General Deer damage

DaveMcT · Oct 28, 2018

Saturday night just south of Melbourne near Derby I hit a deer.

I was doing about 60 when it ran out of the hedge right under my wheels. Bits of front bumper flew in all directions and the animal was cart-wheeled into hedge on opposite side of road. I pulled into a layby 1/2 mile down the road to find most of the front bumper gone. It's an unlit road so I didn't walk back to check on the deer.

Amazingly there is only a tiny dint in the bonnet not worth worrying about. Right front wing has a dent alongside headlight that hopefully a specialist can deal with without repainting.

I need the following -

Front bumper in charcoal grey
RHS headlight
Black centre trim for bumper
Blue Fiat badge
Aircon rad.

Probably also need a bonnet slam panel/bracket that supports the rads and headlights. It's hard to tell until taken apart but RH headlamp is loose. Ditto the main rad. But the car has done 300 miles since the impact and no mechanical problems.

Insurance might cover it but they are more likely to write off a 2007 car.

A car turned off the road a short distance before so thankfully I wasn't "pressing on". That road is poker straight so folks get the hammer down.

irc · Oct 28, 2018

Ouch. Similar damage to the son's one when he bought it.
But that's why it was cheap.

Hard to tell from the photos but I would guess you need a slam panel (Not too bad, same as standard Panda, and you can change without removing the rad, but there's a few 100hp specific fittings which need swapping over)
Watch out for repro bumpers made out of some horrible plastic which doesn't hold paint well. Took me weeks to find a good s/h one, lucked out with one in correct colour as I wasn't in a rush.
Headlamp repair brackets work OK, about £13 per side from eBay.
Aircon rads were surprisingly reasonable, but coolant rad was eye-watering, so if it's not leaking then leave it?
Oh, yeah... if the reinforcement bar is even a little bent, it may push on the new bumper and deform it. Surprisingly little space between.

DaveMcT · Oct 28, 2018

The bumper cross bar hasn't got a mark on it and the water rad looks straight. The aircon still works but it's bent back onto the main rad and a gas tube is gouged so I don't expect it to last long. It will have to come off to avoid them fretting against each other. Mounting lugs are another thing. Time will tell on them.

Thanks for the tip on the slam panel. It's well tatered.

The headlight lens (plastic) is also broken.

Can I just get a new lens? I've not taken it apart but looks like it clips on.
Used lights are not silly money but do they all have light leveling motors?
Are headlights the same on all 169 Pandas?

I've found a bumper trim panel but if anyone spots a 100HP main bumper do let me know.

The air delfector panel above the rads was shattered but I can make one from alloy sheet if necessary. To be honest a stronger item on suitable brackets would have better protected the radiators.

ratty · Oct 28, 2018

irc · Oct 28, 2018

I'm fairly sure there's more than one type of headlight, IIRC the connectors are different colours.
Second hand one is best bet. Lens swap wouldn't be viable.
Got a split deflector panel if you struggle to find a good one, should glue up OK.
Got a contact who has some 100hp bits, will ask what he's got. May take a couple of days to get an answer though.

dac69er · Oct 29, 2018

I have a black 100hp bumper if your interested? It has some cracks, but it's in 1 peice and could be repaired if you want it spot on.

Can take some pics if interested.

A brand new bumper from fiat is about £350 for the 100hp.

DaveMcT · Oct 29, 2018

irc said:
I'm fairly sure there's more than one type of headlight, IIRC the connectors are different colours.
Second hand one is best bet. Lens swap wouldn't be viable.
Got a split deflector panel if you struggle to find a good one, should glue up OK.
Got a contact who has some 100hp bits, will ask what he's got. May take a couple of days to get an answer though.

dac69er said:
I have a black 100hp bumper if your interested? It has some cracks, but it's in 1 peice and could be repaired if you want it spot on.

Can take some pics if interested.

A brand new bumper from fiat is about £350 for the 100hp.

Keep me posted on 100HP bits. PM me.

So far its front bumper, bumper trim, right headlight, bonnet slam panel, and air deflector. Not to mention the air con rad as that wont be gas tight for long.

Now to check if I have protected NCD on the insurance. However they are likely to write the car off with what a repair would cost them.

DaveMcT · Nov 1, 2018

I have NCD protection on the insurance so the claim has gone in. I'm sure the premium will get loaded next year for being a higher risk but they have you all ways.

If it's considered uneconomical to repair I will probably buy it back and do the repairs myself.

@dac69er watch this space.

dac69er · Nov 1, 2018

DaveMcT said:
I have NCD protection on the insurance so the claim has gone in. I'm sure the premium will get loaded next year for being a higher risk but they have you all ways.

If it's considered uneconomical to repair I will probably buy it back and do the repairs myself.

@dac69er watch this space.

just fire me a message if your interested. i was going to keep it as a spare in case my girlfriends car gets pranged again.

