Watch out for deer!

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My wife and I were coming home with a trunk full of groceries the other night, on the highway. Had a pickup following close, lighting up the inside of our car, and had to dim the high beams for an oncoming car. Deer ran across from our left side, barely had time to brake. Pulled over, checked on the deer (killed instantly), saw coolant leaking. Turned around, went back to town and parked in the back of a GM dealer, just as the temp gauge started climbing. Called a friend who came and got us and our groceries. Nobody hurt, just the car. Still bummed though, it was a nice car, 56000 miles on it. Have insurance, will talk to the adjuster tomorrow. Hopefully they will be fair with us.
 
Do people in deer areas ever put brush bumpers on automobiles?

You were unlucky to hit the deer and lucky to not be hurt yourself. This kind of thing worries me when I keep a car for a long time and keep it in excellent condition. A hit like this can lose you a very nice car with the insurance settlement that has a lot of life in it and because the average car that age is worth nothing you take a big loss.

Maybe you've got your deer hit out of the way and won't hit another one for a long, long time.
 
Lots of people in my part of "Upstate" New York (parenthesis used because upstate is a vague term) own Buick Regals.

It's as if I've seen that very car in that very condition 5 times before.

Glad you're OK.
 
"Maybe you've got your deer hit out of the way and won't hit another one for a long, long time."

Last one was 25 years ago, so hopefully at least that long for the next one.
 
Michigan averages close to 50,000 vehicle-deer accidents annually, with a about a dozen annual human deaths. I'm glad that you are o.k.. They recommend here NOT to attempt to swerve to miss the deer, since that often causes worse results.

I hope everything turns out well for you.
 
"I hope everything turns out well for you."

Thanks, hopefully the insurance company is good to deal with. That portion of the highway is bad for deer, so I was going 5 -10 mph under the speed limit. I would have had to been driving way under the speed limit to brake in time, but driving that slow on a highway is dangerous.
 
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Did you get to keep the deer ? I know some that actually go
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and would kill for some venison...
 
Make sure that BEFORE you accept a settlement from the insurance company, they send you a listing of the comparable vehicles ("comps") that they are using to decide how much your car is worth. Because of the low miles, meticulous care, and great condition, there may be zero truly comparable vehicles. Your car really is rather exceptional. Go through every detail of the "comps" they send you. They might be including older cars, cars with higher miles, or lesser-equipped cars because, again, there are very few cars like your gem. Make sure to protest the inclusion of any car that is lesser than yours in any way.

Disclaimer: some insurance companies aren't out to getcha, so it might be fine

Disclaimer: I don't have any first-hand experience dealing with this in Canada but we have similar legal systems and a lot of the same insurance companies
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Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Do people in deer areas ever put brush bumpers on automobiles?


I run Crown Vics for work since you can get push bars for them off the shelf. Trucks also.
 
Quote:
Make sure that BEFORE you accept a settlement from the insurance company, they send you a listing of the comparable vehicles ("comps") that they are using to decide how much your car is worth.

Hadn't thought of that, Thanks. I was thinking I would tell them to replace it with a similar or better car if they give a lowball estimate.
 
"No airbag deployment? "

No, luckily. The bumper was damaged, but I suppose not hit hard enough to trigger the airbags.
 
If it helps with giving an idea of value, my 2000 Toyota Camry was totaled last year with a little over 200k miles. The value was $3450 with the faded paint and high mileage. If it were in great shape the value was $3950. I bought it back.

If you’re handy it looks like you might be able to buy it back cheap and put a radiator, headlight, and a hood on it if you want a dedicated winter beater to keep the salt off another vehicle.
 
"If you’re handy it looks like you might be able to buy it back cheap and put a radiator, headlight, and a hood on it if you want a dedicated winter beater to keep the salt off another vehicle."

I'm probably too dang fussy, if the paint didn't perfectly match I'd end up getting the whole thing
painted of something silly like that, and end up with a way over-priced Lesabre
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.
 
The insurance talk reminded me of this.

My PARKED CAR (1985 Chrysler LeBaron) was hit an insured motorist in 1996 IIRC.

Their adjuster came by, placed his business card in the windshield wiper with something like $670 written on it.

I scared up ALL my receipts (including those for an engine rebuild) and it came to something like $3,700.

I mailed them copies all neatly stapled together and that total is what they paid me.

ERGO: If you don't save and organize your car receipts.....you could miss out.
 
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