# It's another collision with deer thread



## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Hit and killed a 6 point buck this morning at 55 mph. It's rut season and this buck was moving fast. Never even had a chance to take my foot off the gas. Surprisingly, I'm not leaking any fluids, and the lights still work. It was a dead center hit in the upper grill area. I'm afraid to try and open the hood in case I can't get it closed again. Off to Chevy I go.

In the spirit of this thread http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-chevrolet-cruze-general-discussion-forum/4297-collision-deer.html, I'm taking guesstimates on the damage costs. Take a look...


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## beeztee (Oct 24, 2012)

wow, I am surprised there wasn't more damage.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I'd give that one to USAA for estimating. Ouch. Are you okay and did you manage to at least get some vennisen out of this?


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## wstadnick (Feb 9, 2012)

Seem to have a little fur in your grille. Lucky it didn't hit your windshield, from the looks of it did you send it flying forward rather then it rolling over the car?


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Yeah, I'm fine. The Cruze drives fine too. I really sent it flying. It end up on the shoulder and was sliding alongside the car on the grass for quite a while. I gave the deer to the guy who saw it running full tilt through his yard only a minute before I hit it.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I would have kept the deer, and make some deer sticks...

Freaking love deer sticks with jalapeños. Sorry to hear man, make sure whenever it gets repaired you listen to any weird noises and bug them until it sounds perfect. Go through your insurance first.


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## bbdhomer (Jun 20, 2012)

That really sucks, hope the insurance covers the cost? If not, how much will the dealer charge?


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

upstatenybill hope everything is ok. PM me if you need anything. What dealership you going to?


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Ouch! Glad to hear you weren't hurt. There was an article in the local paper today warning folks to be on the lookout for deer roaming where they usually aren't. Here in NW OH, nearly all of the crops are out of the fields now and the deer have started to move into the suburban areas looking for cover. Saw a doe and a buck bedded down in someone's front yard up against the front porch yesterday. I was going to work a couple of years ago and as I rounded a curve on a six lane 50 mph street, I encountered a small herd of them trotting down the middle lane going in my direction. Scared the crap out of me. Popped the four ways on, and laid on the horn until they cleared off into a ravine. Around here, November is rut season, so they are a bit more nuts than normal. Keep an eye out around dawn and dusk.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Insurance covers deer collisions in NY, minus the deductible. It was actually a very small buck, only a 2 year old, I would guess.

The Cruze is at Denooyer Chevrolet now waiting for an insurance estimate. I picked up the rental through Denooyer and got the very last vehicle that Hertz had in the area. According to the Hertz agent, they had a run on rentals because of the storm damage in NYC, some are rented for a whole month to workers headed down there for the cleanup. I ended up with a Dodge Grand Caravan. UGH!

No one wants to take a guess how much the damage will come to? I'm gonna throw out $4,000.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

$1800-$2000 in parts, $400 in paint, 5 hours of labor. Thats based on the external damage visible in the pictures. If there is damage to the internal components that hold the front panels and grill in place, add another $1500.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

There is ALOT of broken plastic pushed up right to the radiator. Everything directly behind the grille is pushed in as far as I could tell, not being able to open the hood. Drivers side headlight is crooked and cracked, passenger side fender has a small dent in it right next to the headlight. I could see some of the plastic surround that encases the top of the radiator is broken. I'm wondering how high up the condenser is, and whether anything happened to that. Maybe tomorrow I'll have an estimate.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I'll up my estimate to 5-7,000 with labor. Those are a lot of expensive parts.


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## rmass09 (Apr 17, 2011)

Enough money to get one **** of a deer hunting expedition going.... best of luck with your repairs


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Sorry to see you had an interaction with a deer like that, but it looks like it'd be a great time for an aftermarket grill if you were thinking about that!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Deer need to learn patience with crossing the road. Jerks.

Sorry to see your car like that


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

Hey Bill I'm so sorry that happened! That really sucks! I hope you killed the ******* for damaging your car! Anyway Sometimes on my way home from work in NJ on the backroads its like I almost play Whack-A-Mole! Scares me everytime I have to play slalom!


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

$4,000 seems about right to me, assuming no structural damage to the unibody. Pretty smart, not opening the hood to look inside because you'd never get it closed again.

I hit a small doe once while driving a convertible Sebring with the top down. It went right over my head. Luckily it cleared the back seat as the car went underneath it.


