Owl versus Tundra

Driving at night, heard an unexpected thud and this was the result to my rear wheel well. Also had a 1/4” grazing circular nick on the clear coat on the front fender. Estimate came back at $1,800 for 30 hours of disassembly, prep body work, repainting and reassembly of lights, etc.

With a $1,000 deductible, given how you feel about your truck, would you leave it and move on or get it fixed? Also thinking about trying some PDR diy and get it looking 80% good and even maybe slapping on some fender flares.

 

With a $1000 deductible, I would probably just fix out of pocket (not go through insurance). First time I have heard of this. Moose/Elk/Deer hit=yes Goose strike=yes Owl strike = WTF

 

Isn’t that considered an act of nature? That should cause you to not pay the deductible if you can prove it was an animal

 

“The field mouse is fast but the owl sees at night.” Guess there are blind owls out there? Lots of deer strikes out here, but that impact height, splat mark inside the wheel well… best guess I could come up with. Had a few close encounters in the past with barn owls and red tailed hawks out this way.

 

Didn’t think about that, I’ll try it @DaBoro54 - Will update here.

 

Be glad it didn't hit your windshield, owls have been known to cause some very significant crashes. Personally, I was lucky to have one of those straight up 4+" bug shields back about 92, hit an owl around 3 PM at about 50 mph. Snapped off the whole bugshield at the base and rolled over the hood/cab. Anyway, I agree with above, check insurance coverage.

 

I've seen turkeys total vehicles.

 

Large airborne animals is one reason I quit riding motorcycles, had a couple very close encounters. Also had a small bird like a finch enter the drivers side window and splatter on the back glass of a single cab pick up at about 60 mph, sounded like a 9mm right behind me, almost lost an eardrum that day. You just never know what might happen.

 

What "animal" can I blame this on??

 

Photosynthesis can be a rigid MOFO.

 

Depends on how many beers you buy for the insurance adjuster.

 

I know the feeling!https://www.tundras.com/threads/tundra-vs-barn-owl.75769/

 

This would be the second owl I’ve hit with a couple of other close encounters. We had one at work where the guy impacted one around 35 mph. By the time they made it 80 miles back to Saint Louis, they noticed the thing still splayed out and pinned between the deer guard and front plastic grille, but ALIVE!
They carefully extricated it and got it to the ground. It rested for about a half hour before flying off. We’re in the kind of business where we have to document everything, but imagine writing that incident report! ;-)

 

Why not take it to a PDR guy, doesn't look like the paint is cracked anywhere, they might be able to get that fixed for less than 1000

 

Some like me have zero deductible on comp. Its good and cheap, only adds like $30 year

 

That's a comprehensive claim.

Much lower, or free deductible.

I also carry a $0 deductible on comp. It's cheap coverage for things that are not your fault: theft, fire, vandilism and collision with an animal.

Former insurance agent here (33 years ago)

 

A huge hail risk here, so zero comp works