Just last month, GM Authority wrote about the uniquely customized 2024 GMC Acadia Denali owned by Alyshia Lesley in Canada, who got a blacked-out look for her vehicle rather than the chrome trim and details typical on the trim level.
Now, Alyshia reports on Facebook that, tragically, her new GMC Acadia has been totaled after it was struck by a semi trailer truck while driving on the winter highway.
Fortunately, Alyshia herself is unharmed after the incident, noting in her posts that “she [i.e. the custom ‘Panda’ Acadia] did her job, protected me, and I walked away from it.” To which she added, “at least we can say these cars are tough!!” According to her, a semi truck “lost control on black ice and slammed into me and took me out against the guardrail.”
Photographs from the scene show the luckless ‘Panda’Â GMC Acadia Denali badly smashed up, with the front end crushed and smashed open and the doors crumpled and askew. However, the passenger compartment appears to be nearly untouched, showing the vehicle’s ability to keep its occupants safe while other parts of the machine crumple to absorb impact energy.
Despite the horrendous damage done to the formerly pristine vehicle, Alyshia lucked out in another way as well. Her $13,000 CAD investment in custom work was prudently carried out at the dealership and rolled into the vehicle purchase, giving a final total purchase price of $99,000 CAD.
Since the custom work was done in this fashion, the expense falls under insurance coverage because of a clause that causes the insurance to pay for total replacement. Alyshia will get the whole amount back, not just the basic cost of the crossover itself.
Discussing the even with other posters on Facebook, Alyshia said she intends to buy a GMC Yukon this time. While she avoided the Yukon initially because of fuel costs, the dangers of the highway make an even bigger, burlier vehicle seem desirable, given her frequent use of these high-speed routes.
The Custom ‘Panda’ Acadia Pre-Accident
Alyshia also marveled again at emerging unscathed, describing the ruggedness of the Acadia in light of the fact that “the semi went over part of the hood and grabbed my front end and ripped it off and those aircraft cables on the side of the highway do a f***ing number on vehicles” – an assessment fully borne out by the dramatic images we’ve shared here.
Comments
Good riddance. Don’t do it again.
“those aircraft cables on the side of the highway do a f***ing number on vehicles”
Try crossing the median into oncoming traffic. Cables are wonderful in comparison.
NY banned cable guardrails back in the 1980s because they are dangerous. They cut vehicles to pieces. Cable guard rails are still used in some states, and countries because they are inexpensive.
So the vehicle protects her from a semi crash, and she is concerned and wants an even larger vehicle? People have zero clue how crash protection works. Taller vehicles are worse are high speeds as they can roll over easier. The safest vehicle is a longer and heavier low-profile vehicle like an S-class. The taller you get, the more susceptible to rolling over you are and that significantly increases the risk of death. The unibody vehicles do a far superior job of spreading the crash zones around the vehicle as opposed to a BOF vehicle. Ever seen head on crashes with a unibody and how the rear quarter panels are crinkled? All a heavy big truck is good for is against a smaller vehicle head on, otherwise they are more susceptible to rolling over, have a shorter area to spread the crash zones, have lesser a chance of stopping beforehand or avoiding it all together with their lower maneuverability and greater stopping distances. This same crash in a Yukon may sent her rolling over or over the barricade as the taller vehicles tend to make less contact to the main safety area. To each their own. I would take the biggest sedan as the first safest vehicle, then biggest CUV (as they tend to ride lower with lower center of gravities) and finally BOF trucks/SUV’s.
Crumplezones are great especially after the crash when you wind up in your backseat with the engine in your lap.
I hope she has good insurance and a good lawyer. It’s going to be hell to get the money she is out.
I never drive next to semis except when passing.
“Alyshia will get the whole amount back, not just the basic cost of the crossover itself.”
Please follow up when she gets the premium for her next vehicle. “My rates are going up HOW much??”
Luck , God saved this woman
Sorry for what happened. Still looks like a W/T trim level.
Why is this worthy of an article?