A Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is now a write off. A truck tire exploded right next to it. How bad does it look?
It may be difficult to take in that the explosion of a tire can send a car, that is almost brand-new, straight to the scrap yard. But the insurance company representatives decided that it was for the best. The decision was preceded by an incident on a road in Russia. The tire of a truck exploded right as the Mercedes-Benz GLE was driving by it.
There was no direct contact between the Benz and the truck whatsoever. But the blast set off the airbags on the right side plus the airbag of the front passenger. It also smashed the right side windows and tore off the right side mirror.
The shattered glass forced through the dashboard and center console, leaving deep marks into them. It also splintered the airbags, but they had already done their job, protecting the passenger.
The force of the explosion also drew out the sunroof of the car.
The insurance company eventually decided to write off the car following the incident, since the cost of the repair exceed the current market value of the car.
Will the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe really end up in a scrap yard?
It is quite unlikely though that the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe ends up in a scrap yard. The Russians are quite famous for fixing cars that were write-offs and sending them back onto the road as if nothing ever happened.
The write-off Benz would thus be one of the cars with the fewest number of problems once its issues are solved. The sunroof, the right side windows and the mirror need replacement. The dashboard and the center console require fixing as well. There are a few dents in the right front door, but that is quite a minor issue. The airbag system though will be quite a nuisance to fix.
