Lexusconvert?

Just driving along on a nice back road in my car doing the speed limit when a deer ran into the road I slammed on the breaks but still hit him pretty hard. Dont have pics of the car but it looks pretty bad. Im just not sure if its totalled or not the appraiser will look at it monday.

Itchytoe

How fast were you going? With a 20 mph speed, the deer probably didn't total your car, but at 50, you can skip the estimate cause it's totaled.

deadlyklappy12887

i almost hit a deer going 80 one time swerved out of the way..funny thing was i noticed a deer on the side of the road first cuz of our wide beam headlights and then when i looked back in front of the car there was one standing right in the middle of the lane...ive heard other people say it too but i just dont get how a car could be totaled from it i mean obviously theres gonna be thousands worth of damage but totaled? whenever i hear that word i think of getting rear ended or hitting a cement wall like you see on the car commercials showing off a cars safety rating

Itchytoe

To total a car, you only have to do damage estimated at about 75% of the vehicle cost. Our cars are 30,000 new so 22,500 in damages would total a new one. Retail on an '06 is about 20,000 now, so 15,000 in damage would total it. 15,000 isn't alot of damage, especially if there's suspension damage. That can get very costly very quickly. After you add up the costs of new headlights, a bumper, hood, quarterpannel, radiator (cause antlers don't really agree with radiators), a new wheel and tire (again cause antlers don't agree with tires), new airbags and all the parts that go with them, miscelanous plastic parts under the hood, instalation, repainting, and realignment, 15,000 isn't that much. Once you factor in the fact that cars are built to fall apart in a wreck, because it's so much safer for the vehicle to be severly damaged than the driver, it's more surprising to see a vehicle not totaled than it is to see one that is.

Lexusconvert?

I was doing 40-45 but i saw him on the side when he ran out so i slammed on the brakes impact speed was probably 15-20mph. Both headlights are broken, the grill is pushed way back and the bumper is messed up. Hood is bent back radiator brken hood supports and some of the plastic and metal is broken. No airbags deployed or wheels or tires damaged but a whole lot of plastic and engine and elitrical stuff is broken on the car so im hoping its totalled.

Itchytoe

Hmmm, at that speed, you'd have to wait for the body shop to finish the estimate. Since no airbags deployed and it sounds like most of the damage is cosmetic, I don't think it will be totaled, but certainly can't gaurentee anything.

Lexusconvert?

There is alot of engine stuff that is messed up. The engine looks to be pushed back. The car started making weird noises then i cut it off. We were not able to open the hood to see the extent of the engine damage but i know the car was leaking various fluids. Monday the appraisar will check the car out and see what all is wrong and i will know then if its totalled or not. I hope so i dont want to pay the $1000 deductible and i do kind of want a new car.

LuvMyTSX

'Tis the season. Gotta be real careful out there. At least your are ok, as the car can be fixed/replaced.

I almost ran over a freshly hit one last week. The person who hit it was still on the other side of the road just sitting there. The deer happened to be in the middle of my lane and I saw it at the last second, just nicking its head as I swerved around it.

litesout

I'm glad you're alright. That's a scary experience. I see deer almost every night when I drive home.

So, how full is your freezer after the incident?

1Louder

Hitting a deer can be serious business. Glad you are OK. I've clipped a couple in my life myself...

I don't know if I'd get your hopes up on a total. I'd be surprised if the engine damage was that extensive if the air bags didn't deploy. Probably some parts getting caught up in the belts or something. But you'll know for sure soon enough.

Last one I hit left deer-guts all over the engine compartment. I actually pulled into a gas station and had to wash the front of the car off with a window washer. Car was drivable, but when I finished the trip the car smelled like cooked deer. It eventually got straightened out - car was reparied with no problem.

LuvMyTSX

^ That last part makes me want to yack.

I almost hit one the very first day I picked up my car. Man would that have been terrible.

I remember one time back in college, one of my friends came home upset one night because she hit a deer and had fur stuck in her grille.

crazie

My girl's friend died from hiting a deer because its horn's or w/e went into her body.
Sux about the accident. Be thankful you're alive tho.

nj2pa2nc

I used to have to go to work at dawn and leave for home at dusk. I drove past corn fields so had many deer cross the roads in my travels. I was stopped one time to let a doe cross and a buck ran right into the front of my truck. (over $5,000 damage and the buck ran off)

Lexusconvert?

