Emergency lane change!
 

My dad and I were on our way to a car show in Dauphin, MB in our SVX's. I was leading going about 70mph around 10pm or so when all of a sudden I saw this outline in the middle of my lane (2 lane highway).

Turns out it was a deer that was clipped by another vehicle and laying there, still alive, with its head up. I cranked the wheel to the left (no oncoming traffic) and was able to miss it...my dad didn't :(

He's going in today to have the damaged assessed. This is Mike/Green1995SVX's old car. The damage (so far) is as follows:
- all body panels are fine except for the front bumper which looks like it can be repaired (the car drove over the deer dragging it for at least 200')
- both airbags popped and hence the windshield is now destroyed
- 3 of the 4 radiator support pins are broken off and will not be repairable
- lower radiator mounting bracket is pushed in about 8"
- A/C condenser pushed in but refrigerant did not leak out
- both motor mounts are destroyed (engine sitting crooked)
- hood is ever so slightly dented (repairable)

I'm still waiting to hear from my dad about what the repair bill will be and if insurance will cover it.

I will attach a couple of the pics in several minutes.

I really, really hope I am wrong on this, but the cost of just the two airbags and the windshield alone (over $2300 + shipping from subaruparts.com) may cause the insurance company to render it a total loss. :(

If they do, buy it back from them at a really reasonable price and try to get the parts you need here or ebay.


UPDATE: There is a complete gray driver's airbag module on sale at ebay for the buy-it-now price of $49.50. It came out of a car with a blown transmission and is fully intact. Search Subaru SVX airbag and you will find it. It is item #7988141873.

Bummer.

The fellers in these parts would want to know: Got dat deer in th' freezer? :D

dcb

Thanks for the info. I'm still waiting to hear from my dad on this. If it is written off.

Here's a few pics (attached)

David,

The most important thing is that both you and your dad are AOK.

Amen! Glad you guys are still with us! :)

-Chike

Ouch! That was one sweet ride if I may say so.
Mike's probably cringing right now :eek:
Glad your dad's okay and that the airbags worked.

I was more in shock than my dad and I wasn't even in the car when it happened.

The passenger in my dad's car was taken to the hospital. Powder from the airbag got in his eyes and they said he had an abrasion on his cornea.

Aye carumba.
And the first person to hit the deer just left it there in the road. :mad:
For shame.

Actually no, they showed up no more than 30 seconds after the incident.

They should have drug it off as soon as they pummeled it, or layed some flares or something.
So there was noone around when you arrived?

That's what they were coming back to do.

I am suprised the windshield broke. I just bought a 96 SVX salvage / theft recovery title in Quebec with very minor drivers side bumper damage, just enough to deploy the airbags and the windsheild is fine. Bought 2 airbags in the USA for 500.00 usd. I could mention what I paid for the 96 and that it only has 78000 kilometers, but you would'nt believe it. The one time I hit a dear in Vermont I am glad I was in an old big Buick Century.

I am glad to hear that everyone involved is ok. When it the Bar B Q? :D :D

Glad you guys are OK, that had to be one hell of a shock!!

The really unfortunate thing is that the airbags were probly not even needed in this case, they probly did alot more damage than they prevented. :(



<no bags in my car> ;)

That's just awful. I'm so upset. It is good though that you and your dad and passenger are OK for the most part. David, please let me know as to what the parts needs are for repair. I'll do anything I can to help keep this car on the road.

Mike

If you guys decide not to fix the car please let me know so i can buy it. :(

Mike

The car will indeed be fixed...there's no question on that. I'm just waiting to hear from my dad as to if insurance is going to cover it or if we're going to have to buy it back.

If you need a drivers air bag I have 2.

That makes me feel much, much better. Please let me know which parts you need when it comes time to fix.

Mike, not sure if you are aware of this but my dad just got the car back from the body shop. There was a massive storm about a month ago and stuff was knocked over on the car. The left front fender was damaged and other panels were scratched. My dad took the opportunity to have all the metal side panels repainted in addition to both bumpers. It looked great.

