This week I shall be the Sad-Blue-Dad.

Friday was slow at work so I scooted over to the hand-wash car-wash after lunch and spent $4 in quarters to get my baby all sparkly clean. It was really slow at work and the sun came out so I sauntered out to the parking lot ~3pm to put one more coat of wax on her before the full force of the NY winter decends upon us. I even put tire-shine on the sidewalls. She was looking great. I was justing finshing up as some of my coworkers left so they expressed their admiration.

Then, on the way home: BAM! It is that time of the year - the deer are in rut so they're crazy. It was about the worst time of day; sun just down, driving west into a bright horizon backlighting dark brush/woods. It was one of the worst roads too; 55mph two-lane country road with no barriers to the close woods. Knowing all that I was in full defense mode - I scanned left, scanned right - then, to my complete surprise, the front airbags deployed.

I had just the fleetingest image of a deer running flat out from left to right. Some stupid doe *really* hauling - front legs straight out in front, back legs straight out in back running directly across the road from who knows where. Mostly I saw her over the airbag. She was perfectly timed to impact dead center of the hood and bumper.


Now, to the RX-8's credit there wasn't a mark on me. The airbag struck my chest, under my chin so I didn't even have my marbles rattled. However, I was immediately absolutely miserable. Airbags deploying is a pretty clear indication of major damage and sure enough, the hood was really badly buckled along with a crushed bumper, headlight, foglight, etc, etc. I'll post pics shortly. Later I was actually able to (carefully) drive it home, but there was a slight wobble from the front that made my stomach sick to contemplate.

Amazing how I can be both lucky and unlucky at the same time. I braked sharply and got right out. Took a quick look at my car then pulled out the cell phone to dial 911 figuring to at least get a sheriff and possibly fire in case the car caught fire from crash damage (seen it happen before). No cell service - before I could even curse the double-bad luck a motorist comes along. Nice guy, he rolls down his window and offers help. He litterally came around the corner as I looked at my phone about 18 seconds after I hit the dear. He turned out to be the son-in-law of a neighbor and he helped me push the car off the road and gave me a lift to my house where I called for the sheriff and got a ride back to the car from my wife. I wanted to look up and say, "thanks for sending this guy God, but if you're looking out for me special; next time would you just smite the deer?"

However, the more relevant points are this -
Days of ownership - 35 days
Days of driving - 29 (lost time for warrenty work)
Defects prior to accident - 3 tiny rock chips (I know every inch of the car)
Miles at impact - 002733
Years saving/planning for a nice car for myself - 8

Such an absolute waste. I drove my beater Subaru for 2 years, no deer hits. I drove an 15-year-old beater F150 for 2 years, no deer hits. I drove a rusted out Toyota 1/4 ton pick-up (which I had bought for $100) for 2 years, no deer hits. Then 5 weeks! 5 lousy weeks! Deer accidents seem especially futile because you can't blame the other drive and you can't even blame yourself when they run out of the blind brush at 30mph or so.

I did spend the weekend looking on the bright side - no one else in the car, no one hurt at all, house is still warm, no one in the family has even a cold or a bruise these days and my insurance has already provided a rental car (which is no cost to me up to 30 days). My kids cried when they saw it, but I told them to not be too sad - cars can be fixed much more easily than people and all the people we care about are fine.

However, I *so* regret such a serious, senseless maiming of my car so soon. After all, it was my *birthday* present. So. who better to understand the sense of loss of an RX-8 than my fellow RX-8 owners? I'd welcome your best wishes and appreciate you shooting as many deer as you can this season.

Safe Driving and Good Hunting (but don't mix the two)

 

snizzle, dazygirl, CATALYST,

Thanks for the well wishes. I will confess a minor sin - in my 3rd week of ownership I pulled too far into a parking spot and scratched up my front air dam. This wasn't a curb at the back of the spot, it was one of those concrete bars that's 3 feet forward. I was really irritated, but soon my RX-8 will have a flawless chin again. Probably not Mazdaspeed now, but I'll look at some options while I wait for the assessment. Krankor's right - she'll be in better shape than before.

Photic, I should get the repair estimate today, but in the meantime I've already scheduled a thorough massage appointment for tomorrow.

Chrisbert, Astral, Duke, I'm glad you understand the deer situation. After 6 years in this area I feel like it's a reverse shooting gallery - the deer aren't the target; my car is the target and they snipe at me all through the spring and fall.

I carry full comprehensive on my wife's and my primary cars. Having a $500 deductible saves my $500 on premiums every year so this year it's a wash. I insure through USAA and they've never done me wrong in even the smallest way (we've had to make 3 deer claims on my wife's van in 6 years so I know the process).

KY, mikeb and all, thanks for the kind words and nice thoughts.

Jedi, I'm glad you'd heard that one before. My weekend was a quest for perspective. I've never had a car I enjoyed more and I saved and planned for this for a long time. At the same time, one of my friends was in Texas this weekend for the funeral of her brother who died of Lou Gherig's disease, a coworker's brother's house burned down from a wood stove fire a couple of months back, etc, etc. You read about fatal car accidents all the time so finally I had some deep breaths (and some beers) and resolved that if 'Annie' wasn't as good as new I'd carry on and perhaps get a 2007 Winning Blue, Fully Loaded, 'Annie II' in a few years and most of all, I'd be satisfied with still being around to make such plans.

Finally, I've also attached some cell-phone-pics. You can see it's just bumper and hood (and what lies behind the bumper). One fog light is ripped loose, but the headlights look ok (one might have a crack that would require replacement under NY law). I plan to pay special attention to my radiator and oil coolers. Anyone else have suggestions about front end damage? What insidious, not-obvious, damage might the body shop overlook?

 

One additional irony. When the flat-bed truck was dispatched from Rochester to pick up my car and take it back to the dealer in Rochester (2 hours away from my home) - he hit a deer on the way down!

Fortunately, it was no harm to his truck (look at that monster). He was on the Interstate doing about 70mph (posted for 65, flow around there is usually 75). The deer flipped over the cab, even cleared the light car and landed flat in the middle of his truckbed.

Anyway, in addition to the macabe close-ups of my deer-damage I submit my flat-bed loading photo and a snap out the kitchen window of them pulling down my driveway. *sigh* Here's hoping she's back soon.

 

That is the joystick for operating the NAV system.

I originally wasn't looking for NAV, but the idea grew on me. Now I can't imagine owning an RX-8 that *didn't* talk to me in that sultry voice. ;-) Of course, my loaner/rentals *never* talk to me so the parting is all the more painful.

My re-build is sufficiently severe that I have my own 'case-worker' at Vincent Mazda. My point-of-contact is Scott. He said he met with the insurance appraiser and got his first estimate and they pulled Annie inside and began taking her apart to try to search out every last bit of damage. Both Xeon headlamp assemblies will be replaced. He's going to fax over the list later today.

First estimate is 1 week waiting for parts then 1 week of reassembly. Fortunately, my rental coverage is good for up to 30 days so I'm okay even if they go to round 2 for parts.