I had a close encounter (of the first kind) with a deer in my new blue Prime Advanced. Almost at the end of a 330-mile trip, a little fawn gave me the "deer in the headlights" look, and I struck the little Bambi (or Bambette) with my driver side front corner in spite of the ABS brakes doing their best. I stopped to check for damage, and gave a sigh of relief when I could see no damage and could not see a lifeless body nearby. It seemed that both Bambi and I had "dodged a bullet." However, my headlight seemed to have been knocked out of alignment. The next day, the dealer serviceman referred me to the body shop "Just in case". The body shop estimator figured that they could snap the turn signal/fog light module back into place and re-aim the headlight for minimal cost (a few dollars over my deductible), so I made an appointment and returned for the minor procedure the next day. Well, both the headlight and turn signal modules had snapped away from most of their (plastic) mounting tabs, and both needed replacement. In addition, a small chip of paint had been knocked off when the bumper tip had slid into the fender. Over three thousand dollars later, the repairs were completed. The headlight and turn signal modules cost roughly $1600 and $700, respectively, and the remainder of the cost was for disassembly, painting, and reassembly of the front bumper. Oh yeah... and $25 to re-aim the headlight. Oh yes... and I also had to wash off the 4-foot long brown streak of cr_p that I knocked out of the little bugger!
ouch! and to think, when my 2004 encountered a buck at 55 mph, smashed the hood, right front fender, windshield, numerous engine bay stuffs, and front passenger door, the total bill was $5,000. not gonna take much to total a prime, and i can see insurance rates skyrocketing when they catch on the the expensive parts.
This time of year with harvest and hunting they will be all over. I bet that fawn also has a blue streak running on one side of its fur now.
I think it'll take legislation to reign this happy dollar-fest in. Anyone remember real bumpers and $20 sealed-beam headlights? At the risk of being pushed to FHOP: where's Ralph Nader when you need him?
Welcome to perhaps my biggest fear on the road: Deer. (And moose, but moose are slower and easier to see and avoid.)