Gopher Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 On my way to work this morning (about 4:45 AM), and I hit a deer (actually, more like she hit me), as I was exiting to my off-ramp. It was a pretty good sized animal, with no antlers, so I'm pretty sure it was a female. Didn't really have time to think... I saw it out of the corner of my eye, approaching from the left. All I had time to do was swerve ever so slightly, but in reality, there was no way I was avoiding it. The only other thought that went through my mind was that it was going to be a direct hit, so to speak, and my fear was that it might strike the windshield (or worse, go through the windshield, which actually happened to a friend of mine, years ago). As is usually the case, though, in situations like this, everything happened in a split second, and it ended up not being as "direct" of a hit as I thought it was going to be. The deer literally bounced off the left side of my vehicle... I remember seeing it fly through the air (I'm guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 feet), and then just lay still. I'm not even sure, but I'm guessing I saw that in my rearview mirror, since there is no way I would have seen it otherwise. I hit it at a speed of 50-60 MPH. I have to admit, it shook me up, slightly... My briefcase and lunch bag, which were sitting in the passenger seat, both flew through the air on impact, striking the windshield. I was about a mile from work, when this happened, so once I confirmed that the animal wasn't moving, I decided to just make sure I got to work (in case there was significant damage under the hood). Once I got there (and had slightly better lighting), I assessed the vehicle... Front left corner is obliterated... Body damage, alignment all out of whack, headlight busted, and although there was a signal light prior to the collision, you can't see any evidence of it now. A couple patches of fur, and what appears to be deer shlt, are also stuck to the vehicle. So, here's my question... The car is a 2001 Toyota Camry, with approximately 170K miles. It's in decent condition (or at least it was, prior to this morning), but probably needed some routine maintenance fairly soon. I replaced the belts, hoses, etc. last year, but it needs a few other maintenance items, as well as new tires (probably within the next year). I have liability insurance only (since it was paid off in 2007), as well as AAA. I've already called AAA, and short of emergency towing and such, there's not much they offer (other than a standard 20% discount on rentals, which I can usually beat through Priceline). I'm going to be calling Farmers (my insurance carrier) shortly. However, given that I have liability only, I'm worried that they won't be able to do much, either. With the age/mileage of the vehicle, I'm already thinking about contingency plans, if the damage/repairs are significant. Do I get it fixed? Do I buy a new/used car? Will there even be any trade-in value, given the damage to this car? With liability-only coverage, will Farmers do anything for me, in terms of a rental, much less the damage to the vehicle? I'll admit that I am in no way an expert, when it comes to this type of thing... Part of the reason that I have liability coverage only, is that I've never been in an accident, or at least not in the last 15 years. Just looking for any tips/advice/guidance I can get, I guess... I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I know the car is obviously not driveable in this condition. I can get it home, or to a repair shop, but I wouldn't be too comfortable driving it more than that. I'm not overly excited about having to buy a car, right now, but I'm also not sure it's worth the repair costs, either. My wife and I just finished paying a boatload, in taxes, so we don't exactly have money for a new car sitting around, right now. Anybody have any experience in this area, or a similar situation happen to them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Murderer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Murderer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borge007 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 To me. it would depend on the cost of fixing as compared to car payments for 3-5 years. What will be the monthly payments on a different car be? The value of your Toyota is almost nothing but you should be able to get a couple more years out of it. Good luck in your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) I think you are going ot have to weigh the situation with the car. Since you only have liability, yer screwed, unless you can file suit against the DNR for allowing one of their deer to freely roam the roads unchecked. You can probably trade it in and get some value out of it. I just traded in a car that needed significant repairs and still got 3K from the dealership from which I was buying the new car. You have two things working in your favor here, you have something of value, they can sell the parts or repair the car at low cost and sell it. I would probably go this route instead of dropping three to five grand into fixing a car with 170K on the odometer. What I forgot to include in this whole equation is this: the car dealer wants to sell you a car, they will do all they can to make something work with regard to your existing car to get you into a new/used one. Edited May 31, 2011 by SEC=UGA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Glad to hear you're alright at least. Deers can take you out so it's good that you only have to worry about some chitty car with 170k miles on it. I have no real info on the insurance, just see what they say. I'm guessing they won't do anything and you're probably going to have to tow this to the junkyard and find a replacement on your own. You should be able to find some old Accord or Camry with 100k miles for reasonably cheap though. