Yet another deer victim!! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

braverichard · #1 06-05-2005, 12:22 PM

Well, to make a long story short, I hit a deer today while driving my 300SD. The impact sent the deer flying into the air and landing hard on the ground about 30 feet away. I was doing 55 mph when I saw it right in front of me and started to brake. Can't quite say what my speed was upon impact.

Two things make me really angry right now but I'll just have to live with them because I can't change anything:

1) At the end of my 6-month insurance policy last month, I decided to switch to just liability on the car for a while. Now this has happened.
2) Just last week I sold my '84 500SEL with a bad transmission for nearly nothing. The car had all the parts I'd need to fix this car in perfect shape. Now this has happened.
3) This happened in broad daylight. I've heard of many people hitting deers at night and as a result I've always avoided highways that have bushes on both sides at night. Never heard of anyone hitting a deer during the day. Apparently I was just uninformed as my brother said it happens as frequently than the night impacts. This was exactly 1.1 miles from my house!!

I've learned to not worry about things I can't control, but this is still hard to swallow. I took some pics of the car at the scene of the accident but they're still in my digital camera so I'll post them later. I had the car towed to an independent body shop where the guy will look at it in about two hours' time and give me an idea of how much I'm about to waste - if I waste it that is. Rough estimate by the tow truck driver (who is a certified body tech) is about $4,000.

I was just wondering, if it will cost that much should I fix it or just sell it? The car's interior is perfect, the exterior is just fair as the clearcoat is peeling from the rear. Engine is perfect. Transmission has firm shifts that I know can be fixed by some vacuum work. The car has just 163K miles. I'm not really sure of what the car is worth, but I've done quite a lot of work to bring it up to speed on maintenance - transmission fluid, cooling system flush, differential fluid, new master cylinder, brake fluid flush, new rotors and pads all around, etc. If the car isn't worth $4,000, I'm still not sure if I want to hunt around for an MB diesel that I'd buy and then have to spend time and money working on to bring up to speed on maintenance.

Well, let me hear from you good folks first. All suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated. I'll post an update once I get an exact estimate from the body shop guy. THANKS!!

pawoSD · #2 06-05-2005, 01:16 PM

If it was me I'd fix it no matter the cost....if mine had 161k I'd be even more inclined!

I do however, suffer from "Diesel Disease" and will spend Anything necessary

to keep it on the road.

Sorry to hear that happened, my uncle hit a deer .6 miles from our house in daylight as well with his chevy cavalier....did quite a bit of damage but the insurance company fixed it.

Here in michigan there's deer everywhere....

J. R. B. · #3 06-05-2005, 01:36 PM

Sorry about your misfortune. I too hit a deer only with my 82Chev Impalla with a 5.7 Olds diesel. The sound of the impact will stay with you for a while. If your car is in the shape you say it is take my advice and fix it rather than having more regrets later on. I wish I would have fixed the old 82 it was a nice car.

Brian Carlton · #4 06-05-2005, 01:45 PM

Don, that really is bad news. I know that you have put a lot of effort into the SD and its just a shame that this has to happen.

But, it has and I would encourage you to reconsider spending $4K to fix it.

The numbers are as follows:

If you spend $4K, you have a vehicle that is mechanically sound, but in need of paint. You need to spend $7K to get a mechanically sound vehicle with perfect paint.

It's currently worth say, $1K for parts.

So, can you find an SD with equivalent miles with perfect (or close to perfect) paint for $8K? I believe that you can. In fact, I believe that you can find one for about $6K and you can use the new parts from the existing vehicle.

So, even if the existing vehicle is worth nothing (because you have taken all of its good parts), you can be into another, equivalent, SD for $6K.

The whole question is time. How much time must you invest to find the right SD and how much time must you invest to transfer parts from the old one to the new one?

It's also a question of attachment. If you are attached to the current vehicle, and an equivalent replacement would not cut it, then you already have your answer.

Sorry to hear about this news. Good luck with whatever you decide.

WANT '71 280SEL · #5 06-05-2005, 01:56 PM

I agree with Brian on this one, his explanation seems the most logical. Live and let die.

Thanks
David

bjcsc · #6 06-05-2005, 02:17 PM

Sorry. That really sucks. We can't see the damage, but if it's 4K worth, I'd move on.

Maybe this will make you feel a little better. Here's "yet another deer as victim" (of my 30.06)...

Eric Eliel · #7 06-05-2005, 04:28 PM

Another suicide deer, been there - done that......

Palangi · #8 06-05-2005, 07:31 PM

You guys sure go to a lot of trouble for a little venison.

pawoSD · #9 06-05-2005, 08:09 PM

Not fixing the car would mean theres one less diesel benz in existence/on the road

That is why I will spend what it takes to keep my, and any others I eventually buy...on the road.

braverichard · #10 06-05-2005, 08:49 PM

The pics are ready:

http://r.students.umkc.edu/rcofz9/300sddeer.htm

For those skeptics of the quality of the new badges, well, as you can see the badge wasn't even scratched so there you are with your answer. A rough visual inspection revealed that I'll be needing a new radiator along with the hoses, new fans, hood, grille, headlamps, probably a new left fender as it was bent just slightly, etc. I'll be getting a write up of the repair estimate before the end of the week. Thank you all for your support.

J. R. B. · #11 06-05-2005, 09:05 PM

It looks like you hit him just the way I hit mine. After I hit mine I sent in for every deer permit I was entitled to. I have done this every deer season since the accident. As far as I'm concerned mother nature still hasn't paid me in full for my car and I will continue to shoot the $hit out of her every deer season. I would encourage everybody on this site to do the same.

Pete Burton · #12 06-05-2005, 10:05 PM

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.

t walgamuth · #13 06-05-2005, 11:49 PM

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.

iceman3876 · #14 08-17-2005, 03:36 PM

I live in Charlotte, NC. Last year, around autumn, I was driving home at about 6:30Pm. I was in a line of traffic doing about 70mph with cars zooming by me at greater speeds. I blinked, and out from nowhere jumped 2 adult deer at the same. I hit both of them almost simultaneously. The airbags deployed, my car filled with this fricking powder and it was all I could do to get the car under control. The grill was non-existent, windshield broken, dash board sticking thru the windshield. Blood and crap all over the car. The crap smell was strong in the car. The doors wouldnt open, so I managed to break the window and crawl out. Immediately after getting to the side of the car, I heard what seemed like the voice of God. "Are you alright?" I thought, oh hell, I have died and God is looking for me. Thank God it was Onstar. They sent a cop and a tow truck. We couldnt tow it to the dealership so we towed it to my home. Next morning, neighbors started strolling by and as nosey as neighbors are they began asking what happened. I told them I had accidentally hit a pedestrian. It worked. They now stay the hell away from me and wont speak to me. Well, the insurance company declared the car totaled. Believe this, it only had 2200 miles on it. And as for that rancid crap smell in the car...I crapped the seat.

mplafleur · #15 06-06-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braverichard

This happened in broad daylight. I've heard of many people hitting deers at night and as a result I've always avoided highways that have bushes on both sides at night. Never heard of anyone hitting a deer during the day. Apparently I was just uninformed as my brother said it happens as frequently than the night impacts.

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

Only two of them have been at night.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
W123 300D Hit a Deer !!	diesel don	Bodywork - Repair, Paint, Tools, Tips & Tricks	42	02-11-2006 12:56 PM
Hit a Deer	mcamara	Mercedes-Benz Used Parts For Sale & Wanted	18	04-01-2003 05:38 PM