With the snow here near Seattle and that I live at the highest elevation in the city, it was not unexpected to slide sideways into a curb leaving my sloped driveway. No visible body damage, but front wheel scared up, and maybe rear wheel as well. Those I could live with, but I knocked the toe out of alignment, so the steering is off center a bit. That means something is bent. Claim filed, I'll call shop tomorrow and see when they can get it in for the estimate. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
Hello fellow Seattle-ite! We haven’t even made it up our sloped driveway. Tried today after shoveling, but the layer of slush is slick! This car is great in the snow on level terrain, but not going up or downhill. I’m thinking the tires are optimized for low rolling resistance vs. all season.
2018 Clarity here - in snowy Ontario.. 1st time I got on snow with the original tires .. I 'inched' home and wouldn't drive it again until I got snows - I have never driven on 'slicks' before. Just replaced the original summer only tires with Continental all-season so I don't get stuck in the swing seasons - will continue to use the snows
Soonest I can get it in for an estimate is next Tuesday. Yeah not the greatest all-weather tires I've driven on, but not the worst, either. If I weren't planning to be retired by this time next year, I'd get a set of winter wheels and tires. After the first 8"dump, there was only one day I truly couldn't get out if necessary, and that was due to ground clearance. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
Got the estimate yesterday. The wheel damage is repairable, one tire needs to be replaced, and an alignment. So the body shop estimate is ~$375 plus whatever the wheel repair subcontract costs; total expected to be in the $7-800 range. Compared to a lot of the other people who hit stuff in the snow, I got off easy. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
An update. I called them yesterday. Shortly after I got the estimate, 80% of the shop got covid and they shut down for two weeks. They're just digging out from the backup and will order the tire this week. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
Another update. Schedules finally aligned and the car went to the shop last Monday. Turns out the wheel repair shop was under renovation and about half closed, so the wheels won't be back until tomorrow or Tuesday. Another day or two for the alignment and I should have it back by Wednesday. The rental car place was out of what I reserved, so they upgraded me to a Jeep Cherokee. It's nice, but I find driving ICE ... uncivilized. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
I had hoped to make a final update today, but it's not to be. The more badly damaged wheel couldn't be brought to true, so they are going to have to order one from Honda. When they get an ETA for the wheel, I'll get a time for getting my Clarity back. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
FINALLY got my car back yesterday. One new wheel and tire, one repaired wheel, one repainted wheel insert, and a fresh alignment. Total about $1850, deductible $250. Rental was about $1100. None of the delays were due to the body shop. They were due to the wheel repair place being slow then waiting for the replacement wheel from Honda. Gene 2020 Honda Clarity Sent from my Pixel 3 using Inside EVs mobile app
These are the kinds of stories that make me think twice about driving in severe weather conditions, knowing that any damage to my Clarity could take months to repair.
Good to know you got the Clarity back and no one was hurt. Thanks for sharing the experience with us too.
