Several hours ago I was driving on woodside road here in the Bay Area - a nice twisty road going towards the coastside. As I came around a corner, I saw a dead deer in the middle of the road, but wasn't able to slow down, stop, or swerve to avoid the deer in time. As such, I unfortunately drove right over it! This wasn't a small fawn; it was a full size doe which must have weighed at least 100 pounds. The size of the deer and the speed at which I was going, caused my 8 to lift all 4 tires off the ground for a moment as it (the deer) passed under me. I'm just thankful that it wasn't male...antlers would really have caused some major havoc...

My car threw a CELL; as it turns out the sensor attached to the catalytic converter was ripped out of its socket. Everytime I've worked under the car, I've thought to myself that the exposed location of the sensor cable attached to the CAT was a stupid design and was bound to get snagged on something; this experience just confirms that suspicion. Luckily, when i got back home, I was able to just clip the sensor back into its socket and the Cell turned off in a hour or so.

Fortunately, there there doesn't seem to be much physical damage to the car. The bottom plastic shielding under the front bumper fractured, but it should be easily repairable. I jacked up the car to extensively check for any drivetrain damage, and found that the under cross braces did their job perfectly by taking most of the impact.

Gross- Factor: I managed to skin the deer as I was going over it! By the time I got my 8 back into my garage and jacked up - I found that the heat from the CAT. had literally cooked chunks of deer meat (venison anyone?) that had been stuck to the under braces, and charred a section of Deer coat that was lodged under as well! My garage smells rather like a BBQ....

Sorry - no pics ... I just spent 2 very nasty hours under my car cleaning all the gore out, and I'd rather not remind myself of this experience. Subsequently, I might go vegetarian for the rest of the week as well.

 

Oh, deer.

 

I have a 40 minute drive home from work in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Hit A little bambi in my Subaru one evening on the way home.Thankfully, Bambi fared much worse off. In the RX-8, a small amount of paranoia creeps in every time I start heading home (~ 8pm) Deer are very prolific out here in East Texas and can really do damage and injury if you hit one square on. Glad your car seemed to be okay.Glad your okay (save the mental trauma). Now....a little Bodacious BBQ sauce and you've got yourself a ready snack!! ROAD KILL Special

 

Wow, venison on the car-b-cue .. yuck!

Glad you're OK.

 

Hey Davis...you may want to check her into your dealer. Just to be on the safeside. You never know what damage may have been done that is invisible.

- Irish

 

Sounds to me like she's totalled. The motionlessness and guts everywhere are a dead giveaway.

Oh, you meant his car. I agree.

 

doc...Lol :D

 

"oh, deer"... made me laugh.

rx8= 1 , deer= 0

 

lol ....

I'm just glad the deer was already dead and lying on the road, as opposed to alive and standing; if that were the case, I would have totalled my 8. I'm taking the car in on monday to get it thoroughly checked out. At the least, I'm sure my alignment must be thrown off.

 

just outta curiousity was this on Calaveras Rd? Or Mt Hamilton Rd? Or other?

 

This was on the coast-side of the windy road past the reststop at the summit of the mountain. I believe it was either La Honda or San Gregorio Road, but I could be mistaken.

 

WOW.... Now thats a story!!! Sorry for finding your insodent amusing. Hope u are ok! But man, you made me laugh!

 

LOL! :D :D

You're killing me today doc.

And glad to hear you don't have much damage, that is some serious luck! RX-8 vs. Deer thread on the way?

 

Glad to hear it didn't cost you any doe and the buck stopped there--I know know how fawn you are of your 8 :D
Gary

 

LOL at all the jokes. Davis, glad you're okay, I drive around that area all the time. I keep hoping I don't run into any deer.

 

LMAO - that has to be the best one yet .... :p

I did take my car in to get serviced today and the prognosis was good considering the circumstance. I'm getting the plastic shielding under the front bumper replaced - unfortunately not under warranty because technically it was "my" fault for hitting the deer. They needed to replace the plastic bracket into which the CAT. sensor attaches into as well. Mazda really needs to find a more secure location for that free hanging sensor IMO. Aside from that, the service guy agreed that the underbraces did a good job of protecting the transmission, CAT, fuel tank etc.

Only thing left is to get another alignment done. I had one done at Les Schwab 2 weeks ago, and considering they have a 30 day "satisfaction guarantee" on their work, I might just go in and claim that the alignment "wasn't done to my satisfaction" and not mention this whole deer incident.

 

Wow there are deer down there? Yikes, that's one of my favorite drives. Glad to hear you came out of that safely though.

 

I lost a battle to a deer too. 2 weeks in the shop!