Do you have pictures? My roommate and i were talking last night about how that car was a part of our "family." She cried when i sold it lol.

Good or bad pictures?

Bad pictures are in post #4 in this thread. I didn't take any good pictures after the car was painted.

Yeah, i was looking for good pictures. :(

I'll get good pictures as soon as it's fixed.

In fact, aside from the minor ding on the hood and the front bumper the car still looks awesome with the new paint.

Glad to hear everyone (except the deer) is unhurt. Good thing it wasn't the middle of winter or it might have been a polar bear instead of a deer. :)

I also have a drivers airbag if you need it. I also have a right front corner light if you want it.

Good luck with the repairs.

--Matt

Seems there are a few driver's airbags out there. Does anyone have the passenger one in gray?

The total cost to repair is over CAD$9000. The insurance company is still unsure whether to fix or write it off. I figure that with SVX prices in Canada this car should be worth around $15000.

The bulk of the repairs is just the cost of the 2 airbags and windshield.

$9000...

That's a scary high number...

Don't know what the airbag laws are like in Manitoba but in Quebec the airbags have to be purchased new at a Subaru dealership. In Ontario you can use salvage airbags. If the car is written off as a total loss by the insurance company and you buy it back it might be branded as as a salvage title and might need a structural inspection to get it rebranded as "repaired". At least that's how it works in Ontario. I'm stuck in the middle of all this with getting my salvage title 96 rebranded as repaired in Ontario right now.
Try car-part.com for the airbags. Forget about buying the cheap ones listed in New York as the are not allowed to ship them by N.Y. law, only available for pick up. Airbags have to be shipped ( or are supposed to be) by a haz-mat (hazardous material) carrier.

I once swerved to avoid a deer like thing lying in the middle of the road in my sisters RX-7 going across Texas and did about 3 or 4 360 spins. The nose is so low on the SVX that if you hit the deer upright it could have gone through the windsheild and killed your dad. Yikes. No burns to the arms from the air bags?

Glad your dad was alright.

Sorry to hear about this.

Glad that all persons involved are okay and be grateful that it's not worse that this.

Hope you can get that svx fixed for a best rate soon......

I can't wait to see that beautiful svx pics again :)

I was very impressed with the way my SVX handled the maneuver. I yanked the wheel and the SVX just said, "OK" without whine (wheel noise) or hesitation.

The passenger in my dad's car actually had a burn on the tip of his nose as well as he got some of the powder in his eye. They took him to the hospital and they also said he had a slight abrasion to his cornea.

Not bad really. Most people I know who have had their Air bags go off on them burn the insides of their arms. (Other Makes)

Another thing that sold me on the SVX was when my Grandpa took me into a parking lot in LA, 1st rain in months, was going 60kms and he said crank it left. The car turned as I held on. That is what scared me when my sisters RX7 spun so out of control. No AWD there. Rotarys in more than one way ;)

So my dad called me right before I left work work and was able to give the following list of parts he wants before I had to leave:

Valve cover gaskets w/grommets
2 cam seals
timing belt cover (2 rear ones) 13569aa060, 13532aa002
timing cover dust shield pieces (4 parts)
timing belt 13028aa120
both motor mounts
A/C condenser
both air bags
both airbag sensors
Cooling shroud ?
radiator
radiator supports (5 pieces)
both rad hoses
both rad fans
bottom engine cover
windshield

More (I assume) to come.

I have 2 drivers airbags. I'll look for the sensors. I might have the condensor also.

I totalled up how much these parts (and a few extra parts for me) would cost from 1stsubaruparts.com and right now we're sitting around USD$5000. I'm sure there's stuff I missed though.

So here's the list so far (this includes stuff for my car and any other local SVX's that need parts)

Total = $3854.37 (we are getting the windshield locally)

so out of that list what do want used? I have a bunch of that list

I'll let you know once I place the order with 1stsubaruparts.com as since we're not paying for it it may as well be new.

If there's anything they can't get I'll be sure to let both you and Mike know. Mike wants to keep his old car on the road :D

Wrong part number... you want 66038PA110MD - DO indicates beige color. :)

Mike