[90503]

Those darn manuals....lol...Ouch....

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a3...-transmission/

2006 ford gt crashJOHN PEDDLE / FACEBOOK
A Ford GT owner in Boca Raton, Florida crashed his recently purchased supercar into a tree Friday evening because he was "unfamiliar with how to drive stick shift," police say.

The driver, 50-year-old Robert J. Guarini, told cops he lost control after downshifting while leaving his housing development at around 6 p.m, a police report says. This led to a head-on collision with a palm tree. Guarini then told a nearby security worker that he did not have his phone and needed a ride back to his house, where he spoke to authorities via landline after leaving the vehicle unattended, the report says.

Though the police report says Guarini told officers the crash was caused by inexperience with a manual transmission, the Ford GT owner told Road & Track over the phone that there was more to the event. Guarini claims old tires, muddy pavement, and a fresh detailing were all factors causing the 550-horsepower supercar to swing out and hit a tree. The driver also told R&T the crash occurred as he shifted up into second gear from first, not while downshifting, as the official report says.

“I don’t want people to think I was racing at 90 mph," Guarini says. "I was going 35 mph.”

From the police report, it's unclear if speed played a role in the crash.

Facebook user John Peddle's photos from the crash site show that the damage is limited to the front third of the car. The hit was substantial enough to trigger multiple airbags, disable the vehicle, and cause the GT to slide far enough after hitting the tree that it blocked a nearby sidewalk.

Though police say the car was not registered or insured when the crash occurred, Guarini claims the car was covered under an umbrella policy and that he just didn't have the documentation available when the crash happened.

The police report's listed VIN indicates the car was purchased at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach in early April for $704,000, about the going price for a 2006 Heritage Edition GT. That would make replacement a very expensive endeavor.

Guarini was issued a citation for driving with a suspended license and a warning for operating an unregistered vehicle. The 50-year-old claims his license suspension was due to an unrelated department of motor vehicles "clerical error."

[LT1ornothing]

What an absolute tool, he got exactly what he deserved. Idiot with money and no clue on how to operate a manual transmission. I'm sure this jackass just floored it out of pure frustration when he finally grinded 2nd gear into place and then immediately torque steered him right into a tree. Poor Ford GT, truly deserved better.

[TXCSSU]

Originally Posted by 90503

This led to a head-on collision with a palm tree.

There's just got to be a facepalm joke in here somewhere....

[mcintyre1969]

DA

[Jofu]

Dafuq is up with people driving unlicensed and uninsured? And in a $704k car no less? Throw the clown in jail and see if his "umbrella" policy covers his ass.

By the way, no, this kind of crash does not happen at 35mph.

Geoff

[ChevyRules]

So many red flags......

Tells the police one thing....

Tells Road&Track another.....

License suspension is a "clerical error".....

The wax on the car caused it to be too slippery!

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by Jofu

Dafuq is up with people driving unlicensed and uninsured? And in a $704k car no less? Throw the clown in jail and see if his "umbrella" policy covers his ass.

By the way, no, this kind of crash does not happen at 35mph.

Geoff

I’ve sure seen a lot of YouTube videos of Mustangs doing this simply peeling out while turning out from a parking lot. So it’s possible. And it’s also a Ford, lol

[FlukeSS]

Originally Posted by 1LEornothing

What an absolute tool, he got exactly what he deserved. Idiot with money and no clue on how to operate a manual transmission. I'm sure this jackass just floored it out of pure frustration when he finally grinded 2nd gear into place and then immediately torque steered him right into a tree. Poor Ford GT, truly deserved better.

And people wonder why I won't buy a Manual. I can't drive one, fun or not isn't even the point.

[flobb]

Originally Posted by TXCSSU

There's just got to be a facepalm joke in here somewhere....

lol. you win the pun award

[AZIROC]

I made it to the "no insurance" part and was like...damn. thats going to be an EXPENSIVE learning lesson.

[95 imp]

I smell fish....

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by Jofu

Dafuq is up with people driving unlicensed and uninsured? And in a $704k car no less? Throw the clown in jail and see if his "umbrella" policy covers his ass.

By the way, no, this kind of crash does not happen at 35mph.

Geoff

FL does not require auto insurance...

[Crushin_LT1]

Originally Posted by ember1205

FL does not require auto insurance...

I didn't realize that, surprised me how much cheaper my insurance was in FL than the DC area, if this is true.

[Jaxcam02]

Originally Posted by ember1205

FL does not require auto insurance...

Uh yes we do. Its required to register a vehicle with more than 2 wheels. But there are plenty of uninsured drivers in this state who purchase insurance when they buy a car and get it registered then let it lapse. They normally go without insurance until they either get pulled over or crash into some unfortunate bystander.