Raccoon, insurance? Body shops?
 

So after being tucked away in the garage for 3 weeks solid, I took the mistress out for a ride last night. Had a nice relaxing drive until I headed back and a fat ass raccoon jumped up from the ditch and stopped in the middle of my lane. Awesome no shoulder roads here, barely seen it, partially due to how dim the area of road is that close to the car with the Hids and no driving lights when the high beams are on.

Broke a chunk out of the bottom of the bumper while ripping the rubber air dam most of the way off, busted the fender liner all up, broke the windshield washer reservoir, bent the front tag and cracked the front edge of the bumper cover. I rolled it on to the house and into the shop, like I said, about a mile from home, all highway, no shoulders. I start checking the damage and a hind leg was wedged into/stuck onto the inside of my front wheel... So hopefully thats all the vibration was after the impact. I may have 1500 miles on these tires if even that.


Will try to upload pics, except the severed leg, unless enough people want to see it. Should I fix myself (no way to paint it personally) go through a shop out of pocket, or just let insurance handle it and take the rate hike? ($500 ded.)

Whats a 14-15 SS bumper cover run with paint and stripes? Fender liner and related plastics under the front? Washer res.?

Not sure you would get a rate increase for an "accident" that doesn't involve other humans or negligence on your part.

I would pay the deductible and insist on OEM replacement parts, because a first rate repair will be at least twice that.

Good to hear that, I've only recently ever filed an insurance claim, over a cracked windshield from a semi throwing a rock, and on the Tahoe not the mistress. Years and years of paying for insurance and felt bad for using my glass coverage... Plus I earned another speeding ticket (not in the mistress) about a month ago, so pretty worried about the rate hike when my policy renews over that. The last ticket 2 years ago, resulted in my rates doubling. For a 9 mph over ticket. Only thing before that was a speeding ticket in 2004!

And whats the best way to ensure I get OEM parts? I ended up with a cheap pos off brand windshield on Tahoe through a local glass shop.

Anybody recommend a good shop in the Joplin, Mo - Pittsburg, KS area?

Will the pictures I have be enough for the claim or should I leave it all like it is? I already discarded the leg.... but the rubber air deflector, should I zip tie it up somehow or can I go ahead and pull it off so no more damage is done?

From an insurance agents perspective, it should be classified as a comprehensive loss because you hit an animal. Will it cause your rates to go up? Probably so. Not as much as if you hit an object or person. Comprehensive claims do not have as much bearing on your rates as liability. Your claims adjuster will want the pics for their records.

Thank you, what's your take on the air deflector? Take it off (since I have the pics) tie it up so it's driveable but still partially attached?

I would ask your insurance agent. You never know unless you get it in writing.

My Camaro has had the windshield replaced twice.

The first time, when I told the glass shop I wanted OEM Pilkington glass, they asked me to call the insurance company, which confirmed that they would cover OEM glass because the car was, at the time, less than 3 years old. The second time, the car was older than that. I still insisted on OEM, but had to pay the difference because the Pilkington glass cost almost double.

If you want OEM parts, you have to ask, and maybe be willing to pay the difference. Poor glass is very noticeable to me, and has even given me motion sickness in the past due to optical distortion at the edges. With bumper covers, people report poor fit and ugly gaps.

I'd check the classifieds on here and put out an "ad" and see if you can get a bumper and reservoir as it would seem that plenty of people have replaced their bumper with the ZL1 one and the reservoir with a relocation kit for their intake - might get those parts for less than the price of your deductible.

wow,thats a lot of damage from a raccoon.i hit an armadillo going about 60 in my 1993 honda del sol and all it did was scuff the paint on the bumper a little.buffed right out but the armadillo was toast.

It was quite the fatty, just glad that's all it did. I just went and jacked it up to get a better look, it's really not bad but as low as she sits, I can see how it broke the bumper so bad. I know somebody that hit a coon with a Kia and it took out the bumper, radiator, condenser, bent a tie rod, etc. So I feel pretty good about this one. About got myself talked into just fixing it myself and hope I can get paint matched at a reasonable cost out of pocket.

Whats supposed to be on the bottom of the washer bottle? Does it have a nipple molded into it or something? Couldn't find any other damage to it yet but just from looking from the bottom that's all I see on it. Bumper cover is trashed for sure. Fender liner trashed. Lights all good and solid, what else might be behind the cover that might be questionable until cover is removed and further inspected? It's not loose at all just looks like it flexed and cracked on top and you can see where it flexed and bent the tag, not a direct hit there.

My biggest worry in doing it myself is the paint matching and stripes looking right. Which, I'd like to have the stripes painted on anyway. Any ideas what paint for the cover and possibly stripes run? Can you get just that section of factory stripes or do you have to buy a whole kit?

does the wife know?? :D

I'd ask your claims adjuster. Follow what they ask you to do to ensure a good claims experience.