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelBunz Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Glad you're OK Gopher.......sorry about your car. I know this doesn't help now so much.....but there are these little things called 'deer whistles' on the market.....maybe $4.50. They really work......lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBalla Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I wish I would have been driving behind you. Fresh road kill is yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 You should be able to find some old Accord or Camry with 100k miles for reasonably cheap though. That's sort of what I was thinking. I have an '04 Camry with 100,000 miles on it and it runs just great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 If there is no frame damage, you should be able to fix it up yourself pretty cheaply. Couple hundred bucks would be my guess. Since you're driving a Camry with 170k on it, you obviously are not worried about appearance :oldrazz: Put a jack between the wheel/engine to push the fender out, or tie the front end to a tree and back up. Get a light assembly from the junk yark, and pound out the rest with a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slambo Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Sorry to hear this Gopher. Which freeway & offramp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I was exiting to my off-ramp at a speed of 50-60 MPH. it needs a few other maintenance items, as well as new tires (probably within the next year). Just looking for any tips/advice/guidance I can get, I guess... don't drive 50-60 in a deceleration lane in a 10 year old POS that needs new tires? FWIW, we have a 1998 Camry that I've determined is of no value to anyone but us. Its been paid in full for 8 years, and with 140K miles, I plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off. But it shortly will be my 3rd car, used only for trips into the city so our soon-to-be-purchased new ride doesn't take a highway beating. My thoughts are: at some point in the next 1-2 years, you are going to need/want a new ride (new to you, anyway). if that' the case, why throw a lump-sum of good money at your current car (which will need even more and more repairs as time goes on)? Had it only had 100K, and you had a reasonable shot of 4-5 years of driving left on it, it likely would be worth the investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Sorry to hear this Gopher. Which freeway & offramp? I work over by the Dumbarton Bridge, in Newark. Took the last off-ramp (off of Decoto/Hwy 84), before the toll plaza (Thornton)... Hit the deer right as I veered off to the right, to exit. The good news is that everything under the hood appears to be intact, other than the coolant reservoir (at least I think that's what it is), which sits just in front of the left front tire. That is busted, and is now sitting in the trunk. Other than that, the fender, headlight, bumper, and turn signal are all pretty messed up, and need to be replaced. The hood is bent, but to a lesser extent. So, I guess the question is what could I get, by trading it in, versus what it would cost to replace the above items (and paint them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 don't drive 50-60 in a deceleration lane in a 10 year old POS that needs new tires? FWIW, we have a 1998 Camry that I've determined is of no value to anyone but us. Its been paid in full for 8 years, and with 140K miles, I plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off. But it shortly will be my 3rd car, used only for trips into the city so our soon-to-be-purchased new ride doesn't take a highway beating. My thoughts are: at some point in the next 1-2 years, you are going to need/want a new ride (new to you, anyway). if that' the case, why throw a lump-sum of good money at your current car (which will need even more and more repairs as time goes on)? Had it only had 100K, and you had a reasonable shot of 4-5 years of driving left on it, it likely would be worth the investment. First, it was in relatively good condition, despite the "high" mileage. Secondly, I was just entering the deceleration lane, and therefore, hadn't slowed down yet. Third, it doesn't need new tires, but it would in another few months (a year to 18 months, tops, I'm guessing). Part of the decision is how much would I dump into this car, in the next couple of years, anyway, had I had this happen or not. Like you alluded to, it might not be worth the $$ spent to repair not only this damage, but upcoming preventive maintenance costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Time to find a new ride. I know it hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) Glad you're OK Gopher.......sorry about your car. I know this doesn't help now so much.....but there are these little things called 'deer whistles' on the market.....maybe $4.50. They really work......lol. Funny you mention the deer-whistles. I thought the same thing for a long time, but it's one of those things that you never know if it really works until it doesn't... I almost found out the hard way when I was following behind a friend, and the deer stopped and waited for his car to pass just to run out directly in front of my deer-whistled vehicle, narrowly missing me. Maybe this was just a fluke, but I'm obviously skeptical now... Glad to hear you're alright. As for the car, it doesn't take that much damage to effectively total a car with 170,000 (you can total an old Benz just with the cost of a paint job). So that's where I agree with the above, that you kind of have to do a cost/benefit analysis, and decide if not having car payments for a while longer is worth the immediate cost of repair... Though if it's going to need maintenance and new tires, it sounds like you're set to be making "payments" anyway... In a full-coverage situation, the insurance company would more than likely opt to cut you a check and send it to the cuber before they paid to have a high-mileage car repaired... But with liability, only you can decide if that works for you financially to possibly pay more than it's worth for the sake of delaying investing in a new car. (ETA: Just saw your post Gopher, and it looks like I haven't said anything you aren't already aware of) Edited May 31, 2011 by delusions of granduer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWmaker Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Not a good start to the day/week..., Especially from the deer's point of view. Swammi, can you part w/ that car a bit