daryll40

Ugh! Tonight a deer ran out and....BOOM!...my pristine 2003 LS430 is no longer pristine. It's still driveable but the passenger side front fender as well as the underneath-around-the-front plastic thingie with the fog lights in it is damaged. Easily $5000 damage. My 13 year old daughter was in the car and thankfully neither of us were hurt. There was no way to avoid this accident.

Anyway, this will be the first claim that I've ever turned into insurance in 27 years of driving. Somewhere I seem to remember that hitting an animal is treated somewhat like "comprehensive" instead of "collision" in that it won't affect your insurance rate going forward. I have $1000 deductible which of course I'll be paying, but this is too great an accident to "eat".

EXE.UCF10

iTrader: (3)

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident...what matters most is that you and your daughter are ok. And plus, the damage could've been worse, but isn't. Oh yeah...poor deer.

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

Oh, man, that reeeaally sucks. I know you haven't had your car for too long and that you really like the LS430. Good thing you and your daughter are both okay, though.

D2-AUTOSPORT

Sorry to see that man, but as others have mentioned it could have been MUCH worse!! I have heard some HORROR stories involving cars and animals


Good luck on a speedy recovery!

nextlevelcoupe

iTrader: (1)

good thing you and your family came out unharmed...like d said, it could have been much worse!

LS007

Sorry to hear the deer and your LS430 became entangled, but glad your both OK. In looking at the damage is that deer hair next to your parking light? If so, you shouldn't have any problem with the claim adjuster

That brings me to another interesting question... Would a deer be more paralyzed from HID's than conventional automotive lighting? Would this make our LS430's deer magnets?

daryll40

Very interesting question that I had never thought about. I've lived in a "high deer" area for the past 12 years and I am fortunate that this has not happened before. I do wonder if those bright lights in an otherwise dark area (no street lights) could have set this beast off. It was almost like a suicide deer...the deer literally ran into the car...boom! Maybe the high intensity light did trigger something. On the other hand, I've been driving cars with high intensity lights for a while now and this is the first time...

Milla...

Sorry to hear of your misfourtune its sure good the two of you are fine, I too have heard of many horror stories and seen pictures of them, where the dear actually enters the cabin of the car causing fatalities. I'm sure happy your able to come out of it with only damage to the car, and its good you were still able to control the car, some people lose control after being broad sided and hit trees etc. How was your daughter I'm sure that shook her up pretty good seeing it hit on her side of the car. Anywho those things happen thats why we have insurance.

I highly doubt that your lights had anything to do with it, deers have been running into cars since the automobile have been on the road. Animals have issues with moving cars period. Just about everyone in my neighborhood has HID's and I haven't seen an increase of road kill on the streets as a result of.

daryll40

The dealer says that for 8 grand plus my insurance repair check and my damaged car, I can "upgrade" to an '04. Car only has 3800 miles on it...but I am thinking about doing it. Whaddya think?

Daryll40

Milla...

Hmmmmm.... the dealer saw an opportunity to increase his numbers, is it something you would do other wise? What I mean is would you normally get rid of your car after a fender binder? Because it sounds to me they're trying to capitalize on your situation and your emotions. I see this picture:

Your standing in the dealer and theres that new refreshed 04' Lexus sitting there (not banged up) and you look back and theres yours (banged up looking unattractive) the salesperson picks up on all of that as he walks toward you or as you explain to him what happen to your car. He takes you back to his office and with a tweak here and a tweak there badda bing his offer.

Out of respect for what ever decision you make I'm not going to tell you what you should do because you didn't ask for advise, but only our opinion. All I will say though is be careful not to find youself with an unpleasent purchase, meaning finding yourself coming out of pocket more in the end yes more than you would under different circumstances. Again Its your decision and the 04' is very nice too so if its worth it to you go for it. Theres so many things to factor in, then too it depends on how much of your current LS is yours. Sounds like a fairly good deal then again its all in what the payments will look like, oh and for how many years....

daryll40

I do appreciate your advice. It didn't quite happen that way, however. It was my idea to see what the difference was. Frankly, I expected the difference to be more like $12-$13K. At $8K, it seems to be worth doing. First of all, when I go to trade in 3-4 years, an '04 will be worth about $4K more than an '03. So for 4 grand net real difference, I have the newer model. I realize that there is some rationalization here...I am the first one to point that out to others. Also, the dealer pointed out something that I had not thought about. He said that the repair will show up on CARFAX in a few years when I go to get rid of it. So maybe the difference between trading an '03 that was fixed vs an '04 (in three years) might actually be the full 8 grand that they'll swap out for right now. Maybe.

Aggravation.

Daryll40

Milla...

Haha I see your dilemma, and I also see the sence. Well if you can pull it off I'd say go for it. If this was something you were possibly going to do anyway this maybe the best time to do it actually.

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

I'd say, that sounds like a fair deal. You should take it. There's nothing like new car smell. And your fender needs replacement, which I don't know if it willl show up on Carfax, but whenever you try to sell it down the road, someone with a sharp eye will catch that the fender was replaced and it will lower the value. Are they offerring you a Modern Luxury Package on the 2004? If so, I'd take it. Let us know what you decide. I'm in California and you are in Pennsylvania so there's nothing for me to gain by telling you to take that offer, sxcept that I think you will be happy with the deal.

SharpLS-96

Glad to hear your daughter and yourself are both fine, that's the most important thing!

Luckily it wasn't a hit like this one through the windshield.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/durango.asp

daryll40

OK, I went to the dealership tonight and here's my propsed deal: They'll take my "base" 2003 LS430 (stickered for about $58,000) with 4000 miles on it and damage. I give them my insurance deductible, assign the insurance check for the repair and give them $11,000 plus tax for a 2004 LS430 with Modern Luxury, sticker just under $61,000. They have the exact car on the showroom. Or I can get a "base" car...which they don't have in stock but can be gotten sooner or later...I'd have to drive a rent-a-car in the meantime...my insurance will pay for up to 30 days....for $8000 difference plus my car and insurance repair check.

I am inclined to "move up" to the one with the modern luxury. I can certainly afford it, but of course just because one can afford something doesn't mean he should **** it away. That's always been my motto...although cars are my weak spot. I would NEVER buy a new car in just 3 months...I usually keep them 3-4 years. But under the circumstances I am inclined to "start all over" and move on.

Do you folks think that this is a reasonable deal....I am not asking if you think I am crazy for trading in a 3 month old car...yes...I am crazy...I am asking that, knowing I am crazy, am I getting totally hosed or is it a fair exchange based on current market conditions, the fact that the dealer has to hassle with the repair, and will then have to sell a "previously wrecked" car, even though it will be perfectly fixed, no doubt.\

Daryll40