Just hit a deer :(

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
I guess it just wasnt my night. Turned a corner and was heading up the street at 25 mph or so and the deer jumped the guardrail.... I didnt have a chance. :mad:






Question will be what do I do next. Hood, fender, headlight and bumper are all busted up.
 
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bhtooefr

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What year was yours, again?

Doesn't look too bad... the dent in the hood and the one in the quarter panel should be able to be pulled... I THINK I see the bumper damage, and it looks REALLY minor to me - barely noticeable in that light.

On headlights, please tell me you were stock... otherwise, well, that REALLY blows harder than I thought.

If it were my 85 Jetta, I'd pull the dents in the hood and quarter panel, replace the headlight, and go. But... my 85 Jetta's cosmetics don't bother me, because it's an 85 :p
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
The quarter panel is done, no amount of dent pulling will save that piece. There are dents on it all the way up to the door. Im not sure if the passenger side door will open either as the panel appears to be pushed back like 1/4" and is in behind the door now.

The hood has the one nice dent which could be pullable but then I think it is also bucked down a little bit over the headlight.

Bumper has a nice crack in the thing.


The next question is do I just give the car up to a body shop and let them repair it? Or do I try and source some of the proper color parts and put them on myself?
 

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
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Hmm...

That's silver, and around here, anyway, I see enough Reflex Silver A4 Jettas to make my head pop. After all, those parts are shared with the gassers :p Dunno about your area, though.

And, you COULD look at it another way, if you like Golf front ends better (I don't, but there are advantages in the headlight visibility, and the fact that there are glass e-codes available...) This is a perfect opportunity to make a Getta.
 

devonutopia

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Devon, U.K
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PD300 Skoda Fabia
Hope you cooked up the deer as some form of revenge. ;)

Looks like new headlight lens, new bumper unless some car plastic surgeon can work magic on it, and the bonnet looks repairable.
 

leicaman

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Dec 24, 2004
Location
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2005 TDI GLS, RIP
At least you weren't going 50mph. You have really minor damage, that should not be that big of a deal to fix. Another reason why we need to take up deer hunting...
 

BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
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'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
Ouch! Well, at least you are ok. I agree with Devon, you should get some deer jerkey out of this!
-BB
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
As I have been told, in our state you can only keep the deer you hit if you have a hunting license. I got an estimate today from one shop at a hair over $2000 for the damages. Its all superficial so I just need to replace a couple body panels.

I still need to talk to the insurance company, but I think I may try and go the route of getting the money and doing the repairs myself.

Anyone have any thoughts on where I could get a reflex(or is it arrow?) silver bumper cover, hood, and fender?
 
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burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
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cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
that's a bummer dave! :( time for ecodes now. they're $300 on sale now at ecstuning with levelling motors installed and bulbs included (they said osrams but not exactly what kind)....
 

btcost

Veteran Member
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Aug 13, 2002
Location
Boston, MA
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'12 JSW, '00 Jetta (totaled 12/23/10), 1987 M-B 300D
That sucks!!! I feel your pain, last Christmas Eve I had a owrse accident!! damage was over 4 grand.

That is all cosemtic, but I would go ahead with a body shop. mostly because they will repaint the whole nose, which if like mine had some road wear on it!

best of luck. this is what insurance is for.
 

AlbanyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Location
North Greenbush, NY
TDI
2010
Oh man that sucks! Are you still out in MA or back in NY?

I would personally take the cash if you can, use car-parts.com to find everything, upgrade the lights, etc. This should be a piece of cake. Not to mention a GREAT time to do an FMIC if you're so inclined (and have extra insurance money).

Let me know if you want a hand. I'm sure we could have you fixed up in a few hours.

<did your rub strip survive?>
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
Thats the way it looks like i am going to be going. All I need to do is a find an arrow silver front end. Once I get the parts swapping them on should be fairly quick and easy. I have spare headlights available so me for temporary use until ecodes arrive.

And the rub strip did survive which makes me very happy.
 

edco

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Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Location
Metuchen, NJ
TDI
Jetta 2002 Galactic Blue
One other choice..

Dave,
First, sorry to see your damage, but like others have said, coulda been worse..

