5 is toast :( (big pics)

[BlueM60]

Well, A nice lady decided to swerve into my lane on a 60mph+ 2 lane road. She suddenly came into my lane with no warning whatsoever to merge onto an adjacent side road. I had no chance to do anything. I came out with 2 sprained ankles and a myriad of bruises. my Gf who was on pass side got a harder lick than I. She really took a beating, had to have two knee surgeries on her right knee and will be in phys. therapy for at least 3 months. Were both alive though, both had seatbelts on and both airbags deployed. Will miss that 5er tho, what a great car. I know it saved out lives. Ill def have another, am a bit tempeted to go E39 540i/6. Would love another nice e34 too tho, just jard to find em like my baby was. One of the nicest in Ga without a doubt.

IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-038-17A.jpg[/IMG]
IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-036-16A.jpg[/IMG]
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-030-13A.jpg

[BlueM60]

More carnage..
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-034-15A.jpg
IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-036-16A.jpg[/IMG]

[BlueM60]

Im only able to post 1 pic at a time, due to size I guess?
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-030-13A.jpg

[BlueM60]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-032-14A.jpg

[BlueM60]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-022-9A.jpg

[Elekta]

Gah lee, I am so sorry to see that. Glad to see more lives saved by a truly tough car though. That must have been a horrendous hit.

God bless the e34

best
geoff

[Macv]

Thats horrible. Glad to hear you made it ok. Hope things look up for you in the future.

[Alexlind123]

I want to see the other car. Unless it was a 60s american muscle car made before they knew what crumple zones did, there probably isnt much left of it.

[BlueM60]

It was an 03' Mercedes C320. I dont have any pics of it at this time, but I will get some posted. It doesn't look quite as bad as you'd expect. They got more of a side impact as all mine was concentrated in the front.

-Ben

[repenttokyo]

that is terrible, one thing I have noticed in these severe e34 crashes is people seem to get injured rather badly. Sorry to hear about your gf :(

[Boom n Zoom]

So very sorry to hear and see this BlueM60, I am glad that you and your GF are alive if not a little battered. I hope that you both heal to full fitness.

As a fellow M60 owner I feel your pain for the car, it was a stunning example. Hope that you are able to find a worthy replacement.

R.I.P. Your Blue 540 :(

[Dave M]

Thats quite a mess. You know whats important though, you and your girfriend. NOw, the fun part is selecting the perfect replacement. Have a good time and be nice to your injured woman :)

Oh, I see the [ bracket missing from the begining of the two image URLs that didn't appear. Might want to check that.

all the best,

Dave M

[filip00]

wow, i'm really sorry.....glad you made out alive though......

[stargazer_61]

Glad to know that you are both alive after that horrific crash!

Good luck in your search to locate another 540i.

[blee]

Holy F. That must have hurt a LOT. It's sad to lose the car, of course, but somehow I think you don't really care quite about that quite as much as just getting you and your gf back to a normal life. Concentrate on that, the cars aren't going anywhere. :)

[Qube]

Can I have the fog lights? Sorry. Bad timing.

A testament to the strutural integrity of the car. Should it have been a Civic, it probably would have folded in half. It's a wonder the V8 didn't get pushed into the cabin.

What are those stains on the glovebox? A little blood?

[Boone.Msi]

glad your ok

[Sidney Rough-Diamond]

Christ ! Glad you are both reasonably ok and lived to tell the tale. Thank god you had the good taste to buy an E34,I'd hate to think what it would have been like it a smaller car. Good luck with all the post-crash hassles.

[GoldenOne]

heres to you and your GF's full recovery!

[Anton CH.]

Wow! That looks pretty bad.

[CharlesAFerg]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i55/Bluem60/2822882-R1-032-14A.jpg

****

ME

That's terrible, no wonder she needed knee surgeries.

E39 is a great choice, I survived a wreck in an E39 M5 - and it was the drivers' fault too - some drunk girl. (We didn't know, of course)

[BlueM60]

Yea, I felt good about being in the E34 too. If you notice closely at the bease of the pass footwell, the floor is buckled probly 4 inches, so the engine did try to make it inside. I agree if that had been a civic or something, the engine would have been in my lap. Yes, that is blood from my poor girl's knees, if her legs weren't so damn long she may be ok right now. Oh well. Thanks for all the replies, guys. Ive spotted a quite nice black/ black E39 540i/6 thats rather tempting. I may have to go look tomm.

-Ben

[Alan_525i]

Did the lady actually hit you while merging or did you hit her once she was in your lane? Did the police write up a report? Be very careful and keep an eye out for a suit in the next two years. A friend of mine got sued with almost exactly the same facts as you. The other lady waited until the last day to file under the statute of limitations (2 years in PA). This severely hampered my friend's ability to cross claim against her for his injuries (he was lacking records, didn't think about the suit prior to recieving it etc).

[BlueM60]

No worries there. This bitch has got nothing. The police report and 3 witnesses clearly stated she suddenly veered into my lane without so much as a flinch. Apprently she just didn't see me. We've already got a case in the works against her and I think it will be an easy win.