early? Looks like you've got a buyer right here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Swammi, can you part w/ that car a bit early? Looks like you've got a buyer right here. Interior is shot from four kids worth of baseball/football/soccer/etc. My wife is totally embarrassed to drive it, but the engine is in great shape. Some high schooler could probably put some time into re-securing the upholstery inside, giving the carpet a scrub/replace....and for $600-800, have a great car with another 40-60K miles on it. But the aforementioned is exactly why I want to keep it...to use as a beater. I'd lose my mind if we spend $40K+ on a nice new ride, only to have it trashed in a year by messy kids with muddy cleats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trojanmojo Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 GIven that you had 170k miles on it and given the likely cost to repair, to me, I'd start thinking about buying a new car...or at least a 1-2 year old car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Get Da Vette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borge007 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Get Da Vette. and go deeeep in debt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Get Da Vette. Gopher probably has a unit larger than 2 inches, so that rules out the Vette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 First, it was in relatively good condition, despite the "high" mileage. Secondly, I was just entering the deceleration lane, and therefore, hadn't slowed down yet. Third, it doesn't need new tires, but it would in another few months (a year to 18 months, tops, I'm guessing). Part of the decision is how much would I dump into this car, in the next couple of years, anyway, had I had this happen or not. Like you alluded to, it might not be worth the $$ spent to repair not only this damage, but upcoming preventive maintenance costs. Get a new car. Fixing it is not worth the Doe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Get a new car. Fixing it is not worth the Doe Yeah not worth throwing a bunch of Bucks at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 On my way to work this morning (about 4:45 AM), and I hit a deer (actually, more like she hit me), as I was exiting to my off-ramp. It was a pretty good sized animal, with no antlers, so I'm pretty sure it was a female. Didn't really have time to think... I saw it out of the corner of my eye, approaching from the left. All I had time to do was swerve ever so slightly, but in reality, there was no way I was avoiding it. The only other thought that went through my mind was that it was going to be a direct hit, so to speak, and my fear was that it might strike the windshield (or worse, go through the windshield, which actually happened to a friend of mine, years ago). As is usually the case, though, in situations like this, everything happened in a split second, and it ended up not being as "direct" of a hit as I thought it was going to be. The deer literally bounced off the left side of my vehicle... I remember seeing it fly through the air (I'm guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 feet), and then just lay still. I'm not even sure, but I'm guessing I saw that in my rearview mirror, since there is no way I would have seen it otherwise. I hit it at a speed of 50-60 MPH. I have to admit, it shook me up, slightly... My briefcase and lunch bag, which were sitting in the passenger seat, both flew through the air on impact, striking the windshield. I was about a mile from work, when this happened, so once I confirmed that the animal wasn't moving, I decided to just make sure I got to work (in case there was significant damage under the hood). Once I got there (and had slightly better lighting), I assessed the vehicle... Front left corner is obliterated... Body damage, alignment all out of whack, headlight busted, and although there was a signal light prior to the collision, you can't see any evidence of it now. A couple patches of fur, and what appears to be deer shlt, are also stuck to the vehicle. So, here's my question... The car is a 2001 Toyota Camry, with approximately 170K miles. It's in decent condition (or at least it was, prior to this morning), but probably needed some routine maintenance fairly soon. I replaced the belts, hoses, etc. last year, but it needs a few other maintenance items, as well as new tires (probably within the next year). I have liability insurance only (since it was paid off in 2007), as well as AAA. I've already called AAA, and short of emergency towing and such, there's not much they offer (other than a standard 20% discount on rentals, which I can usually beat through Priceline). I'm going to be calling Farmers (my insurance carrier) shortly. However, given that I have liability only, I'm worried that they won't be able to do much, either. With the age/mileage of the vehicle, I'm already thinking about contingency plans, if the damage/repairs are significant. Do I get it fixed? Do I buy a new/used car? Will there even be any trade-in value, given the damage to this car? With liability-only coverage, will Farmers do anything for me, in terms of a rental, much less the damage to the vehicle? I'll admit that I am in no way an expert, when it comes to this type of thing... Part of the reason that I have liability coverage only, is that I've never been in an accident, or at least not in the last 15 years. Just looking for any tips/advice/guidance I can get, I guess... I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I know the car is obviously not driveable in this condition. I can get it home, or to a repair shop, but I wouldn't be too comfortable driving it more than that. I'm not overly excited about having to buy a car, right now, but I'm also not sure it's worth the repair costs, either. My wife and I just finished paying a boatload, in taxes, so we don't exactly have money for a new car sitting around, right now. Anybody have any experience in this area, or a similar situation happen to them? Karl, give me a call. Im a farmers agent and Ill tell you how to proceed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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