I have a guy in Leonia, NJ (just south of the GW Bridge) who works at a Dent Wizard..and he truly lives up to the title..From Troy, it's probably a little under 2 hours, and he's only there on Saturdays. Appointments afre necessary.

Some History:
My wife has a 3 series BMW, and some meathead backed into the nose, and pushed it back a good 2-3 inches and then drove away. Bruno (no Sopranos wisecracks) was able to heat the paint, and slowly "coax" the metal back into shape..Truly amazing !

I dare you to find any remnants of the damage..

If you'd like to consider this as an option, let me know and I'll give you more information. I am no way affiliated with, nor have any financial interest or benefit from Dent Wizard or Bruno. He's just a true artist and I am confident that you would be pleasantly surprised by the results. Your insurance company will probably be happier too.

PM me if you want to pursue... If not, best of luck in putting it back together..

Ed in Metuchen
 

uberdiesel

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Mar 15, 2005
Location
Columbia, SC
TDI
2015 Night Blue Golf TDI SEL
I think I found your buck. Shoot, he doesn't even look like he got a scratch:

Somewhere near Rochester, New York, Ed set out to bag his buck at 5:30 a.m.? By 11:30 a.m., he was exhausted and hungry--and still no buck.? At 12 noon, the mighty hunter Ed guards the remains of his lunch while a passerby snaps a quiet photo while trying not to startle the deer with a belly laugh .
http://mail.google.com/mail/?view=att&disp=attd&attid=0.1.0.1&th=108c1668fd265396

And they didn't even mention what he did to the Jetta!


 
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david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
:) Its looking good that I have found a fender and bumper off a vr6 arrow silver jetta, same year, same mileage. I already have a spare headlight on hand so it leaves me with only looking for a hood at this point.

I think i am defenitely going the route of pocketing the money and doing the repairs myself.
 

JettaJake

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Location
CT TDI Corral
TDI
'03 GLS 5spd
Sorry Dave. Heard about it from Corey. Hope you haven't seen this before and it brings a bit of a smile...
--------
Why We Live in California

>DEAR DIARY
>
> AUG 12 Moved to our new home in upstate New York. It is so beautiful
> here. The mountains are so majestic. Can hardly wait to see them with
> snow on them. I love it here.
>
> OCT 14 Upstate New York is the most beautiful place on earth. The
> leaves are turned all the colors and shades of red and orange. Went
> for a ride through the beautiful mountains and saw some deer. They are
> so graceful, certainly they are the most wonderful animal on earth.
> This must be paradise. I love it here.
>
> NOV 11 Deer season will start soon. I can't imagine anyone wanting
> to kill such a gorgeous creature. Hope it will snow soon. I love it
> here.
>
> DEC 2 It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed
> with white. It looks like a postcard. We went outside and cleaned the
> snow off the steps and shoveled the driveway. We had a snowball fight
> (I won), and when the snow plow came by, we had to shovel again.
> What a beautiful place. I love upstate New York.
>
> DEC 12 More snow last night. I love it. The snow plow did his trick
> again to the driveway. I love it here!
>
> DEC 19 More snow last night. Couldn't get out of the driveway to get
> to work. I am exhausted from shoveling. F***ing snow plow.
>
> DEC 22 More of that white sh|t fell last night. I've got blisters on
> my hands from shoveling. I think the snow plow hides around the curve
> and waits until I'm done shoveling the driveway. A--hole!
>
> DEC 25 Merry F***ing Christmas! More friggin snow. If I ever get my
> hands on that son-of-a-***** who drives that snow plow, I swear I'll
> kill the bastard. Don't know why they don't use more salt on the roads
> to melt the f***ing ice.
>
> DEC 27 More white **** last night. Been inside for 3 days except for
> shoveling out the driveway after that snow plow goes through every
> time. Can't go anywhere, car's stuck in a mountain of white sh|t.
> The weatherman says to expect another 10" of the sh|t again tonight.
> Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10" is?
>
> DEC 28 The f***ing weatherman was wrong. We got 34" of that
> white sh|t this time. At this rate it won't melt before next summer.
> The snow plow got stuck up the road and that bastard came to the door
> and asked to borrow my shovel. After I told him I had broken six
> shovels already shoveling all the sh|t he pushed into the driveway, I
> broke my last one over his f***ing head.
>
> JAN 4 Finally out of the house today. Went to the store to get food
> and on the way back a damned deer ran in front of the car and I hit it.
> Did about $3,000 damage to the car. Those f***ing beasts should be
> killed. Wish the hunters had killed them all last November.
>
> MAY 3 Took the car to the garage in town. Would you believe the
> thing is rusting out from that f***ing salt they put all over the road.
>
> MAY 10 Moved to California. I can't imagine why anyone in their
> right mind would want to live in that God-forsaken state of New
> York.
 

