I Hate Deer. (Miata content....sniff...)

Damn. I put this car on Craigslist yesterday. I turned down an offer of $3500 later in the day. Damn.

...oh, it was an eight point buck. Damn.

Damn.

Double damn. Glad you're OK.

Feel your pain. Did the same with my 1990 when it was almost new. Hit the poor thing at 60 mph with almost the exact damage. Tough little cars.

Pete

That sucks.

I got a 6 point Sunday night myself. Heater core went out on my $250 Escort so I was driving my freshly painted Ranger. I got a small swerve in first so the bed took the brunt of the damage.

Bruce

Yikes. Glad to hear you're OK.

Where I work is smack dab in the middle of deer country, and the roads are pitch-black at night. Since I started my current job four months ago, two of my coworkers have hit deer, and I've avoided at least three of them.

That isn't so bad for a deer strike...looks like it'll be good as new with a new headlight and quarter panel, but you should get the frame checked just in case.

Same thing happened to my 93 Miata but it wasn't for sale quite yet. Same damage too-check for deer hair stuck between the wheel and tire. Find a fender of the same color and save the paint costs.

Glad to see I'm not the only one to use the "For Sale" as a plate trick on a Miata

NYG95GA wrote: Double damn. Glad you're OK.

Thanks. I was actually going pretty slow, uphill at maybe 40 when I saw him, and then I had slowed down a lot without skidding by the moment of impact.

I was on a really dangerous blind corner, so I immediately moved the car. The noises were horrible. I had just left work (firehouse) and I was not far from another station. I was afraid of losing either the tire or coolant, so I drove as cautiously but as quickly as I could. I called the police for a report ("deer hit car", not "car hit deer") when I got there. Once he did the report, I attempted to pull the fender away from the tire, Nascar-style. Fortunately, I had two whole firetrucks full of tools at my disposal and the radiator was untouched.

I was able to drive home with only a few funny noises, mostly vibration in the fender and its support and the plastic fender liner rubbing the tire. The car drove nice and straight and the suspension looks unhurt. The fender is shot, obviously, as is the headlight assembly. There's a little bend in the hood where the headlight cover was pushed over and it was hard to open. I also couldn't open the drivers door all the way, but I think that was because the fender was pushed back.

I'm okay, and for that, I am thankful. What does hurt is the fact that I just spent so much time working on this car over the past few weeks. Plus, I just bought four used shocks and springs, carpet, and a bunch of trim stuff. I had an alignment done last Thursday and I took it for an emission inspection yesterday (a month early, just to make it easier for "the next owner").

I don't really even have time to get a good look at the car until Saturday. I'll call my insurance company tomorrow and see what I can learn. There doesn't seem to be any structural damage, but who knows what value they'll put on a 96 with 104k on it.

If it makes you feel better (I know it won't, sorry), here is what a Miata looks like when it hits a wild turkey at 100mph on Summit's backstraight....He had to do 2 lap with a mangled turkey in the passenger seat area since his teammate was in the pit getting gas.....and this was only a few hours into a 12 hour enduro (which he ran the rest of without a windshield)!

I had a few try to get mine on the way back from the last autocross of the season last week. Including a family of four that didn't get out of the road until I was almost stopped and honking my horn (remind me to put a real horn in this thing).

At least you weren't driving the black one.

My condolances, I have had my share of run-ins with them as well.

Sorry for your loss.

I do wish I was in a better financial situation. I'd take it off your hands for more than the insurance company would pay..

Do(e)h! That suxors big time - especially since you had just turned down a decent offer for it.

This will screw me for sure, but I've never hit a deer. Seen plenty by the road including many running along parallel to the road on the shoulder, and many cutting across in front of me, but never hit one.

My closest encounter was the night of my first date with my now wife. Brought her home around 1 AM and there's a huge doe standing on her parent's front porch, chowing down on the bushes. I flash the lights at it, it looks up at me with an "excuse me, I'm eating here" look, and gets back to business. I spent a few more minutes, um, conversing with my date until the deer was done and walked (slowly) away...

yeah, where you located? i'd be interested in it if its close

Ouch I feel your pain. I berkeleying hate deer. I managed to put my brand new (at the time) wrx into the center divide of hwy 17 trying to avoid one.

I have more pics here

careful out there folks The deer are dumber than normal this time of the year

Strizzo wrote: yeah, where you located? i'd be interested in it if its close

Is this "Texas" place anywhere near Connecticut? If so, I can give you a great deal...

While I'm certainly sorry you hit it (it looks like it was in great shape), I'm glad you didn't get hurt!

PM sent.

Capt Slow wrote: Ouch I feel your pain. I berkeleying hate deer. I managed to put my brand new (at the time) wrx into the center divide of hwy 17 trying to avoid one. I have more pics here careful out there folks The deer are dumber than normal this time of the year

X2

i hit a boulder and rolled a subie wagon when trying to miss one summer before last.

Apexcarver wrote:

Capt Slow wrote: Ouch I feel your pain. I berkeleying hate deer. I managed to put my brand new (at the time) wrx into the center divide of hwy 17 trying to avoid one. I have more pics here careful out there folks The deer are dumber than normal this time of the year

X2 i hit a boulder and rolled a subie wagon when trying to miss one summer before last.

Which is the exact reason they tell you to HIT the deer as opposed to trying to miss.

Elk, Moose, Bison, Cows, OTOH....

Eric

Sux. At least you weren't on a motorcycle.

Note to self: Plow the animals.

 Mike

I almost hit a deer and a groundhog between turns 3 and 4 at summit a few weeks ago. The scary part is that they both came from the infield in the beginning of the day (they had to get out somehow and across the track was the only option). Someone did terminate the groundhog with their bumper. The deer jumped back into the infield.

I hit a deer with my Liberty. Jumped down off a bank right in front of me. Solid hit with the whole front. A little over 4K damge. Comprehensive paid the whole thing. Almost got one Fri. nite. Luckily she was standing in the left lane facing the other way and their was a nice wide shoulder.

Found the thread i made when i collected the boulder. http://archive.grassrootsmotorsports.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=26858

1 sad soobie was right. the pass tire was all the way back to the front of the door. that said, when i went to get my crap the pass door still opened and closed ok.

I wish we had gotten another subaru to replace it, but mom wanted an exploder the stealership had. ( i do have an E30 now though)