Sweetsixteen · Nov 4, 2018

Feel for you.
Several years ago, four up, we hit a small pig in similar circumstances.
Damage to the car meant it was written off - but the pig shook itself and continued on its way!

Animals have a high level of built-in 'compliance'. And they're self repairing. Reckon your deer probably came off better than you.

DaveMcT · Nov 5, 2018

Sweetsixteen said:
Animals have a high level of built-in 'compliance'. And they're self repairing. Reckon your deer probably came off better than you.

Indeed they do but this one was spun way up into the air and landed on the opposite side grass verge. I was not able to tell if it was killed or otherwise as the only safe place to stop was at least 1/2 mile down the road. I hope the poor thing didn't suffer too much.

I've found a repair shop that can do the work with used parts so might be able to keep away from an insurance right-off.

DaveMcT · Nov 5, 2018

Sweetsixteen said:
Animals have a high level of built-in 'compliance'. And they're self repairing. Reckon your deer probably came off better than you.

Indeed they do but this one was spun way up into the air and landed on the opposite side grass verge. I was not able to tell if it was killed or otherwise as the only safe place to stop was at least 1/2 mile down the road. I hope the poor thing didn't suffer too much.

I've found a repair shop that can do the work with used parts so might be able to keep away from an insurance right-off.

The guy told me about a Vauxhall VX220 sports car (similar to Lotus Elise) that hit a badger. It shattered fibre-glass right back to the driver's seat leaving a horrible mess of blood and guts. At least that one never knew what happened.

DaveMcT · Nov 12, 2018

Got a quote from a local body repairer (£1200 plus VAT) but he's not included the radiator damage so it's going back to the insurer's registered repairers and will probably get written off as uneconomic to repair. I aim to buy it back but will have to review any deal offered.

It's the devil I know (FSH, recent cam belt, new clutch & hydraulics, new wheel bearings, zinc plated back axle and HEL brake lines) so I really don't want to be doing all that again on another car.

jrkitching · Nov 12, 2018

DaveMcT said:
Got a quote from a local body repairer (£1200 plus VAT) but he's not included the radiator damage so it's going back to the insurer's registered repairers and will probably get written off as uneconomic to repair. I aim to buy it back but will have to review any deal offered.

It's the devil I know (FSH, recent cam belt, new clutch & hydraulics, new wheel bearings, zinc plated back axle and HEL brake lines) so I really don't want to be doing all that again on another car.

Unless the insurers are being unreasonable, it shouldn't cost much to buy it back. With your skills, you could put it back together quite cheaply; especially if you are patient and wait for a good deal on some s/h parts. A/C is a luxury so you could easily leave the A/C rad as is and just run without it. If you do reinstate the A/C, I'd suggest also replacing the dryer.

In your position, I wouldn't want to write off all the time & effort you've put into addressing most of the usual issues folks have with older Pandas.

irc · Nov 12, 2018

Hope it works out.

Will keep ears open for s/h parts in the right colour. (I am assuming your paint code is 695, but if not please post it).

I've got a few spare bits, but nothing on your list except a slam panel (and a slightly dodgy centre grille, which would do until a better one came along).

DaveMcT · Nov 12, 2018

jrkitching said:
Unless the insurers are being unreasonable, it shouldn't cost much to buy it back. With your skills, you could put it back together quite cheaply; especially if you are patient and wait for a good deal on some s/h parts. A/C is a luxury so you could easily leave the A/C rad as is and just run without it. If you do reinstate the A/C, I'd suggest also replacing the dryer.

In your position, I wouldn't want to write off all the time & effort you've put into addressing most of the usual issues folks have with older Pandas.

I've no reason to think the insurance will be difficult but it looks like repair costs will go beyond the limit.

I certainly don't want the hassle of fettling another one however good it looks on paper. So buy-back it will be. There's nothing too technical to get fixed and its otherwise a good car.

Agreed AC is not a must-have but I like it. A new rad is only about £80. Just add venting and filling with a new dryer to the list.

** Waiting on the insurance process before spending on the front suspension arms.

DaveMcT · Nov 12, 2018

irc said:
Hope it works out.

Will keep ears open for s/h parts in the right colour. (I am assuming your paint code is 695, but if not please post it).

I've got a few spare bits, but nothing on your list except a slam panel (and a slightly dodgy centre grille, which would do until a better one came along).

Now you mention it, I don't have clue what the paint code is. Just been out to have a look and no way can I find the sticker. Inside engine area and around all five doors - nothing to be found. I may have to ask Fiat.

Hold on to that slam panel. It could be very handy.

irc · Nov 12, 2018

Inside tailgate, passenger side, on edge.

DaveMcT · Nov 12, 2018

irc said:
Inside tailgate, passenger side, on edge.

Excellent Thanks :worship:

It's Grigio Quarzo VR - Code 695

s and b · Nov 12, 2018

i should have a light and a silver bonnet if you go the buyback

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