Hitting something on the freeway

**goback** · 17-12-2017, 08:51 PM

Last Monday, driving on the Monash freeway the car in front suddenly bounces up in the air. In the next half second I see the huge metal piece bouncing along the freeway towards me, lanes are full and there is a truck behind me, so I just grimace and try to clear it. Unfortunately it went under the car with lots of noise and the rear tyre went over the object. I tried to get off the freeway as soon as possible but coming across three lanes was difficult. The car in front kept driving with a cloud of oil smoke trailing behind.
Initially I thought I had a just a flat tyre which I changed and had replaced later the same day. The tyre guy said he looked under the front and found no problems.

Come Saturday morning I start driving and there is an awful squeaking from the front suspension. After shopping I go home jack up the front and remove the front wheel to find the subframe where the lower wishbone attaches all bashed in and missing a huge piece. So now I'm wondering if this will write off the car.

I've been very happy with it. A base 90tsi built in April 2013 and I bought it on sale in December 2013. 70,000km of faultless service and a great DSG with no worries. It was even delivered with German handbook and service manual. I was going to keep it until it dropped.

**Umai Naa!!** · 17-12-2017, 09:39 PM

Subframe is a bolt-in affair.

As far as parts and labour go, it wouldn't be enough to write the car off.

**JustCruisn** · 19-12-2017, 07:46 PM

Call your insurance company.

**iampivot** · 20-12-2017, 10:02 AM

No dashcam footage of the incident?

**goback** · 20-12-2017, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by iampivot

No dashcam footage of the incident?

No, unfortunately.

The insurance company has given a claim number and the car has been sent to specialist in underbody damage. The manager there said they have to check on all the suspension components as well as driveline to ensure the damage is not beyond the subframe.

**Rooboy** · 02-01-2018, 08:11 AM

Not as bad as your incident but there was an 80 x 80 cm piece of aluminium cladding sitting on the side of the freeway that the draft of the truck in front sucked into my path. Looking at the way it sliced my number plate I was happy it didn't hit the windscreen. I've ended up with a couple of scrapes on the bumper and airdam lip while the passenger side lower intake grille has been pushed in a bit.