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Location
Newark, OH
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None
MAY 28 Wow, it's so sunny here! We're here in sunny California! We've still got the mountains, but none of that snow crap!

AUG 9 We had an earthquake yesterday. Broke a few of my pictures. But, I can put up with it.

SEP 2 A mountain lion came down and grabbed both my dog, and my next door neighbor who was out jogging. This sucks. Oh, and we haven't had any rain for 87 days - things are getting kinda dry.

SEP 9 I've been told to evacuate my house, there's a forest fire racing towards it. We're getting really really sick of this crap.

NOV 28 Well, finally we've got some rain! My house still smells like smoke, though, but at least it didn't burn.

NOV 30 It's been raining hard non-stop. When will it end?

DEC 6 Again, I've been told to evacuate my house. Now, it's gonna slide down the mountain. Dumb f|_|cks.

DEC 25 Wow, merry f|_|cking Christmas. My house has slid down the mountain today. I'm now ****ing homeless. This ****ing sucks. Someone's going to ****ing die for this.

DEC 26 It's so peaceful in here, in this room. There's padded walls, and there's a nice lady who gives me a shot, so that I don't care any more. I can't seem to get my hands out of my sleeves tied behind my back, but I know that the nice lady is coming soon, so I won't worry :D
 

bradfa

Veteran Member
Joined
May 1, 2005
Location
Rochester, NY
TDI
No TDIs anymore :(
Wow, that sucks man. Sorry to hear about the Jetta.

If you've got the parts, I go with doing it yourself as long as the insurance will actually cut you a check for the amount quoted by the ajusters. I know sometimes they don't want to give as much if you aren't actually getting it repaired at a shop, but worth doing if they are cool about it.

Hope you can get most of it fixed before it gets too cold again.
 

AlbanyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Location
North Greenbush, NY
TDI
2010
Hahahahaha love the stories. Guess everyone loves where they live :) Sorry to laugh in your crash thread Dave.

NY is the best. No earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, scorpians, etc. Just got my John Deere w/plow and wife's Touareg to beat the snow!
 

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Location
Newark, OH
TDI
None
I've lived in Ohio all my life, and I like it.

Sure, the weather's unpredictable, and there's deer, but they keep upping the bag limit here, and we don't get MUCH snow :p
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
Honestly, Im not overy sad by the whole thing. The damage is mild enough that I can drive with it without it being a problem. Its also superficial enough that I can once I find the parts I can just swap them on and the car will be good as new. So I am kind of taking my time on it till I find an Arrow silver front end that I can pull the parts from. Insurance money will cover it along with some ecodes so I can deal with it.
 

Jetter_Sprinta

Veteran Member - TDIClub Contributor
Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Location
Boston, Massachusetts
TDI
2 Peeps sharing 1 UseYerName//an array of cars
"Deer" Dave...

Dave, BIG bummer, sorry! You needed something to do at your next GTG anyhow right:rolleyes: ?!

I think i am defenitely going the route of pocketing the money and doing the repairs myself.
For that damage, that is the route I would take. There is no shortage of silver A4 Jettas, maybe Vortex could be a good parts source? I'd love to help you with some parts, but I'm a good decade away from owning an A4, unless of course I come aross a good deal ;)! Round up your parts and I'll be happy to help you throw them on at the next warm GTG!

Jake and bhtoefr...thanks for the posts...:D chuckle, chuckle!!
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
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South of Boston
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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Dave, I know you'll get it back together. What a PITA. If you need a headlight for a bit let me know. My stock ones are around here someplace.
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
Peter, Thanks on the offer but it seems there is an abundance of stock headlights floating around. I already picked up one from a friend. Now if you happen to have a right fron fender hanging around.... thats something i wouldnt mind borrowing. :)
 
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