Yesterday, I composed a post about what happened to my beloved Envoy. Most of what I wrote has changed.
I received a call today from my insurance company. It was the guy who has to come out and look at the vehicle. He told me that my vehicle was in very good shape even though he's 8 (that's no surprise), and then he gave me the great news, it can be repaired after all.
They arranged to have him sent to the shop of my choice. I chose a shop outside of Atlanta, in which I have previously featured one of their employees cars on this very same site.
Stay tuned, I will be featuring his progression...
Thank you God. But that Nissan Sentra driving "I'm so stupid, I leave my magnetic key underneath my car, nobody could steal my car, and I can lie to my insurance company to get over on them" smuck is still going down... Because the fact of the matter was all of this could have easily been avoided. Lil Fly...
GMC Envoy category
Showing posts with label GMC Envoy. Show all posts
In Loving Memory Of....
Apr 28, 2011
First things first, I do apologize for being missing in action, but something came up, and that's the reason for this post and you know there had to be something for me to miss going to New York.
Ever since the existence of Doing Donuts With Bernie, I expressed my love of a particular vehicle... my own. I've created a blog post about him, I've mentioned him in several, several posts. And I quote from the post "I consider my 2003 GMC Envoy SLT my baby. Sounds weird, but I can trust my truck more easily than I can with most people." I bought him on the Monday that Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in 2007 from Critz GMC in Savannah, GA.
Well, on April 26th at 8:45pm, I was involved in a hit and run in midtown Atlanta. The guys driving "stolen" a 2008 Red Nissan Sentra with the license plate "Lil Fly" (registered in Fulton County in Georgia) made a left in front of me. They saw me coming, but decided to make the left anyway. I swerved as much as I could, but what I tried to do wasn't enough, and I was hit on my right front fender (sounds more minor than what it really was). The "thieves" took off as far as they could to a Rite Aid shopping center, abandoned the vehicle, leaving me on Monroe Drive in shock and anger, having my three witnesses comforting me.
My insurance company rendered my ROS (Ray of Sunshine) a total loss. If you take a look above, I lost half of my bumper, a fog light, my hood was hit, my right front fender is touching my tire, I couldn't open my passenger door all the way, my head light glass broke, my parking light glass was broken, the right chrome part of my grille is gone, my radiator was busted because it was leaking, and I'm sure there's more under the hood that suffered. I know some people were calling me that fixes cars by the tow yard. I'm a highly selective person. I don't go to people in the hood to fix cars because they may be cheap, but they won't go a good job. You'll have to go back there more times than necessary. I rather spend the money for it to be done right. But I can't spend the money to fix him, the insurance company is rendering him as done.
I labeled this post as "Stupid People" because my insurance company heard from the owner of the Sentra. She said herself, and told the owner that his story doesn't sound right. Something isn't right in his story. It's full of bull and he'll be called out on it.
But this post isn't about the ignorance of those who live in this world, it's about my loss. I didn't see getting a new vehicle in the near future. I did put that I wanted to customize my truck, I even wrote that I didn't want to trade him. He's taken me up and down the Eastern Seaboard, to Louisville, to Memphis, and most importantly, mix him with my strong will is what got me out of Savannah, GA.
All I could do was cry... I know some people say "It's just a car", but he wasn't. I loved him. Despite these high gas prices, I made sure he had gas, I kept him maintained. Just like me, he didn't look his age. He was 8, but the only way you knew that was that he had both a tape and CD player, if you looked at his high miles (He went out with almost 188,000 miles), or if you ran his VIN. I could easily fool people cause I took pride in how he looked, even if he was stock and only had window decals on him. It was me and my truck, until a few days ago. I may have walked away unscathed, but I lost a piece of me.
I'm holding back the tears as I typed this, because I hate that I had to suffered for other's ignorance. If you gonna take something from me, go for something I could care less about. I don't get attached to people or things easily, but I loved and miss my 2003 GMC Envoy.