Thanks to everyone who wished me well. Im glad im not hurt cant say the same for the car though. Update from the insurance company they forgot to add headlights as part of the parts they ordered. So the estimate will be higher than originally which was 6150 in damages. Does anyone know how to attach pics so i can share the damage with everyone.

Jeepsquad

You have to upload the pics to a host site (such as Flickr or Photobucket) and then insert the URL using the "Insert Image" icon.

FYI: I'm curious to see the damage pics.

Lexusconvert?

Here is a few photos of the TSX looks pretty bad i hope they total it. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28181067@N06/

EuRTSX

Doesn't look like they'll end up totalling it. However that's up to the appraiser. From what I see, it doesn't seem like they'll do it.

1Louder

That didn't deploy the airbag??? Wow. If the car was 10 years old that might be a total, but unless the engine is wiped out I bet it's ~$6000.

Itchytoe

I agree, it doesn't look totaled, and I'm surprised the airbag didn't deploy. From the pics, most of the damage looks cosmetic. Can't say the same for the deer though.

nj2pa2nc

my daughter hit a tree a few years back (the airbags did not go off-even tho the front was hit dead center.) The car was totaled-

Lexusconvert?

Original estimate was 6150 in damages now its 7500 since they found a few other things damaged.

mchant

Damn, that sucks to hit a deer. Does insurance cover it if you hit an animal? I'm thankful i live where there are rarely any animals in the road. There are only dead squirrels and skunks on the ground.

Lexusconvert?

Yeah insurance does cover it. I want the car totalled.

Dktran31

damn man that sucks! I almost hit a deer doing 60 in northern VA, a year ago, but thank god I didnt, i hope insurance takes care of it for you!

Lexusconvert?

They will but i have to still pay the deductible. $1000

03uc1

iTrader: (1)

i'm glad that you're okay and no one was hurt. it would be nice if the insurance would total the car, so you can start from scratch. goodluck!

Lexusconvert?

Ok car was supposed to be done on monday still in the body shop.

Lexusconvert?

Update still in body shop. Sucks.

LuvMyTSX

Hopefully this means they are fixing it properly.

EOrton

I feel ya! I hit a deer 2 years ago and oddly enough had $7500 in damages as well. I was sick to my stomach when I could see the hood crunched up, and my grille/passenger side headlight stick up vertical from inside the car. One of the worst feelings I've ever felt. They fixed it up really well and you can't even tell anything happened to it though.

RogerPodacter

I hit a deer with my tsx that was 1 month old at the time! I felt so mad and upset i couldn't even explain it. That was my first car i ever bought, brand new, right out of college. But they fixed up the car so well i can't even tell anything happened.

stlswagger

Wow after you get your car fixed, you should talk to your insurance company to drop your deductible. Mine deductible is only $100.

losothefatso

At least you didn't hit a elephant.

Lexusconvert?

Update got car back a week ago. Looks brand new. Lowered the deductible in case this happens again which i hope it doesnt. Car has been making a few noises so I am getting that fixed if i can fix it 09 TSX here i come.

jtapex

My ex rear-ended a Subaru with her 06 and caused over $10,000 in damage to the front of her car but the air bags did not deploy. They are designed not to deploy in low speed crashes and that's a good thing--they are not needed. It is amazing how much damage the TSX sustained in a low speed hit. The Subaru hardly looked like it had been hit, though it obviously had some damage.

vtecbsan703i

sorry to hear about the accident, yeah i just wrecked my tsx the other day when a car decided to stop in the middle of a 55 mph road, i hydroplaned into the back of the car going like 50, my deductable is $1000 dollars it sucks ! and they estimated it would cost around 6000 dollars

akk944

image is cut off, but it doesn't seem that the repair would cost that much.. man bodywork is expensive!

davidspalding

A friend's Explorer was a total write-off with a little bit of body damage ... because all the air bags blew. Oh, yeeeaaaaah, when those babies go, replacing them (AND the sensors) is mighty pricey, and could cost more than the car is worth.

TSX408

^^^Oshi