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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Miata used parts ethics question

July 20, 2008 6:43 p.m. JoeTR6 New Reader

Driving home today, I had to pass an accident where a 1.6l Miata had spun off the road, over a drainage ditch, and up an embankment. It didn't appear that anyone was hurt (luckily the car didn't roll). After a few seconds of careful thought, it occurred to me that my aging 1990 Miata could use a few spares, and would it be so wrong to pull over and offer to buy the car on the spot? I'm pretty sure the body was bent beyond repair.

Utitimately I decided to pass by. There's a freshly killed smurf blue Miata heading for some junkyard in the NoVa area.
July 20, 2008 8:03 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

hmm.. that could be pretty tasteless...
July 20, 2008 8:27 p.m. 93gsxturbo New Reader

Never hurts to ask.
July 20, 2008 8:57 p.m. GregTivo New Reader

it never hurts to stop and offer assistance to a miata in distress....and if you happen to keep in contact with the owner and get spares when he junks the car....
July 20, 2008 9:12 p.m. suprf1y New Reader

It would not be wrong at all. I would not hesitate.
July 20, 2008 9:28 p.m. neon4891 HalfDork

GregTivo wrote:

it never hurts to stop and offer assistance to a miata in distress....and if you happen to keep in contact with the owner and get spares when he junks the car....

offer help first, then work your way up to offering to buy it
July 20, 2008 9:33 p.m. pigeon New Reader

It's not as though you'd be unbolting parts with the driver bleeding in the ditch. It never hurt to ask, and offering to help someone might build goodwill that could result in cheap parts soon.

Scott
July 20, 2008 9:38 p.m. AngryCorvair HalfDork

pigeon wrote:

It's not as though you'd be unbolting parts with the driver bleeding in the ditch.

speak for yourself.
July 21, 2008 7:33 a.m. GameboyRMH Dork

Aww you guys in the states still have ethics when it comes to car parts! How quaint! The AE92 coupe community down here first watches to see who drives like an idiot, then starts calling dibs on parts, but it's all for nothing because when the parts come off it's a ravenous feeding frenzy, unless one person gets the scoop on them and hordes up an entire car's worth of parts for themselves, absolutely devastating the rest of us. At an accident, if the driver was alive and coherent we wouldn't hesitate to bid on parts at the accident scene.

But finding parts for AE92s isn't that bad compared to some other cars. The KP70 community is one step away from assassinating each other and stealing their cars.
July 21, 2008 7:45 a.m. Xceler8x Reader

After what ins may offer for the car the previous owner would welcome higher bids I'm sure. You'd be doing them a favor AFTER helping them as the Good Samaritan I'm sure you are.

"The insurance company offered what?! That's highway robbery! If it were me..I'd offer at least X. Am I serious? Hang on. Let me check with the boss....well yeah! Just to help you out ya know. "
July 21, 2008 11:35 a.m. phillyj New Reader

whats a KP70? A Toyota Starlet?
July 21, 2008 2:56 p.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

Reminds me of the cowboy who looses the shootout at high noon. "Well, I guess he ain't gonna be needin' them boots no more."
July 21, 2008 8:22 p.m. Dorsai New Reader

Smurf blue, huh? Which end was bent? >evil grin<
July 21, 2008 11:24 p.m. dean1484 HalfDork

I was first on the scene of a roll over, this past Sunday afternoon, of a relatively new ranger (03-04 I think). After getting the driver out and sitting him down (he was bleeding and going in to shock) and applied some pressure to the wound I had time to size up the truck that was on its side propped up on the armco.

I seriously considered asking him if I could have the running boards as they would be easy to remove and the his truck was probably a total. Since I am sure that he will probably not remember me asking and he was bleeding I thought better of it and just sat there with him in the rain and waited for the police/fire and emt's to arrive.

I took this photo as I was leaving so my wife would not give me that look of "ya sure that is why you are late from getting home form the car shop".

And a side note VCR's loose in your truck cab in a rollover hurt when they hit you in the head. The great thing is he was waring his seat belt or it would have been much worse.
July 22, 2008 8:51 a.m. ClemSparks SuperDork

Yeah...I don't think anybody that was just in an accident like the one the OP described would probably be too welcoming of someone wanting to buy their freshly wrecked car. The one they were driving 5 minutes ago and then just had an unpleasant experience.

At most...I'd leave a card with an inquiry about buying the car instead of letting it go to the insurance auction...after they've had time to settle down a bit.

That's just my stance, Clem
July 22, 2008 9:05 a.m. Xceler8x Reader

dean1484 wrote: ...and applied some pressure to the wood I had time to size up the truck that was on its side propped up on the armco...

So you applied pressure to his wood AND THEN checked out the truck?

huh huh huh...he said "wood".....huh huh huh
July 22, 2008 9:23 a.m. GameboyRMH Dork

phillyj wrote:

whats a KP70? A Toyota Starlet?

Whoops I meant KP61 (RWD starlet)...guessed I mixed up EP70 and KP61 hmm not a bad idea actually
July 22, 2008 6:50 p.m. JoeTR6 New Reader

I mostly wrote this tongue-in-cheek. It was just odd what popped into my head after seeing everyone was OK. There was already plenty of professional help on the scene, BTW. Otherwise I would have definitely stopped. The thing I'm wondering now is "how did they do that in a Miata?" It must have been very excessive speed, or something in the road. I only saw one car and no carcass, so maybe it was a lesson in throttle-lift oversteer.

I think it's better to let the shock of the accident wear off first, unless the driver is writing a price on the windshield.
July 22, 2008 8:04 p.m. ignorant SuperDork

lift throttle oversteer.. It's how I rolled my jeep.
July 22, 2008 11:07 p.m. dean1484 HalfDork

Xceler8x wrote:

dean1484 wrote: ...and applied some pressure to the wood I had time to size up the truck that was on its side propped up on the armco...

So you applied pressure to his wood AND THEN checked out the truck?

huh huh huh...he said "wood".....huh huh huh

Google autocorect at its finest
July 22, 2008 11:23 p.m. neon4891 HalfDork

my exsperience with insurance companies, you can get your setlement, and do a buy back at a marginal price($60 ish)
July 22, 2008 11:48 p.m. QuasiMondo New Reader

Tacky, yes. Unethical, probably not.
July 23, 2008 1:26 a.m. Wall-e SuperDork

Xceler8x wrote:

dean1484 wrote: ...and applied some pressure to the wood I had time to size up the truck that was on its side propped up on the armco...

So you applied pressure to his wood AND THEN checked out the truck?

huh huh huh...he said "wood".....huh huh huh

He's a VERY Good Samaritan
July 23, 2008 10:40 a.m. ClemSparks SuperDork

QuasiMondo wrote:

Tacky, yes. Unethical, probably not.

Well put.

Clem

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