Was raining, and in trying to miss a deer I backed my baby into a ditch, and fortunately a tree kept me from completely rolling over into running water. Thrashed the roof, rear cab pillar, rear suicide door, rear deck, passenger side bed, and leaf spring, exhaust, front bumper, sprung the rear (extended cab, drivers side no impact) door, rear upper corner approx 3/4" from door seal, and broke out rear window.


http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif


Can this be reliably repaired? Should I insist they total it? 2003 2500HD D/A, 29K?

Some pics would help.


I am suprised by some of the things that they can do these days to keep from totaling a vehicle...


Get a grille guard/front end replacement, and aim for the deer next time...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Pics would definitly be a plus...
A few yrs ago, my cousin crashed our grandmothers Aztec interesting enough into the back end of our farm trucks as it passed through a intersection. It destroyed the passenger side front cab arm/post(the arm that runs on both sides of the windshiled up and down) and anyways it only comes like in one complete piece w/the frane or something i think...I dont know what or how they did it, but somehow managed not to total it, but it did cost some coin. Sure hope the same goes for you. Big thing will be if there is any damage to the frame, if theres frame damage of any kind, total is almost guranteed Let us know how it goes...I feel your losshttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif

I took a deer at 75 MPH in my 1999 Sierra gasser. Did about 6k damage to the front. Didn't even feel the impact. Wiped out the tranny cooler, A/C condensor, and the radiator, hood,
bunch of grille parts.

JimEdited by: jholly

front end replacements work wonders.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif

Sorry to hear about your misfortune!

I hope you got a piece of the deer, if you missed it and don't have any "evidence" on the front of your truck they won't believe you and your insurance rates will go up.


Lesson learned I'm sure, never try to avoid hitting a deer unless it's absolutely safe to do so.

Silatman---count your blessings! Trucks can be fixed or replaced. The most important thing in all of this is that you walked away from it! If it were me, I'd hope they would "total" the truck for enough money to justify buying a new one.--------later---http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cool.gif---Phil

I hope you got a piece of the deer, if you missed it and don't have any "evidence" on the front of your truck they won't believe you and your insurance rates will go up.





Helps if ya got a couple hanging on the wall...........http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Tongue.gif, never have to worry about that.


Sorry to hear that though...........


Thttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gifNY

silatman, here is my personal exerience that you'll like to hear involving my own roll-over. Yup, had a roll-over and go two appraisals each within $100 of each other from two different Chevy dealers for about $5100. Was paid by State Farm the same week. Then, I went shopping. The same two dealers only offered $5000 and $4500 for this six-month old G10 (van) with 13k miles. Went to a third dealer with the van and while I was looking at his stock of G20s they offered $6500 right off the top (I skewed the damage figure at $3500). In the end I was able to get $8237 trade-in and had the insurance check in my pocket for $5050. Best deal I ever made with a dealer. Most likley you won't want to work with a roll-over repair so go for the new LLY!


Marc

Roll-Overs are not good!!! You are very lucky. My wife rolled my '01 F250 down a 60' bankment .5 mile from our house. The roof V'd into the driver seat sending her to the hospital for 4days and two surgeries....very lucky she is alive. I really know how you feel.


Trucks can be replaced......that is why I am driving a Duramax now.

Wow! Hope you are OK?!

Now you guys can see why I built my front end replacement bumper and roll bar. I will still slam on the brakes, but I continue to steer straight! If the worst happens and I roll it, then maybe between the roll bar and the grill guard the cab won't completly crush in! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif

Get a front replacement bumper next time and then have Jerky when the next suicidal deer crosses the road! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif

http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL103/634098/1742611/48952197.jpg

I hope you got a piece of the deer, if you missed it and don't have any "evidence" on the front of your truck they won't believe you and your insurance rates will go up.


Lesson learned I'm sure, never try to avoid hitting a deer unless it's absolutely safe to do so.

