trailer. We'll all be pulling for you to get the best resolution from your insurance company, and hope that you're back on the road again soon.
Best of luck.

peegreen · 08-25-2007, 04:37 AM

This is just horrible, and believe me, I know exactly how you feel as I am still getting over my recent loss. Stay on top of the insurance company, and I mean daily if not hourly. You need quick and fair resolution. Have the expectation that your only loss will be the deductible and go from there - demand absolutely nothing less. Move on from this experience as quickly as possible, hitch up and enjoy Airstreaming. Please let us know that you'll be rolling down the road. How come they don't offer rental insurance as they do for autos when your vehicle is out of commission? If they decide to repair this, I wonder how long it takes.

LI Pets · 08-25-2007, 06:39 AM

Based on the pic's if the frame isn't twisted or racked, new panels, spit and polish and you're on your way.

Jimarq · 08-25-2007, 06:43 AM

A few more pictures.

Thanks for all your kind words and thoughts.

We had a Reese hitch and sway bars which we believe is what kept us from rolling over. We pulled this trailer from Colorado Springs, CO to our home in North Central Texas less than a month prior to the wreck and didn't have a bit of trouble. Like I said earlier, we had only traveled about 25 miles from our home when this happened. Jimmy had pulled the trailer out of the driveway and walked around it at least three times in the street making sure everything was alright. About 10 miles away from the house he pulled over and walked completely around again and everything was okay. The tires on the truck seemed to have plenty of tread on them when we purchased it so just for safety's sake Jimmy had had them rotated the day before we knew we were to leave. We had had all new tires put on and the bearings re-packed before we left Colorado on the trailer.

This trailer was perfect - it had exactly the lay-out that we wanted. Do you think the insurance company will think it will be too cost prohibitive to have fixed and total it? Would you trust anyone else except Jackson Center to do the repairs? Would an insurance company take that in to account - that it would need to be repaired in Ohio versus down at the local body shop?

We have so many questions and we knew we could get the answers here on the Forums. Thank you for being here for us and understanding what we're going through.

SaabLover · 08-25-2007, 07:21 AM

How horrible! Glad that you made it without any injury. I am sure that you are both emotional wrecks. We can only hope your insurance company stands behind you. You three certainly need as much Karma as you can get. So you can get back on the road again.

Regards, Richard SL

Bob Thompson · 08-25-2007, 07:31 AM

Some things to consider. I recently say a post about a Ford brake controller recall. If the brake controller malfunctioned it could cause problems similar to those causing the accident. Also, the driver's side tires on the trailer still intact? The passenger side tires on the trailer seem perfectly normal.

**azflycaster** · 08-25-2007, 07:32 AM

IF you can get it repaired, I would take it to the factory.
Get the estimate, run the numbers and go from there.
If it is totaled you could buy it from the insurance company and get it repaired yourself. It might not be cost efective to do that. It would also have a salvage title at that point.

peegreen · 08-25-2007, 07:39 AM

My understanding, and this is from personal experience, once you have a salvage title no insurance company will ever provide coverage again. When you pick up a salvaged unit for very little $, think of the expense to do the restoration. You will put $$$$$'s into it, and then not have it insured - in most cases it doesn't make sense.

Jimarq · 08-25-2007, 07:43 AM

Dennis: Tekonsha - Voyager Model brake control that came with the pickup.

Bob: I'm attaching photos of both sides of the trailer. Everything seems to be okay on the tires on this side - all tires on the trailer were still inflated on the trailer after the wreck.

Royce · 08-25-2007, 08:25 AM

That is just terrible, so sorry to see the damage. I am glad to hear that you kept the rubber side down and everyone is ok.

Jimarq · 08-25-2007, 08:42 AM

Hey Royce, sorry we messed up the trailer that you had inspected for us. It was everything that you described and more. Also sorry that we didn't get to meet face to face when we came up there to pick the trailer up.

thecatsandi · 08-25-2007, 08:51 AM

Wow that sucks! Glad everyone is ok.

I hate to say it but your trailer is probably totaled. That a lot of expensive damage. My insurance company told me when I had my accident that is there is any frame damage the trailer is definately totaled.

While metal valve stems are "safer" I have not had any problems in nearly 30 years of driving when regualr rubber valve stems as long as your replace them when they start cracking or when the tires are replaced.