-Ben

[repenttokyo]

one thing I love about my car being registered in Quebec - I can never be sued as the result of a traffic accident. I can't imagine that stress on top of everything else!

[Tiger]

Glad you guys are fine... I am so glad you weren't driving a Honda or something like that... that would have been catastrophic. Jeez... that was a massive impact.

[Alpinewhite]

That looks terrible. Glad you both made it through. It looks very close. I am sorry to see an e34 off the road but thats really not important.

All the best for your future

Arun

[Renman]

Incredible that the two of you weren't more injured. I know that many times your injuries can evolve or become more evident over time. Best of luck to you and your companion!

[shimmo]

WoW thats a whack.... Glad to hear you and GF ok, hope you find a sutible replacement for your baby soon....

[Sam-Son]

that is terrible, one thing I have noticed in these severe e34 crashes is people seem to get injured rather badly. Sorry to hear about your gf :(

Injured not dead

Thank christ you guys are ok that's one mind bogglingly horrific accident

[Michael999]

Good to see you both made it.
Ive never seen an E34s A pillar bend like that, must have been some hit.

[CharlesAFerg]

Are all the wheels intact? I noticed the front emblem is fine.
Well, I see a parts car in the near future.
Too bad I can't get much off that besides like the door-stop trim, what's left of it around the sides and back.

I see the crutches too, god damn...
I forgot to mention that after the m5 accident I hardly had a sratch, we smashed through 6 trees and hit both curbs and the car was just in amazing condition after 80 mp hits, all the way down to 50 mph then the stop. rediculous. 5-series forever.

[leicesterboy15]

Man that is unbelievable! It looks like the engine doesn't even exist! I have to re-iterate - you seem very very lucky given the state of the car (although it probably doesn't seem like that at the moment!) Theres nothing untouched in the front cabin!
Well the main thing is that you guys make a full recovery and you don't let it get you down! Good luck - at least you get the chance to buy something else!

[LunatiC]

Great to see that you guys made it out OK, despite some injuries. All the best for your girlfriend to get well soon.

As for the E34, well that's life I guess. Every E34 owner should be grateful that they have chosen a very well engineered car that can withstand such punishment when involved in an accident. These cars are designed to save lives, and they do it very, very well. People say "man you are lucky to get out of that one", we're not, we're just in one of the best designed cars, of its decade, at the time.

As for the Mercedes driver -- typical Merc driver! There are heaps of Mercs here in Australia that drive the same -- no indication of turning, swerving in front of people, etc. One time I was going into a slip lane to turn off the highway, and a white Mercedes van from two lanes to the right of me (we drive on the left here in Australia :D) swerved over the two lanes to cut me off. I honked and he gave me the finger. As much as I hate to wish any ill harm to someone, I honestly wished something would happen to him to teach him a lesson not to be a ****wit on the road, regardless if you have the three-pointed star on your hood or not.

Anyway, get well soon to the both of you, and good luck in the search for a replacement.

[Randell]

far out... the A pillar bend shows how severe this impact was... i'm glad you had airbags, that's one thing i worry about in my airbagless e34...

i hate to say it because i know a lot of e34 owners think otherwise, but i don't think the e34 is very safe at all, not in 2007 anyway... up against a new C class with the benefit of 20 years of technological enhancements in chassis stiffness, crumple zones etc, the poor old e34 will come out a lot worse..

for those curious, look for a top gear segment where they collide a 1996 renault espace into a 2006 espace.. it's shocking.

well anyway, very good to see you both came out relatively ok!

[LunatiC]

i don't think the e34 is very safe at all, not in 2007 anyway... up against a new C class with the benefit of 20 years of technological enhancements in chassis stiffness, crumple zones etc, the poor old e34 will come out a lot worse..

Of course it will, it's nearly a 20 year old design. It's a little unfair to think that a car of that age will withstand the same crash as well as a brand new car. Compared to other cars of the same vintage however...

[stilljester]

glad the two of you are ok.... hope your gf has a fast recovery

[Phatty5BMW]

I hope you guys make it out alright in the future. Amazing you guys are ok. I hope that lady feels like a complete inconciderate bitch. I bet she almost had a heart attack when she saw the condition of the car before she knew you guys were ok. Just goes to show you that you can never be to aware of what is going on not only on the roads but in other peoples heads....
Wish you guys well.
Pat

[Zeuk in Oz]

I hope that you both heal quickly and fully - both mentally and physically.

It is a testament to the strength of these cars - there are probably very few others cars as old and cheap that are as safe.

Admittedly newer cars are safer as improvements keep being made, however you can be thankful you both escaped with what appear to be relatively minor injuries.

[BillionPa]

*~* a tear shed for those lost *~*

[MBXB]

Wow!! Good to see the E34 saved you and your GF. Hope you both have a speedy recovery.

[Nick.Hay]

**** Man,

That blows goats!!

Hope you and your girl pull up ok. I know that knees are very touch and go with trauma like that!!
Any idea what the other driver was doing to get in your way?? Christian soccer mum talking on a cellphone?? (I stole that saying from another forum)
Hopefully, if that (or something similar) was the case, they'll throw the book at her, and charge the bejesus outta her!!

