I really feel you should fix and keep that. That looks like a real nice car without a lot of miles. No way should that come anything close to 4k to fix. Obviously you need a new hood w/grille, but I can't tell from the pic whether the left fender could be straightened or replaced. I got a new rad for my SD for $170. Bet you r hoses are OK, but they are cheap anyway. Get a used hood, lights from a parts car, get it sprayed. I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get this done for 2K even if you have to replace the A/C condenser.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

"Hello Deer"

:I'll hit that"

$4K price tag

Hey nice car. Keep it and find a parts car. Set yourself up with replacement parts on the cheap and DIY if possible.

So what did you do with the animal? Is it legal to BBQ them?

Good Luck dude.

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

We don't have to worry much about deer here in North Texas, but these armadillos will leave quite a dent in the oil pan!

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Oh heck yeah. You can fix that. Not anywhere near as bad as I expected. Most of the parts are bolt-on. Try and see if ya can't find the right color parts while you are at it. May take longer and parts have to come a longer distance, but then you can avoid painting right away if ya want.

it looks pretty superficial to me. if you can find a parts car most of the damage looks as if it can be repaired in you r garage if you are handy. i fixed one a lot worse than this and put it on the road for my son... come to think of it i fixed that one twice almost same damage each time. it is easier the second time as the metal has a memory.

seriously, it doesnt look as if you have any frame damage. the headlights come out easily and the hood bolts on. the fender isnt too bad to remove and if the sub sheet metal around the radiator is bent it is not too hard to striaghten. the radiator is prob broke but that is a 15 minute swap out.

if your car is mechanically sound... and you know exactly what has been done and not... that is worth a lot.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Won't someone get offended about the way ya'll talk about poor deer in here.... Hint.... maybe you should edit this some?

LOL.. Just kidding. Inside joke. Anyway.... looks fixable and don't think it will take 4grand. Is there any wrinkling/buckling of inner body parts under the hood or is it just the outer body portions?

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

braverichard,

Sorry about your accident; about 2 months ago I did what appears to be the exact same amount of damage to the front of my '84 Volvo (except I ran into the back of a Crown Victoria, not a deer)--it really looks eerily similar except on my car the right side received the greater amount of damage. Using 'recycled' parts, the bill came to $2,100, including painting the 'new' parts, and the car looks as it did before the accident. I would think you should be able to repair yours for around that figure, although only one of my headlight bezels had to be replaced.

You should fix it, that really appears to be a beautiful car!!

Good luck,
Christopher

'85 M-B 300D-T 299,130
'84 Volvo 240 Diesel 317,780
'79 Cadillac Sedan de Ville 104,100

Hey,
I was expecting a lot worse. I think it looks worse than it actually is.
A new hood lights and grill and you'll be back on the road.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

__________________
-Sam
93 300D
210k - Sold, but not forgotten.

look again, the pictures from yesterday are there still.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

wot about those deer thingamees.....Whistles you put on the bumper...

Drove a camper with these across Montana and Idaho....deer ran away when within 1/4 mile or so....seemed to work for me.

Although not for this guy............

__________________
[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

Not making this up. A guy at work here had one of those deer whistle things smashed off the front of his car when it was hit....by a deer!

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Deaf deer !


_________________________

__________________
[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

I say fix it.

Between the wife and I, we've hit 7 deer.

Only two of them have been at night.

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)