Do I break it?

[minor_hickup]

I put the car on the wrong side of a hedge last night. Just fitted a new steering rack and track rod ends, took it for a test run and on the way back (it was driving beautifully) a deer jumped out. I jammed the brakes on and the rear of the car pulled round very sharply. The next thing I saw was the hendge and came to a halt on the wrong side of the hedge in a field with the car on its side. I managed to climb out pretty much unhurt, just a few bruises. It seems I didn't hit the dear and the brake fluid all over O/S rear wheel shows a failure with either the bleed nipple or where it connects to the wheel cylinder.

The damage is extensive. The bumper has been pushed back destroying the near side inner wing, front grille panel, the piece that mounts and the floor of the engine bay on the N/S. 3 wings are badly dented, the bonnet has a small dent and there are scratches all over the car from branches.

I think this mog has seen the end of the road? But I feel so bad contemplating breaking up a car that until yesterday was so nice. I'm not looking for sympathy but opinions on breaking a car that if I had the skills could be repaired, but unfortunately I don't, or the time or money to do so.

[bigginger]

Can't offer advice on the breaking, but would like to offer the sympathy anyway...

[minor_hickup]

I just feel lucky that no one was hurt, no one else was involved and that I managed to control the skid enough that I didn't go through the hedge sideways.

[steve4063]

the damage doesn't sound that bad you could replace the panels with new/secondhand

and the floor in the engine bay can be bought in sections i know its a pain to change esp if you've bent the frame.

glad your ok and it was only the car that was damaged as they can be repaired we take a bit longer.

i'd certainly have a look at repairing it esp the rear brake

good luck and i'm sure that someone near you would give you a hand if you needed it ppl seem pretty cool on here

[Dominic]

Would not the insurance money cover at least some of the costs of repair? If they say it's a write off, you could probably negotiate to buy it back for a nominal sum, and then have a long-ish term project on your hands. Just don't do anything hastily!
Glad you are ok anyhow!

[mal]

Sorry to hear that, I can relate slightly to the incident as it happened to me last year with a deer, I managed to stop but must admit was a bit shaken, every time I pass the same bit of road I slow down and have one foot ready for the brakes
Wouldn't the insurance co; repair the damage to your Moggy ????
Hope all go's well for you but I would put the breaking of the Moggy on the back burner till you get over the shock..

Mal

[busguy]

Think yourself really lucky to walk out of this as it seems a lot of people are killed or seriously injured hitting deer.

I hit two on the A31 in a VW at 60 mph, completely smashed the front in and it left me broadside across one side the dual carriageway at Ringwood at 5.30 on a winter's night in rush hour traffic. Battery was knocked off in the accident so no lights. Along comes an MG and hits me square on o/s front wheel spinning me across the n/s carriageway and into ditch. Missed the trucks in n/s lane luckily. It left two dead deer, a very shaken me thinking how lucky I was, and a written off car.

Deer are an absolute menace especially in the autumn. This road has deer fences down either side of the carriageway but somehow these two deer along with two mates had managed to get into the wooded centre reservation and decided to ambush me. I had nowhere to go.

If you see the 'beware Deer sign take real care as there are now loads about well away from their traditional territories.

Take your time deciding what to do with the car. Sounds an awful mess but it is amazing what can be rescued.

[aupickup]

deer are an absolute menace

well do you not think they have some rights as well !!!!!!!!! it is their teritory as well as ours are the roads

we have to preserve our wildlife as much as we can

they are not a menace, we just have to be more careful when driving through these deer places and haunts

deers have families as well

[busguy]

It doesn't matter how much care you take in your vehicle, deer are an accident waiting to happen in the most unexpected places, deer warning signs or not. Their population has increased dramatically and they now turn up anywhere even in house gardens.

I am just as appreciative and caring when it comes to wildlife but having half a ton of deer on your car bonnet tends to concentrate your mind. They are a menace when mixed with roads!!!

[aupickup]

i fear that we are the intruders

i also have had near misses with deer, and also one i hit

imagine a world without wildlife, not very pleasing
imagina a world without cars

[busguy]

Don't disagree with us the 'intruder' but still don't want to meet a gang of them in an ambush.

I suppose meeting a Moose would be worse ...................just glad I don't live in Canada!

[chickenjohn]

With a car that nice it would be a great shame to scrap it- I'm sure its repairable even if they write it off (which they will). There are fewer and fewer nice good condition cars around.

If you don't want to take it on sell it as a repairable project. Take it to ESM and see if they think its repairable.

[aupickup]

thanks
and metal is repairable, yes i know about all nice cars etc, but they are repairable

ok i know not quite the same, but still easier to repair than life

esm at the moment have a pick up that was involved in a head on, front end totalled and they are going to repair that

so make a claim on your insurance

[RichardLewis]

So pleased that there were no serious injuries to yourself or others. As to the moggy,judging by pictures on this form anything is possible so put the car aside and think it thru All the best. Rick in British Columbia

[aupickup]

yes no ones likes getting hurt, and the deer was ok as well, so thats good

what comes around goes around

so would appear to be a mechanical failure then

[Peetee]

Thank goodness no one was hurt. Beatiful creatures as they are

It might be worth mentioning that in my experience if a single deer is seen crossing the road it's fairly certain that more are to follow a few seconds later. It's as if the front one is the scout party. Never assume you've 'just missed one'.

[WPR678B]

Takes me back to a conversation we had at SADMOG on thursday! Didn't see any on the way home luckily!

[bigginger]

Thank goodness no one was hurt. Beatiful creatures as they are

It might be worth mentioning that in my experience if a single deer is seen crossing the road it's fairly certain that more are to follow a few seconds later. It's as if the front one is the scout party. Never assume you've 'just missed one'.

Also worth remembering that they tend to use the same spot to cross time and again, and be extra vigilant there in future

[moggyminor16]

well i would say put it back on the road ant that much to get it right again by the sounds of it ,i rolled my car an old vax caviler still had L plates on it 3 days later it was back on the road ,only used scrap parts and trolly jack and bottle jack and a good bit of 4x4 wood trolly jack for the roof and the bottle jack for the slam panle and the inner wing lasted 4 years driving to and from germany but then a wild boar decided that he liked teh front better than the car did ,the inpact even cracked the block so the car was dead i thought i would have to try and get the boar out but no it got up and walk away grunting ,i evern seen them dent the side plates of a tank as we was winding them up in the middle of nowere .
get back to your car i recon in a long weekend youll have it all back together and a little longer to get it sprayed what do you need ill look about my place and see what my mate has for ya

[les]

Glad to hear of no injury in the above incidents, and just as glad to hear that deer have friends too, they've probably been wandering around long before we pinched all the land!