So I was driving along a mountain road tonight when there's a deer in the middle of the road on a sharp bend. You know that Lexus commercial with the deer in the apex of the turn and the headlights that rotate to illuminate it? Well, unfortunately Mazda engineers didn't think of adding that feature in 20 years ago, so I could only either a) hit the deer, or b) go wide of the curve and hope there's no tree. Mind you, I was going at maybe 25-30mph. Well, I chose b, and VERY LUCKILY, the hillside was made of very very soft dirt/sod. If it had been during the summer, it may have been rock-hard and I might have really been screwed. Luckily, the only damage was that the very bottom of the right side of my bumper caved in, and my right fender has a little bulge. Besides that, doesn't seem to be any other damage, although I'll take it in to the shop tomorrow for them to put it onto the jack and check it out. Lesson learned: beware of deer.

Anything I should have the shop look out for? There was some sort of rubber tubing that I saw dangling from the bottom of the front right side of the car. I'm guessing it's just an outlet for rainwater or something, but I could be wrong.

 

Probably the dump pipe for the air pump.

 

Either way it should be easy to reconnect the rubber tube. Have them check for frame damage. Even if there's no frame damage it'll cost a lot to have those panels fixed, don't be surprised. It's ~$300 to paint and ~$500 for a panel. Each. If they only have to fix a small dent and paint a small spot it may be a little less. If you don't have the cash you may want to go ghetto and slap on something that's old and the wrong color from a junk yard or keep the dents. For $30 you can get a slapper & dolly kit from Harbor freight and tools. You can remove the panel, set on a surface that won't scratch it, and use the slapper to bang the dent back a bit so if someone's at least 15 feet away they won't be able to see it, heh.

I can't think of any other mechanical items in the front right corner of your car that couldn't be reconnected easily. Just hoses and wires I think.

 

Hey if your dump tube is messed up I have one for sale!

 

It also could have been the hose for the wash fluid. That got cut when my wife hit a deer last year.

 

I'll probably leave the body damage as is, it's hardly noticable. The part that caved in a little almost looks like it was supposed to be like that, if someone who didnt know FC's well looked at it (my license plate completely blocks off the left corner, so at least they won't see the non-asymmetry of my bumper). Fender almost looks better with the bulge, makes the fender flares bigger, haha.

 

lol... i cut off my "dump tube" then again i have no emissions so it all works out! crazy story though.. i would have done the same thing as you most likley

 

Whew close one!.... Gotta watch out for those crafty deer. This incident was only a part of their diabolical plan to take over the world

*DUM DUM DUMMMMMM*

 

i remember hitting a deer with my old DD. going straight on anwooded two way road, thought i saw a car so i turned off my high beams. suddenly a female deer pops out in front and i hit it going 40 or so. it got all slow when i was about it hit it. front and passenger side was messed up. only had to pay for deductible since its not my fault.