Oh "deer"! My Poor Lex.

landar · October 7, 2012

This is what happened when my LS430 met up with a 200 pound doe last night. Traveling on I80 (Indiana) @ 70 MPH when a monster of a deer comes running across all four lanes. I could not avoid her. The impact instantly killed the old gal. My wife and I were shaken up a bit (though not as much as the deer). Other than the obvious damage, the Lex still drove fine and we easily made it the 30 miles that we had left to home.

Besides creaming the left head light, fender, and hood, the left passenger door is really dented badly as the deer hit and bounced off the side. Wonder what this is gonna cost for repairs? I am guessing $5k.

SRK · October 7, 2012

I'm sorry to see such damage. It's amazing what an animal can do to car travelling at such speeds. Glad you're both OK.

I'd say the damage is $10k, at least. The hood will be $1k by itself. Unless used parts are installed. There were very few used parts when my LS took a front end hit, so everything was replaced with new, and that repair, with hood, grill, AC condenser, lights, was $11k.

landar · October 7, 2012

Thanks SRK. I will get estimates later this week. I do have full coverage with a $500 deductible so hopefully the insurance will cover everything needed. The light assembly is completely gone and that cannot be cheap with the auto-leveling headlights. Gives new literal meaning to "deer in the headlight(s)".

billydpowell · October 7, 2012

Hay guy, do sorry to hear of your misfortune, but glad you both are ok... you done good on your last accident, so you will be ok this time too.

landar · October 7, 2012

Hay guy, do sorry to hear of your misfortune, but glad you both are ok... you done good on your last accident, so you will be ok this time too.

Hey Billy. Yeah, it could have been worse. Like the deer could have come thru the windshield. Unfortunately, the deer didn't have any insurance that I can claim so this one is coming out of my own pocket. I don't think an LS460 is in the cards.

SW03ES · October 7, 2012

Sorry to hear about the accident landar, at least you're okay!

I agree with SRK, $10k+ in repairs there.

LSPaul · October 7, 2012

Ouch--glad you're both unhurt. I'd also guess you're north of $10k, sadly.

Paul

1990LS400 · October 8, 2012

Geez, Randy, I'll bet that was scary. Yep, that is over $10K in damage. Shall we start a damage estimate pool? I'll go for $14,000.

It could have been much, much worse. A neighbor's adult son was killed a few years ago when a deer came through his minivan windshield. His wife was partially blinded. Their two kids in the back seat were injured. Somehow he brought the van to a stop before he died.

LEXIRX330 · October 8, 2012

Glad you and your wife are both ok...good driving keeping the car on the road.

By the way you may know this already but this would be filed under comprehensive coverage or other than collision. Some people have 500, 500 deductibles but most people have a higher collision and a low comprehensive deductible.

AussiLS400 · October 8, 2012

This is what happens when a 6 ton truck hits you head on. And yes the car saved me. Got out with minor glass cut on my hand. I was so impressed by its crash resistance I bought another one about a week later. That A pillar took a real thump. Oh and wrote the truck off too.

SRK · October 8, 2012

Sweet mudder o' jaysus! You walked away from that?! No better testament to these cars than those photos!

Thanks for posting.

SW03ES · October 8, 2012

It could have been much, much worse. A neighbor's adult son was killed a few years ago when a deer came through his minivan windshield. His wife was partially blinded. Their two kids in the back seat were injured. Somehow he brought the van to a stop before he died.

Scary. I had my car in for a bumper repaint one time a few years ago, the shop owner (who I know pretty well) showed me a 98-00 LS400 he had where a deer had landed straight in the windshield. Not a mark anywhere else on the car...luckily the people survived...

curiousB · October 8, 2012

Landar,

Glad you folks are OK. The car can be fixed but I'm sure the mental pictures will hang on for some time. Stay safe.

billydpowell · October 8, 2012

Landar not trying to pirate your listing, but y'all give me some help.. I have never owned anything but LS400 models, I know an es is the economy sedan, what is the GS & IS ??

then go back to guessing the damage amount.

landar · October 8, 2012

Landar not trying to pirate your listing, but y'all give me some help.. I have never owned anything but LS400 models, I know an es is the economy sedan, what is the GS & IS ??

then go back to guessing the damage amount.

