balefire

iTrader: (2)

I have an early 05 w/o the factory condenser screen. So I installed a few weeks ago the RB A/C Condenser and Oil Mesh screens. Although the RB screen is bigger than the OEM screen, I still noticed that the corner of the A/C condenser was still not protected. What are the chances?

Anyway, at 6am a raccoon decided to cross the highway in front of me. Bumper was unscathed, but he tore through pretty much the entire radiator support cover and landed right on the RB Screen. Well the screen protected 99% of the condenser... but the A/C condenser corner got damaged!

Thankfully insurance is covering it all. $900 bucks or so...

Anyway, moral of the story, is even with the RB screens, you're not invincible against rocks, etc.

update: pics added 10-30-06

"Shanika"

worthless, thread w/o pics.

ken-x8

We don't need pics. Anyone who's interested in the topic would know what the RB and Mazda screens look like.

And who among us has not seen a splattered raccoon?

Ken

CarAndDriver

I have not. Pics please.

Paul_in_DC

Screens don't help if it's a deer, of which we have too friggin many around here!

I knew a guy who used to hunt possums. He laid out a 2-foot patch of asphalt, hooked up a spring-loaded truck tire, and painted two yellow lines for bait...

CarAndDriver

Still waiting for pics.

therm8

Meh, I had the world's largest, suicidal, domesticated cat break a weld on the radiator mount (not to mention disintegrating the plastic rock tray). The cat died, and good riddance, may it rot in hell.

'87 Turbo II

HAHAHAHA it's like ron white's joke.

"If you want to shoot a dear, slow the bullet down to 30 mp/h, put little headlights and a horn on it, and you wil lfind that the deer will actually JUMP in front of the bullet."

balefire

iTrader: (2)

When I pick up the car on Monday, I will ask the collision shop for their pics. Although, I think anyone that has installed the RB screens probably knows what I mean in terms of coverage of the AC Condenser.

ph0tic

*cough* pics..

CarAndDriver

Thanks. Sorry about the damage. Not everyday we get to see RX8 racoon roadkill.

toxin440

I had the SAME thing happen to me but my damage was 2000 dollars from a raccoon (no RB screens either) now I have them.

Anyways, doing 60-65mph one night going home ****** runs out in front of me, a really fat bastard too. Cracked my whole front bumper, tore out my plastic tray, and my appearance package, and damaged my condenser too. Funny thing is like 3 months later when i was taking off my Catalytic converter and saw baked on blood from the raccoon incident.

I'm glad it's dead - serves it right for running out in the road, and then deciding to run back from where it came from (dumb piece of ****)

momo

Haha...I noticed when I took my car to Mazda for service, that Rocky was under the car. He cracked the bottom plastic tray and ended up wedged in between the radiator. Funny thing is none of the techs wanted to crawl under the car to extricate the poor lil b@sturb from my car. I called them a bunch of wusses, I grab a pair of gloves and proceeded to get the ****** out. I thought that my car had a little funny odor to it.

balefire

iTrader: (2)

pics added. no guts splattered however. the body shop did cut off some of the underbody that was dragging along the ground before the picture. its pretty obvious however that the RB screen leaves the corners unprotected. follow big semis at your own risk.

ps. my driving instructor many moons ago taught me to hit animals. apparently, more accidents happen when people try to avoid little furry friends than when they just hit them.

ps2. my friends who have also hit animals tell me to make sure to wash my car really well. apparently other furry friends can get attracted to the smell and decide to take up residence.

Rems31

Here's my 8 vs a bird.
I was on the highway and it tried to fly across from right to left. I dont think the bird knew how fast an 8 can go.

afgcfan

Poor raccoon the 8 could be fixed but the raccoon cudnt be.

Transam kid 01

iTrader: (1)

Rx8:1
'Coon:0

now go turn that sucker into a hat :D

Paul_in_DC

ROFLMAO!

Last month at Summit Point, I was zoooming down the back straight at 100+ mph, when a groundhog ran across the track ahead of me. It wasn't close enough to hit him, but I sure puckered up. Can you imagine hitting a 10-lb animal at 100+?

Transam kid 01

iTrader: (1)

That woulda left a nice red stain all over the front of your car

SilverEIGHT

That groundhog would have turned into un recognizable rotting matter and your car would have had some serious damage! LOL... you would have found varmit **** all the way to the trunk!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

CarAndDriver

Curse of the silver!

Aseras

that's why i made my screens right up against the bumper, i figure if it gets through them, it's going to take enough speed off to not damage anything.

dmc27

& a brown one on the seat.

Damned raccoons. tricksome little bastiches.