Cool Hand’s car meets deer both lose badly..

[Jerry1]

Yeah, fix the AC and the radiator, call it good enough.

If all I have to do is pay the deductible, I’d get it fixed completely. No reason not to. I wouldn’t be as picky as if it were my main car, but I’d fix it.

 

[MRG]

Ok preliminary verdict is in $3,200 damage car is worth around $5,000 I am going to get it fixed.. hopefully i dont need to spend more than $500.

Notables..
Radiator damaged
A/c damaged

Hoof marks on door. No fooling that what the adjuster told me.

Hoof marks, no problem. A great story for his buddies. Good choice to repair.

Ray be very grateful. I passed a road killed elk today, yeah CH was fortunate to have hoof marks.

 

[Texas Proud]

If all I have to do is pay the deductible, I’d get it fixed completely. No reason not to. I wouldn’t be as picky as if it were my main car, but I’d fix it.

+1, I would fix it fully for $500... it is going to be a hit on insurance so might as well get it done...


Now, you can take the check and fix radiator and AC (not required lol), straighten the light and call it a day...

 

[kitesurfer2]

close to $26,000 to get it fixed properly. took a $20,000 hit on diminished value. now, I HATE deer!!!!

 

[RE2Boys]

I have been hit by a deer twice in the last 10 years and carry a PA insurance policy. My insurance considers a collision with a deer as an act of nature and thus coverage is under the comprehensive portion of my policy and is considered a no-fault event and does not effect my insurance policy costs in any way.
First time caused about $1000 damage to bumper and light assembly but no sheet metal. Replaced lights via ebay, duct taped the bumper to insure no hazard to pedestrians (adequate to pass PA inspections).

Second deer collision totaled the car, received $13K payment. Primarily due to the impact resulted in the side airbags being fully deployed. Other than airbags deployed, rest of damage rather minor (similar to OPs car's damage) and car was drive-able.

 

[spncity]

What did you decide about repairing the vehicle?

How many miles are on it. Has it been reliable vehicle or lemon-flavored?

I'm told that all teen drivers (and maybe older) should be made to drive reliable-and-safe-but-embarrassing (to them) vehicles such as minivans or grandpa cars. It cuts down on accidents. (I don't mean deer, though).

 

[Bamaman]

What did you decide about repairing the vehicle?

How many miles are on it. Has it been reliable vehicle or lemon-flavored?

I'm told that all teen drivers (and maybe older) should be made to drive reliable-and-safe-but-embarrassing (to them) vehicles such as minivans or grandpa cars. It cuts down on accidents. (I don't mean deer, though).

If we'd been forced to drive a minivan back in 1966, we would have loved it. We often ran around in a Barracuda with 12 people stuffed in it. I like pickup trucks with room for two and a half passengers for students--where all the salvage yards have engines, transmissions and body parts sitting there for purchase--cheap.

But I cannot think in #1's case getting a familiar car fixed would work for them.

 

[socca]

I hit a deer as a teenager while driving my Dad's station wagon (remember those? ) back from a white-water rafting trip. It was about 2 am; there were a few friends in the car with me. I was on an outerbelt but managed to slow down to about 40 MPH before striking the deer. The animal fell over heavily on its side and slid out of view to the right. It all happened so fast that I was in shock and crept along at 20 MPH for a few miles after the accident.

The next morning, I went with my Dad to file a police report. The cop seemed pissed that I didn't stop after hitting the deer. This was in the days before cell phones; I'm not not sure what he wanted me to do - euthanize the poor animal with my pocket knife? The car suffered $1,000 damage to the grill but was otherwise OK.

Was that a mortal injury to the deer? I'm not a hunter or a vet so I really don't have any idea. If it was a mortal injury, I hope the animal died quickly.

 

[rayinpenn]

What did you decide about repairing the vehicle?

How many miles are on it. Has it been reliable vehicle or lemon-flavored?

I'm told that all teen drivers (and maybe older) should be made to drive reliable-and-safe-but-embarrassing (to them) vehicles such as minivans or grandpa cars. It cuts down on accidents. (I don't mean deer, though).

Cars in the shop being repaired I’m sure it will take weeks. The care has 140,000 miles and has been a dream car...reliability!

The old gal is a parking lot queen - its an hour and a half drive to his college. It sits, goes out for nearby munchies..

 

[Ronstar]

Glad your son is ok. I’ve hit somewhere between 5 and 10 deer. About 1 per vehicle that I’ve owned. Almost all within 5 miles from home. Got one in my corvette in the street at the end of our driveway at 20 mph. Haven’t got one yet in my 2017 F150. DW doesn’t hit them. Only me.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Ok preliminary verdict is in $3,200 - damage. Car is worth around $5,000 I am going to get it fixed.. hopefully i dont need to spend more than $500 (the deductible).

Notables..what adjuster told me.
Radiator damaged
A/c damaged

Hoof damage on door. Sweet Moses!

Unsolicited advice: Fix only what is necessary to run/pass inspection. Keep the rest towards the eventual replacement vehicle.

 

[ncbill]

Waiting on an adjuster to come by today...my oldest kid hit a deer coming back from a reception last Saturday night (graduated from undergrad Friday)

Hope they won't total it out...it is an old SL500 coupe in otherwise great shape with only ~80,000 miles.

 

[Sunset]

Glad your son is ok. I’ve hit somewhere between 5 and 10 deer. About 1 per vehicle that I’ve owned. Almost all within 5 miles from home. Got one in my corvette in the street at the end of our driveway at 20 mph. Haven’t got one yet in my 2017 F150. DW doesn’t hit them. Only me.

If you put crash bars on the front of your 150, or a small plow, it might save the 150 from damage, and with your record of hitting deer, it could be cheaper than hunting.

 

[freedomatlast]

Are you kidding me? That looks fine. I would have that fixed and keep driving it. Heck, I'm thinking about making you an offer.

I agree with Bigdawg. Don't write that off yet. Find someone with even average mechanical skills and you will have that back on the road for less than a couple of hundred bucks. Don't drive it anymore though till you determine what is leaking and why. I'm sure it won't be anythhing too serious.

 

[Texas Proud]

I was just thinking.... you could do what my neighbor did many years ago...


He unbolted the quarter panel and hammered it out himself to a reasonable shape of what it was and bolted it back on... saved lots of money and it actually was not that bad looking...

 

[freedomatlast]

Yes, like the OP, I also live in Pennsylvania. My son was in an accident in 2012 (other party's fault). The car only had cosmetic damage - cracked front bumper, crumpled fender, and scratches/dents down the passenger side. But, it was 16 years old with 100k miles and was deemed totalled (State Farm repair estimate was over $3k).

Anyway, we bought it back from State Farm for about $400, and had it "recertified" so we could drive it again.

In PA, there's a list of state inspection shops that can do the recertification process for you. It entails a safety inspection, checking that no body work sticks out, the doors open correctly, etc. They also need to take a number of photos and then send all the paperwork into the DMV. It takes a couple of weeks before you get a new recertified title, replacing the totalled title. I think my shop charged about $300 for the inspection and paperwork.

Note, we did not fix any of the bodywork, fender, or bumper, and we're still driving it 7 years later.

If it's drivable, it would be worthwhile to find a shop close by that does recertifications and get their opinion on exactly what would need to be fixed to qualify for a recertified title.

In PA, if the insurance company totals the vehicle and you buy it back, they take your clean title and issue you a salvage certificate. After any necessary repairs, you then take it to certified shop where they send in the paperwork, including the salvage certificate, with pictures and you are issued a title branded with an "R" which stands for "Reconstructed".