He survived in the Bronx but it took an drunken, ignorant, Southern "I drive a Nissan Sentra" smuck to take him out of this world. And because of that smuck, I couldn't go back home (New York) and had to miss the New York Auto Show. You took my truck and you temporarily took New York away from me, as GOD as my witness, you will pay.
***Update*** See the updated post, There Is A God, My Envoy Will Live
Ever since the existence of Doing Donuts With Bernie, I expressed my love of a particular vehicle... my own. I've created a blog post about him, I've mentioned him in several, several posts. And I quote from the post "I consider my 2003 GMC Envoy SLT my baby. Sounds weird, but I can trust my truck more easily than I can with most people." I bought him on the Monday that Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in 2007 from Critz GMC in Savannah, GA.
Well, on April 26th at 8:45pm, I was involved in a hit and run in midtown Atlanta. The guys driving "stolen" a 2008 Red Nissan Sentra with the license plate "Lil Fly" (registered in Fulton County in Georgia) made a left in front of me. They saw me coming, but decided to make the left anyway. I swerved as much as I could, but what I tried to do wasn't enough, and I was hit on my right front fender (sounds more minor than what it really was). The "thieves" took off as far as they could to a Rite Aid shopping center, abandoned the vehicle, leaving me on Monroe Drive in shock and anger, having my three witnesses comforting me.
My insurance company rendered my ROS (Ray of Sunshine) a total loss. If you take a look above, I lost half of my bumper, a fog light, my hood was hit, my right front fender is touching my tire, I couldn't open my passenger door all the way, my head light glass broke, my parking light glass was broken, the right chrome part of my grille is gone, my radiator was busted because it was leaking, and I'm sure there's more under the hood that suffered. I know some people were calling me that fixes cars by the tow yard. I'm a highly selective person. I don't go to people in the hood to fix cars because they may be cheap, but they won't go a good job. You'll have to go back there more times than necessary. I rather spend the money for it to be done right. But I can't spend the money to fix him, the insurance company is rendering him as done.
I labeled this post as "Stupid People" because my insurance company heard from the owner of the Sentra. She said herself, and told the owner that his story doesn't sound right. Something isn't right in his story. It's full of bull and he'll be called out on it.
But this post isn't about the ignorance of those who live in this world, it's about my loss. I didn't see getting a new vehicle in the near future. I did put that I wanted to customize my truck, I even wrote that I didn't want to trade him. He's taken me up and down the Eastern Seaboard, to Louisville, to Memphis, and most importantly, mix him with my strong will is what got me out of Savannah, GA.
All I could do was cry... I know some people say "It's just a car", but he wasn't. I loved him. Despite these high gas prices, I made sure he had gas, I kept him maintained. Just like me, he didn't look his age. He was 8, but the only way you knew that was that he had both a tape and CD player, if you looked at his high miles (He went out with almost 188,000 miles), or if you ran his VIN. I could easily fool people cause I took pride in how he looked, even if he was stock and only had window decals on him. It was me and my truck, until a few days ago. I may have walked away unscathed, but I lost a piece of me.
I'm holding back the tears as I typed this, because I hate that I had to suffered for other's ignorance. If you gonna take something from me, go for something I could care less about. I don't get attached to people or things easily, but I loved and miss my 2003 GMC Envoy.
He survived in the Bronx but it took an drunken, ignorant, Southern "I drive a Nissan Sentra" smuck to take him out of this world. And because of that smuck, I couldn't go back home (New York) and had to miss the New York Auto Show. You took my truck and you temporarily took New York away from me, as GOD as my witness, you will pay.
***Update*** See the updated post, There Is A God, My Envoy Will Live
Bernie's Test Drive: 2010 GMC Acadia SLE
Apr 1, 2011
At the AJC International Car Show, they always have test drives. General Motors had theirs and I wanted to see what GMC replaced the Envoy with.
And I drove it around downtown Atlanta. It wasn't bad... at all. Let's talk specs.
Width: 78.2 in.
Height: 72.8 in.
Length: 200.7 in.
Wheel base: 118.9 in.
