So yeah I hit a deer today driving home from base. Probably hit him going about 35 or so because I hit the brakes. Of course it has to be on Hwy 24 with all kinds of traffic. There were about three vehicles right beside each other and he misses the two beside me and all I can do is try to hit the brakes and not swerve. Good news is I was not injured and it did not cause any other accidents to happen. The truck took the impact well, but now the front end does not look so good. Taking it to the body shop tomorrow so they can start working on it. USAA has always been good with us so hopefully this goes smooth. Just got back from deployment so I was finally able to start breaking the T in and then this.
Is there anything I need to watch out for with the front end on the T. Trying to make sure the body shop gets it right. Also going to look into some upgrading if possible. I was already looking at leveling it or lifting it some.
Man that sucks! Sorry to see that but at least you didn't get hurt. I've have pretty much the same exact truck. Just did a leveling kit on it and it came out good. Good luck with your repairs and mods.
Make sure they check your radiator for cracks, just in case. Also check the crash bar/frame cross member right behind the lower portion of the bumper for damage. I just replaced front bumper, grill, skid plate, cross member and all the supports, was just under 4k
Good info Fishn. I am thinking it is going to be at least 6K or more because of the way the hood got pushed back and I am expecting the radiator to be damaged in someway. I drove it home and then to the body shop. A few more squeaks, rode rough, but all of the gauges were reading normal so that is good.
Not looking forward to the cheap rental car my insurance is going to pay for. Probably end up being a Hyundai Elantra or something worse.
That sucks man, and yeah HWY 24 is super stupid when it comes to traffic (all of Jacksonville for that matter). Glad you are ok though and let us know what the body shop says.
We're loaded down with deer here in WV and this time of year they're a **** load of accidents involving them. I've been fortunate I have never hit one. It is amazing how much damage they can do. Glad everyone was OK.
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!
I think I am in Titan withdrawal right now. Dropped it off at the body shop yesterday and picked up my rental. Best they had was a GMC Terrain and while not that bad, I feel like I should be making grocery runs in it. It really makes me appreciate my Titan even more than I already do. 30MPG is great, but I would rather enjoy my vehicle while getting 15-17.
Good news is the estimate was $2,900 because it was all body damage. They assured me they were using OEM parts and not aftermarket parts because the truck is a 14. If it was a 12 or older then they would be using aftermarket parts. Hopefully this body shop lives up to their reputation and does good work. They told me it will probably be done by the end of next week.
That sucks. I hit a deer going ~55mph while pulling a fully loaded trailer up over Rabbit Ears Pass in Colorado a few years ago. Driver air bag deployed and I had to bend the front of the driver side fender out a bit as it rubbed the tire in turns and I had to keep going (medical emergency).
Truck made it to Steamboat Springs and all the way back to Denver w/o any issues. Truck was in the shop for over 2 months. $10k in all.
Watch out for cheap replacement parts. The first replacement headlights had a horrible light dispersion pattern and had to be replaced with OEM. Sheet metal alignment and gaps will be all over the place so check them carefully. Cheap chrome as well will stain, peel and rust. Demand OEM parts if you can.
All of the front mounted engine mechanicals need to be very carefully checked - radiator, trans and oil coolers, the alignment of the front accessory drives (power steering and water pumps, alternator, AC compressor, and belt tensioner) the alignment of the serpentine belt must be true. If its not right you'll wear the belt prematurely and risk future damage to the drive components.
Make sure there is no rubbing or unusual binding lock to lock in the steering. It took me 4 times to get the alignment right so I didn't prematurely wear out front tires.
A competent, experienced shop with recent recommendations (hopefully from friends/family) helps. Let them take whatever time they need and refuse to take delivery of the truck until you are 110% satisfied. They should guarantee all of their work for the life of the vehicle. The shops recommended by the insurance company are not necessarily the best.
5yrs and and add'l 70k miles later the T is still running strong.
Hopefully getting the truck back this week. They think maybe Wed. The body shop is supposed to be good and I am getting all OEM parts. Hopefully there are no surprises when I get it back.
It can not come soon enough. This GMC Terrain is killing me. Something as simple as taking my mountain bike to the trail is proving difficult. It could be a Ford though so it could be worse.