a story about spare tires and front air dams

well its been awhile since i've been on. i think most of you will agree with me when i say that life and bad luck have a way of working together sometimes to throw you into a tailspin.

but now to my real problem, im cruising home this morning from a halo3 session at my friends place and i was cruising maybe doing ~40mph when i drive through this intersection. i didnt slow down cuz the light was green and then i saw that there was a spare tire right in the middle of my lane. i didn't even notice it until i was right on top of it.

so i hit it and i could tell i was dragging it under my front bumper so i pulled over and noticed that my red "aero" light was on. the tire was lodged under my bumper pretty tight so i had to do a hard launch in reverse to get it out and then i got back out to inspect the damage. my whole front active aero is crumpled like paper and almost scraping the ground... god knows what other damage. this couldn't come at a worse time because im trying to sell my car right now so i can afford to move out ($7500 obo if anyone in WA is interested, probably less if i dont fix this, lol).

so what would be the cost of parts for a whole new front aero system? is this something i could do myself even though i'm an astonishingly bad mechanic? i have to wait to call my insurance company too see if this is covered but even if it is i think i still have to pay a $300 deductible but i think i only have liability.

probably more than 300. I know you can get just the plastic for around that much (new)...but if any of the mechanical linkage or motor is broke it will be more. You can probably get what you need from someone doing a partout on 3si or maybe someone who went to an aftermarket bumper.

the first thing i'd do is see if the motor still works and see how bent the linkages are. The linkages are pretty easy to bend back strait if thats the only problem...then you just have to get a new plastic piece. I actually have a spare (slightly damaged), but its back at the parents house in NY :/

okay, well ive got some stuff to do for a little while but i'll get under the car at my next opportunity and have a look around and see how much damage the tire really did.

a lot of people get rid of the active aero for weight savings. You could always just lower the car and that'll take care of any extra aerodynamic benefits it could have given.

I know how you feel. I haven't had the best of luck lately and I have been looking high and low for a new airdamn, good thing I don't need AA.

well the cars already a little lowered on the tein-s springs. i think ill just leave it the way it is and knock the cost off the price of the car because i should be selling it in the next month or two.

and as if my luck was bad enough recently, my friend saw a cat on my car and scared it or something and it started to slip off my hood and dropped its claws to try to get traction and now theres six big 'ol scratches from the center of my hood to the bumper.... man life really piles it on sometimes, lol.

at least that should buff out