18 x 7.5 in. wheels
Base engine size: 3.6 L
Cylinders: V6
Horsepower: 288 hp @ 6300 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed shiftable automatic
EPA mileage est. (cty/hwy): 17/24 mpg
As great as the handling was and as smooth as the ride was, I like it, but not that much to add to my radar. I don't like the third row of seats, it kind of ruins the trunk space, just like the Envoy XL. It has about the same amount of horsepower as an Envoy, it's slightly better on gas. I love the shape of it, but if I were to get an Acadia, I would burn that third row.
And I drove it around downtown Atlanta. It wasn't bad... at all. Let's talk specs.
Width: 78.2 in.
Height: 72.8 in.
Length: 200.7 in.
Wheel base: 118.9 in.
18 x 7.5 in. wheels
Base engine size: 3.6 L
Cylinders: V6
Horsepower: 288 hp @ 6300 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed shiftable automatic
EPA mileage est. (cty/hwy): 17/24 mpg
As great as the handling was and as smooth as the ride was, I like it, but not that much to add to my radar. I don't like the third row of seats, it kind of ruins the trunk space, just like the Envoy XL. It has about the same amount of horsepower as an Envoy, it's slightly better on gas. I love the shape of it, but if I were to get an Acadia, I would burn that third row.
Bernie's Favorite: Bernie's Baby, Her Ray of Sunshine.
Jun 28, 2010
(Very good, Consumer Report)This isn't him, but it's his twin. He's the same exact color: Silver Green Metallic (GMC's version of Olive Green). Ain't he cute...I consider my 2003 GMC Envoy SLT my baby. Sounds weird, but I can trust my truck more easily than I can with most people.
Other than the mere fact that when I get gas and if I don’t put the gas cap on super tight, the check engine light comes on, I don’t have any problems with him.
Let’s go over my Ray of Sunshine’s (ROS) Specs, shall we:
He is 191.6 inches long, 74.7 inches wide and he’s 6 feet tall (You know I like 'em tall). His wheelbase is only 113 inches, so I could put 24s on him, but I wouldn’t because it would be tight and by tight, I don’t mean hot. Plus with the way I move, it's best to go with 22s, even better would be 21s.
His engine is a 4.2L V6 that gives me 275 hp @ 6000 rpm, but he’s RWD. Fuel wise, forget it. He can take 22 gallons of gas, but his EPA claims to be 16 mpg City and 22 mpg highway. However when I take ROS on the road, I’ve gotten 12.5 city and 22.5 highway.
I lucked out and got the SLT one. Within the 2003 line, there’s only two: the base model which is the SLE, and then the more top of the line one, the SLT. The Denalis weren’t out yet, but that’s okay. So my interior has leather seats with the memory setting, woodgrain, Bose sound system, dual temperature settings, CD/Cassette player (Moms is mad that I still have a cassette player and she doesn’t, so she can’t play her “Best of Al Jerreau” Cassette). Oooh and he has On Star, but I never activated it, and the seats are uber comfy, especially on a road trip.
I thought about it but I wouldn’t trade him. He’s taken me all over the place. He helped me leave that god-awful Chatham County, He took me to New York to Florida, back and forth from Atlanta to Savannah, even up to Memphis and Louisville. I went to car shows, events, and video shoots, he even has a cameo a Plies video. And yes, he's been to Yankee Stadium. You already forgot who's SUV this is???)
But he can’t stay stock forever. I really need to get some tint on my front windows (not to be cool, but for SECURITY REASONS), since some guys are crazy. I would have to get the leather restored, but that's down the line. I want to upgrade the wheels: Maybe the Asanti AF 143 with some color matching going on. And I would love to keep his same unique color because he’s not a common color, but I want to enhance it with some candy coating, and replace the grill so that it’s not the black, hard plastic one. His body has normal wear and tear, but unfortunately when I took him to Strokers, one of the dancers took her keys to his passenger door. And I was heated when I first saw it. Why are girls jealous? Believe me, I don't want your job or your "clientele"...
I have some other things in mind for him, but you’ll have to stay tuned for that. But I will promise that he'll never have a body kit or altezza lights.
And he'll never look like this either. The right side of the vehicle in this photo didn't look much better either...