Best of luck... Might be time for an E34 M5?? :D

[SC David]

This is by far the worst impact I've seen someone post of an E34. I'm sorry to hear about your gf's condition. Hopefully she is able to take all of this in stride. I would be furious at the other driver if I were her. I'm sure you are too. Definitely good to hear you both are alive and without life threatening injuries or paralization. Best of luck in both of your recoveries, and in finding a replacement vehicle. Yours looked to be very nice :(

[RallyD]

wow, don't know how I missed this post. I'm glad that the two of you are reasonably well.
that was some impact and it's amazing that the injuries are not more severe.
because you hit the other car, does it make it your fault?

[repenttokyo]

i hate to say it because i know a lot of e34 owners think otherwise, but i don't think the e34 is very safe at all, not in 2007 anyway... up against a new C class with the benefit of 20 years of technological enhancements in chassis stiffness, crumple zones etc, the poor old e34 will come out a lot worse..



i agree with your comment - that is what I was getting at with my earlier post. I was in a much more severe accident late last year in a Lincoln just a few years newer - 94 - and I walked away completely unscathed. After seeing the aftermath photos of several e34 wrecks, I am feeling less and less protected in the event of a major accident. As with most people, I became paranoid about things after my accident and part of the reason I purchased my e34 was because it was a larger, safer car. I enjoy the car, but I am starting to have my doubts about it's safety.

[Ross]

WOW Must have been scary. Sounds like you'll be okay and the GF too after some recovery. I hope you both recover 100%.
Big hit to that little 5er, pretty stout build I'd say.

[winfred]

thats about as hard a front end hit as you will see when it's two cars involved, i've only really seen one e34 with a shorter snout then that and that one was more offset so it loaded one side harder

[632 Regal]

wow thats a hard hit!!! Glad your all alive, hope the GF heals up nicely.

[Traian]

Wow that is intense, reminds me of the E34 vs Volvo collision from Top Gear (or Fifth Gear or something). How is your girlfriend doing?

[632 Regal]

and the BMW landed sunny side up!
Wow that is intense, reminds me of the E34 vs Volvo collision from Top Gear (or Fifth Gear or something). How is your girlfriend doing?

[Booster]

So relieved to hear you both can walk away.As I've mentioned before, I lost my fiance' to a head on at 65mph taking BOTH cars drivers.Obviously more dual speeds with her crash, but still.......man !
Her car looked much like yours except most of the damage was on the drivers side.....and the engine ended up near her chest.It was a 2000 Maxima vs. the other 89' Chrysler convertible sub frame car.:(
Best of luck picking out your next ride !
.........Vinny

[BlueM60]

Wow thanks guys for all the great posts. Jenn is doing well, she is at home now and will have a few months of rehab but she'll be fine it appears.
Vinny, Im dorry to hear you lost someone to wreck-a fince' at that. I can't imagine. I don't understand the posts questioning the E34's safety. It may appear in pics that the cars compact heavily under load, but there designed that way. They more force absorbed by the outer body/ fram, the less the passengers will endure. The entire front end is one big crumple zone and it did what it was supposed to. I do agree the roof line shouldn't have buckled but this was one ungodly impact. Figure total impact speeds of over 100mph.
She and I feel totally lucky to b alive without brain damage or paralisis. And she agrees with I that car saved us. I will def. Have another 5er but it will prob be an E39, mainly because of even increased safety with HPS. Thanks again guys for all your thoughts/ well wishes.

-Ben

[Tiger]

That thinking is wrong... I have seen many people died in current model Japanese, Korean and American cars than the older higher end German cars in news reports. It is extremely disconcerting because new standard may have more crumple zone and higher safety level but it doesn't mean you will walk out of the car unscathed... It only merely means you will probably be ALIVE with disregard to how severe your injuries will be.

The consumer report institutes does have valid reasoning on safety in crash... but somehow their method is easily defeated because manufacturers can simply beef up their structure just for that test and when there is another factor or angle of impact... it will fail.

I'd rather drive new or old high end German cars rather than anything else. The safety margin is just not comparable.

[Stephan735i]

Horrific crash/pictures, hop for a speedy recovery for you both!

From this 535i 3 people walked away with minor scratches... http://www.autopower.se/galleri/uddabilder/535i_mos.jpg

Regards Stephan

[bmwrp8]

DAMN!!! Its a great news that you and your girl walked away with your life! Its good to hear also that your sticking with BMW..Dang with that impact I wonder what you looked like if you where driving a small japanese car.Sorry for the lost though...your 540i

[mzarifkar]

Holy ****!

Were you able to exit the car or was an extrication required? On some cars it takes very little to jam the doors, wondering how the e34 handled it.

I wish you and your girlfriend the best of luck on your long and hopefully complication less recovery. After all the time and effort you put into you car, it made the ultimate sacrifice.

[MTechnik540i]

I REALLY hate to see this happen, this is the worst to see these cars go out.

You should seriously consider replacing with another E34 though, maybe seek out an M5.