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## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

I would say $4k as well. I hit a deer the same way, doing 55mph on a four lane in the dark early morning hours in my 93 GMC Sonoma. It messed up the grill, bumper, hood and right side fender, along with the AC condensor. That ran me $2,800 and it was back in 1996. Paint has gone way up since then as well as labor rates.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

obermd said:


> I'll up my estimate to 5-7,000 with labor. Those are a lot of expensive parts.


You are the closest. It turns out while nothing was leaking, the ac condenser, intercooler, and radiator were all damaged. Current estimate is 4,860.70 with the possibility of more damage yet to be uncovered.

I stopped by the shop today just after the estimator called me with the quote. Took a pic with my cellphone while they were in the process of tearing it down.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

On one hand I'm not surprised at the interior damage as there's not a lot of space behind the bumper. From your initial pictures I couldn't see some of the exterior damage. I'm just glad you're ok and that your car is repairable (no frame damage).


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks. It's difficult, if not impossible to tell in that last picture because I took it at an angle, but the upper radiator core support is bent back on the passenger side. It was already partly pulled back out in the process of taking everything apart by the time I got there. I wonder how much fun the body guy had in getting that hood off. Stopped in sales on the way out to bust on my salesman. I asked him why he sold me a car that likes deer. Sounds like a meme in the making.






I think I'll email it to him.


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## 204cruze (Oct 25, 2012)

Lucky for you it was a small buck, here in manitoba we get some monsters! I have fixed about 20 deer hits this year and 1 fox. yours really didnt get it that bad considering you were going 55mph when u nailed him. whats the insurers policy on using aftermarket (made in taiwan garbage) parts? Push for gm or used parts for your replacement parts. aftermarket stuff is absolute garbage. FYI i woulda pegged the damage at 5k cause i knew the rad intercooler and condenser were done. but if the little vacuum line broke off the sensor on the turbo i think you have to replace the entire turbo assembly and its around 3k i believe.


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## Kingsal (Sep 21, 2012)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Hit and killed a 6 point buck this morning at 55 mph. It's rut season and this buck was moving fast. Never even had a chance to take my foot off the gas. Surprisingly, I'm not leaking any fluids, and the lights still work. It was a dead center hit in the upper grill area. I'm afraid to try and open the hood in case I can't get it closed again. Off to Chevy I go.
> 
> In the spirit of this thread http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-chevrolet-cruze-general-discussion-forum/4297-collision-deer.html, I'm taking guesstimates on the damage costs. Take a look...


dang man, im sorry, looks like you didnt miss a piece of that deer though


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

There are 26 parts being replaced on the initial estimate, 23 of them are gm parts. The non oem are the 2 headlights, and the cooling radiator, perhaps due to availability. I'll have to ask next time I stop in.


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## AutumnCruzeRS (Sep 10, 2012)

I installed deer whistles today to help in preventing this from happening to me.


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

AutumnCruzeRS said:


> I installed deer whistles today to help in preventing this from happening to me.


 I wonder if those deer whistles actually do work? I have seen them on other peoples cars. I'm just curious.

Sent from my DROID3


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Repair estimate got upped today when they found more damage. The intercooler was not on the initial estimate as it hadn't been torn down far enough yet when it was written. A few other miscellaneous items were found as well. New total is 5,617.86.

I don't think it would have mattered with this particular deer, but I have to think the much noisier oem Firestones would alert a deer to my presence better than the new Ecopias which are very quiet.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Deer are stupid - i seriously doubt noise has anything to do with it when they're running already. They get freaked out and just run. 

My Volvo was loud when on the gas, and I **** near had one run straight into the side of my car coming up a hill at 30 in broad daylight. I swerved, he hesitated, and I didn't hit a deer that day. 

My moms 74 BMW sounds like an old German tank going down the road, and my dad still nailed one at 40 MPH. It didn't look anywhere near as good as your Cruze 

Man that sounds like a lot of damage and doesn't look that bad. How long is your car estimated to be in the shop?


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com App


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## VictoryRed08 (Feb 16, 2011)

Should have bought a Dodge...
/seewhatididthere


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Deer are stupid - i seriously doubt noise has anything to do with it when they're running already. They get freaked out and just run.
> 
> My Volvo was loud when on the gas, and I **** near had one run straight into the side of my car coming up a hill at 30 in broad daylight. I swerved, he hesitated, and I didn't hit a deer that day.
> 
> ...


Yes, they are definitely stupid. Especially in rut. The repair schedule has it done by next friday, but they are hoping to have it done sooner.



VictoryRed08 said:


> Should have bought a Dodge...
> /seewhatididthere


Haaa! If you can't Dodge it, Ram it.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Haaa! If you can't Dodge it, Ram it.