Billy, I have always understood the model names to mean something to this effect:

IS- Intelligent Sport

ES- Executive Sedan

GS- Grand Sport

LS- Luxury Sedan

They each have their own body styles and characteristics to meet a certain market segment.

landar · October 8, 2012

I called my insurance agent today and they told me that I have comprehensive coverage for the damage with a $250 deduction. And they told me to get several quotes which I will start doing tomorrow. I hope they are sitting down when I fax the quotes! Bet I get some push-back on this one.

billydpowell · October 8, 2012

great, thanks. and I guess that is how they line up too.

LEXIRX330 · October 9, 2012

Well that's better than 500! I would ask for the shops that your company reccomends too. You dont have to use them but most of the time your insurance company will warranty the work as well as the shop.

LSPaul · October 9, 2012

Perhaps it's a bit too soon... But, on a lighter note, I visited the "Deer vs. Lexus" theme a couple years back as the image for my Christmas card. The tagline on the card was, "D'oh! A Deer!"

-Paul

Micah.Berry · October 9, 2012

LSPaul, That's funny! Nicely done.

Landar, If the damage comes in at the $14k mark, I would suspect a possible write off, and the option to move to an 04-07 LS430. Just my guesstimate though... I'm thinking more along $10k mark.

I'm very glad that you guys are okay! I'm sure you got the knotted-stomach feeling when you survey the damage on the side of the road. Cars are quite replaceable and fixable. I'm sure you know to call reputable shops who aren't going to cut corners.

Some of my more "redneck" relatives would have asked, "Did you keep the deer?" You also may have just beaten a lot of hunters, who have yet to get their deer this season.

Please post up progress. I'm interested in keeping up with the resolution to this, and whether or not the insurance company pushes back or not.

Thanks,

Micah

landar · October 10, 2012

The first estimate is in: $7492.36. This with the Lexus santioned shop (also does Mercedes). Working on getting a second estimate.

LEXIRX330 · October 10, 2012

Wow that is much better than I would have thought.

1990LS400 · October 11, 2012

The first estimate is in: $7492.36. This with the Lexus santioned shop (also does Mercedes). Working on getting a second estimate.

Wow. That seems like a stunningly low price. I had assumed that the bumper cover, hood, fender and front and rear left door skins would would have to be replaced and the entire left side of the car repainted.... and of course the headlight unit. And that there was even rear quarter panel damage that could probably be hammered ouit. It even looked like the front left wheel was damaged. Is the left foglight salvagable? Would the shop doing this work use new OEM parts?

I need to come to your town the next time I need bodywork!

landar · October 11, 2012

The shop will replace fender, both door skins and hood with OEM sheet metal. In less, of course, the insurance company adjuster wants to cheap out with salvage or aftermarket parts. I am going to try to head that off. But yeah, pretty much everything you mentioned, Jim. The rear quarter looks untouched and the wheel/suspension/steering seems unaffected. Now, the caveat from the shop owner is that the estimate could go up if they get into things and find more issues than originally thought. But the labor rate at the shop is only $48/hr which seems very reasonable to me. I have an appointment with another shop on Friday then I am done with estimates on my part. I only trust a couple of shops in the area to do the work and this is one of them. I am not looking forward to dealing with the insurance adjuster.

LEXIRX330 · October 11, 2012

You don't have to deal with the adjuster at all. You can have your car repaired at any repair shop that you choose. Let the shop deal with the adjuster. I can not imagine that they would give you a problem with a estimate like that.

What company are you dealing with? Do they have approved shops in the area? If they do I am not saying use their shop but this shop could be one of them...if that is the case you don't have to do anything.

Good luck.