The laws of chance caught up with me last night. Counting tractors as a kid, I've been driving for 60 years. I've raced, drove a truck, had police pursuit training and generally put a lot of accident free miles behind me. Last night, I didn't have time to react.




I had the girl friend with me and she just heard a bang when that deer hit me. She said I didn't flinch, I just pulled over and stopped. I should hope not, flinching is how you roll a car. She didn't feel the car do a thing. The CX-5 is pretty stable, even when hit in the side by a Deer running full speed. All I saw was a Deer head out of the corner of my eye then it hit.

The door won't open. I'm afraid if I force it, it may not close again. I'm hoping the center post isn't hurt as I really like this car and it held up well from the impact. There are a couple of dents in the drivers door, but the Deer's body toasted the rear door.

There was a pickup behind me and I asked him if it was a Deer. He had stopped rather than hit it. He said it was. It flew over my car, jumped up and took off running. I try not to drive at that half hour around dusk when the sun is going down as that's when Deer are out and THIS happens.

If you're thinking of a CX-5, this is how they stand up to a pretty severe impact. I think anybody in the back seat would have been unhurt. I've seen other cars hit like this be totaled.

 

Sorry to hear about your encounter with a forest rat. Hopefully it can be repaired and not totalled.

My daughter lives in southern IN and we constantly remind her to be on the lookout when driving.

 

That's where it happened .The Fulda bypass in Spencer county. Exactly the type of road I dread because of this.

 

She lives close to you in Celestine. She also drives a CX-5.

Small world.

 

The GF and her family are all over that area. One sister has a house on Patoka lake in Celestine. Those roads are really bad for Deer/Car incidents. I usually manage to avoid them. Just not this time.

 

You got lucky, it could have been a frontal impact and came through the windshield . That looks like a simple door replacement, and depending on your insurance may not cost you anything.

 

Got an estimate and talked to my agent today. Damage is around $4700. That is more than 30% of trade in value and nearly 30% of retail value. That's putting it close to a total. Just for a door and some other dents. I've also got a $500 deductible since I was moving and it's considered a collision. Had I been parked it would have been comprehensive. It's going to be close.

 

If there is no loan and the vehicle is free and clear ,take the money and get a used door and get it repaired for 1/4 or less than the $4700 minus the deductible. Or you can pocket the $4700.00 minus the deductible and sell it to a private party as is and get a new CX5. Either way you will come out way better. $4700.00 for that damage is excessive. This could end up being a good deal for you . What year CX5 is it ? How many miles on it ?

 

I still owe on the car and this is not a car you slap together and live with the rattles. It's like a new car. The second estimate found a warp to the center post. Possible torquing of the rear quarter. That estimate was $7500 using the frame rack. I like the car but I've kept it up and don't know if I'll be happy with all the squeaks and rattles this will cause.

Plus, the earliest time I can get it in for repair is September 9. I don't use the back seat often, but I do use it. I'm heading the my agents office to see what we'll be doing.

 

You can sell it and replace it in less than a week . What year is it ? What trim level ? How many miles ? If it is $7500.00 pay it off take the money and sell it as is ,you will come out too far ahead to get it repaired and keep it. Some body shop or used car dealer will pay you way more than you think for it just the way it is . Dump it and get a new one. You have great opportunity to cash in on this . It's a unibody, and if it's really tweaked the chances are after its pulled it will never be as good as new when repaired , take the money and run. It's just a used transportation vehicle ,nothing special or collectable. A brand new CX5 will be perfect, and a repaired one is going to be a crap shoot. When opportunity knocks answer the door . If you repair it when you do wish to sell the vehicle it will also have a bad Carfax report with $7500.00 damage claim on it ,and will worth less because of the bad Carfax .