Left the deer at the side of the road. Did have a tuft of fur caught in the bumper. The chipper didn't have any problem believing me and wrote a report. Insurance took the report at face value and did not hassle me, and the rates did not go up.

It happened at night, had to run with low beams because of the oncoming traffic and the little bugger shot out of the dark and bush so I did not have much time to react or try to stop. Messed up the front pretty good but the truck took the hit without losing control or anything.

Another time I came across a dead deer in the middle of the road right after a small white car hit it. Again at night and low beams and did not have much time to react. I just centered on the deer and went over it. I imagine there was quite a mess behind me, but the truck had no damage. From the glimpse I caught on the way past, the small white car was messed up pretty bad. Glad I drive a truck.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif I-5 at night is fun http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Wink.gif

Jim

Have the work done at a dealership so the warranty will be honered. I work with a guy who wrecked his 03 2500 2 months after he got & they replaced the frame. He had 9 pages of part numbers & discrip of parts. One of the parts listed was a new frame, Chevy doesn't fix they replace the part. He says it drives just as good as the day he drove it off the lot.

Have the work done at a dealership so the warranty will be honered. I work with a guy who wrecked his 03 2500 2 months after he got & they replaced the frame. He had 9 pages of part numbers & discrip of parts. One of the parts listed was a new frame, Chevy doesn't fix they replace the part. He says it drives just as good as the day he drove it off the lot.


At that point, wouldn't it be easier for GM to take the truck back, give him a new one, and strip out the good parts for themselves?

I think I found them, You did say two didn't you?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/21D_DSCF2190.JPG

I ordered a Ranch Hand replacement front end today. There will be no more swerving for the four legged critters. I'm gonna mow em down, and make sausage.

Mmmmm sausage.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif I like jerky too. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif

Silatman,


Just curious, how much for the Ranch Hand ?

$919.00, $130 Shipping cause I had to have it shipped to Mississippi from Texas. Local dealer wanted over a grand, and said it would take 8 weeks.

How are you making out on the repairs???

silatman snuck up on me this afternoon and watched me work.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif Hope he brings me some of that snosage.


mike

Just wanted everyone to know that I actually saw Mike with wrenches, and he knows his stuff. As soon as my pocket book recovers from the shock of adding that bumper, and a few more toys, I'll be making the 2K mile drive to LA for a Suncoast Level 3 installed by Mike.

My bumper of the future (Dreams are for everyonehttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif ) is the Trail Ready


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/444_GMCHDside.jpg

That's a must have bumper. But, 2K installed OUCH

hdmax

I like that bumper, is it custom, or can I order it off the shelf?
how much? You do the install yourself?

I'm in deer country the my wife drives my rig, I would feel alot better if I had a good deer deflector and taught her to just drive through the deer and don't worry about trying to miss them.

low_tech

Any body have any experience with those Deer whistles that stick onto the vehicle? My little brother hit a deer, a few weeks ago. Got me thinking..... I'm long over do, to hit another one, myself.

A couple of weekends ago I hit a small black bear, I would say about 150 lbs, in northwestern New Jersey. He jumped over a guard rail at full speed and dashed in front of me. I went into full braking mode from about 45 mph to under 10 when contact was made. I guess when I tapped him on the hind quarters just below the truck's right head light. He got spun around on the side of the road, but never stopped running. Because I slowed down quite a bit, there was no damage to the truck. However, I did need a few cold ones afterward to calm me down (that was my excuse).

I work shift work at plant in South Texas where deer and wild hogs are common. Agree that a full front replacement is the way to go. A large boar can really do some damage.


Hit one deer doing about 40mph and had no damage. About 2 months later hit one doing about 65mph and had about $3000 damage even though I had a grill guard. Luckily I have only hit one wild hog and someone else had hit it first. http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif


I am disappointed that the insurance companies don't offer some reduced premiums to install grill guards or full front replacement guards.http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif


Many of us use the deer whistles. Can't say how effective they are, but for $6-8, it can't hurt.Edited by: wickll