:bowing:


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

I was going to guess 5k+ based on a collision I had a few years back with my GTO. I spun on salt and sand and smacked the side of a Toyota truck. I was about $5,800 for replacing bumper cover, drivers fender, hood and headlamp. My GTO took about a month to get estimated and finished - but the USAA agent was great to work with and turned out he was a Pontiac fanatic. Best of luck getting your Cruze back to normal.



> My Volvo was loud when on the gas, and I **** near had one run straight into the side of my car coming up a hill at 30 in broad daylight. I swerved, he hesitated, and I didn't hit a deer that day.


I can vouch for Volvos being noisy. My daughter has an S70 thinking 2001. I got to ride in it a few weeks ago. That 5 cylinder is rough and noisy. My Eco is so smooth and quite in comparison.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks, I can't wait to get it back. Driving this Dodge Grand Caravan rental really blows.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

I don't think the deer whistles are all that effective. Perhaps they would be worthwhile on an ECO though with the LRR tires. Generally on trucks, the general large mass moving, combined with very loud large tires, will scare any deer away.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Sunline Fan said:


> I don't think the deer whistles are all that effective. Perhaps they would be worthwhile on an ECO though with the LRR tires. Generally on trucks, the general large mass moving, combined with very loud large tires, will scare any deer away.


Man, I saw an 18-wheeler hit a deer once. It EXPLODED all over the road and he kept right on truckin.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Man, I saw an 18-wheeler hit a deer once. It EXPLODED all over the road and he kept right on truckin.


They'll still run, but I think they're less likely to stop and stand still in the road. Maybe not, just my thinking...

I witnessed one of those one time too. Heading south to Florida on 75, just crossed into Kentucky, and just getting up that big hill. We're in the left lane, truck in the center. Deer somehow jumps across all three lanes of northbound, then jumps over the center median wall, across the left lane, and right into the front of the truck. It bounced off the front of the truck, spun across the left lane in front of us, went onto the center median again, and probably slammed into the wall at 40 mph or so (but we had passed it by then). So even though it was relatively in tact after hitting the truck, I imagine it wasn't a pretty sight just behind us. We were real lucky that day, and the truck driver more so. He too just kept on truckin'.


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## rmass09 (Apr 17, 2011)

About 4 weeks ago I was on 271 in Cleveland following someone in a Honda CRV going about 70 and the CRV in front of me hit a dear and the thing popped up about 12 feet in the air bounced on the pavement and probably slid 15 feet. If i had hit that it would have probably gone through my windshield as i was driving a much smaller car at the time...


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Damage estimate got upped again, now at 6,422.73. More damage found in the hood and cooling fan area since that part of the car took the whole hit. I won't get my Cruze back until Wednesday, probably. Gahhhh.... I miss it. :banghead:


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

Bill what shop or dealership is this at?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Damage estimate got upped again, now at 6,422.73. More damage found in the hood and cooling fan area since that part of the car took the whole hit. I won't get my Cruze back until Wednesday, probably. Gahhhh.... I miss it. :banghead:


This is why I gave the range when you first asked for guesses. I've seen firsthand what "hidden" damage can do to what initially appears to be a simple repair. Just be glad they found it while it was still in for the repairs. Getting hidden damage repairs paid for later is a nightmare.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

giantsnation said:


> Bill what shop or dealership is this at?


DeNooyer. I think they found out when it was time to put the new hood on that the hood hinges were slightly bent. It's all good. Obviously, fitment wasn't quite right. Better to find out while it's still in paint, than after the fact. 

They also found a problem with the cooling fan & motor, which is a big ticket item. Haven't had a chance to stop in and see what that was all about.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

obermd said:


> This is why I gave the range when you first asked for guesses. I've seen firsthand what "hidden" damage can do to what initially appears to be a simple repair. Just be glad they found it while it was still in for the repairs. Getting hidden damage repairs paid for later is a nightmare.


You definitely called it. Much closer than I would have guessed. The other deer collision I mentioned in the first page was also over 6 grand. Seems to be the norm for 55 to 60 mph deer collisions.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

UpstateNYBill said:


> DeNooyer. I think they found out when it was time to put the new hood on that the hood hinges were slightly bent. It's all good. Obviously, fitment wasn't quite right. Better to find out while it's still in paint, than after the fact.
> 
> They also found a problem with the cooling fan & motor, which is a big ticket item. Haven't had a chance to stop in and see what that was all about.


Oh I was just there the other day picking up my All Weather mats!


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## The Wolf Wagon (Mar 5, 2012)

Glad you didn't get hurt.


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