Birdstrike!!!

[trando]

Hit a pigeon at about 60 mph this morning... couldn't believe the damage. Bumper is cracked and I'm pretty sure it'll need replacing.

These are the pics taken at Southampton Mercedes.

Parked either side of me were 2 C43s - one white (you can see the reflection of it in the 1st pic below) with black wheels, one grey. Anyone's here?

 

[d w124]

Sorry to hear about that.The one with black wheels,look like silver.

 

[The Boss]

sorry to hear that.

the damage shown looks repairable mate.

grills will need changing, obviously, but the crack is just the twist of the stress from the impact in the grill, but as the grill is in place via very weak clips, they give in, hence the crack to bumper wont have been cause by much stress, thus in my opinion, find an independant bodyshop..

u sure it was a bird? with the bird in momentum already, the impact genrally isnt too bad if it is flying in the direction of travel..

alot of damage for a lil nandino..

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

I hit a big pigeon on the m11 the other day at 70mph. The ML won....no damage at all so I guess you were a bit unlucky....

Sorry to see the damage mate - as the boss says, it should be a fine fix up.

 

[trando]

The bird appeared from some bushes on my right in front of me and just flew straight and low into my grill. It was big and fat - not like those scrawny ones you get in London...

I'll get a quote from my local independent as well just to see the difference in price. That might be interesting...

 

[trando]

The one with black wheels,look like silver

Yeah - it does doesn't it, but it was white - maybe a creamy white. I guess the reflection distorts it a litte.

 

[SLKrazy]

sorry to hear that Trando, take it to an Indy repairer as it does not look too bad. ps....did you get his numberplate.

 

[trando]

sorry to hear that Trando, take it to an Indy repairer as it does not look too bad. ps....did you get his numberplate.

I don't think it had one. In fact I've never seen a pigeon with one...

 

[SG CL500]

unlucky - i hit a pheasant at a fair lick more than you did and the only damage my car suffered was a bent bracket holding one of the parking sensors (the sensor was fine)

hope you can get it sorted without too much fuss or £££

 

[PXW]

Seems to have cleaned up OK - when I hit a crow a few years back it took ages to get all the bits of feather blood and bone out of the grille...

 

[timskemp]

unlucky - i hit a pheasant at a fair lick more than you did and the only damage my car suffered was a bent bracket holding one of the parking sensors (the sensor was fine)

I hit a pheasant a few years ago while overtaking in a spacewagon... cost a new radiator, condensor, grill, headlamp and trousers...

 

[The Boss]

I hit a pheasant a few years ago while overtaking in a spacewagon... cost a new radiator, condensor, grill, headlamp and trousers...

bloody hell.. that was one to avoid..

well i hit 2 kanagroos in Australia in 2005/06 at the same time, and i ended up in hospital for 1 week, car was a write off, as the impact to the wallabeeesss was severe, but then got hit on the otherside of the carriage way by a road train, just outside Geraldton (Western Australia)

wow, what an experience..

will post any pics if i can find them as they were taken by police and are some where on my hard drive of 3 years ago etc...

 

[trando]

Wow - that sounds horrendous... And the mess........

My inlaws hit a horse in the new forest a few months ago. If they hadn't been driving a range rover they would have been seriously hurt.

I'll think I'll stick with my pigeon for now.

 

[219]

There was a crash on the A77 at Minishant , near Ayr , the other night involving a bull which had strayed onto the road . Besides the bull being killed , three vehicles were involved , at least one was a write off and the driver of one car died in the incident .

 

[davethemus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4gDU8dNV-o

 

[wemorgan]

If it's new pants time whilst driving have a thought for these poor pilots.

[YOUTUBE]9KhZwsYtNDE[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]gc-XiO4ojzk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[BTB 500]

I had a large bird hit the windscreen of my Sharan at motorway speed, right in front of my face. There was no damage, but I was so shocked I missed my exit (which was coming up).

 

[SG CL500]

I hit a pheasant a few years ago while overtaking in a spacewagon... cost a new radiator, condensor, grill, headlamp and trousers...

I'd only had the car a couple of weeks - breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw the bumper was intact and the garage gave me the (relatively) good news

 

[trando]

POSTSCRIPT:

The quote I got was for £ 2,110 - yes you read right.... That was one expensive pigeon and to think that it didn't even have a valid insurance policy...

The MB bodyshop said it needed a new bumper - as did the independent I went to. The only difference between the 2 was labour charges and as this is going to be an insurance job, I'm going with the MB approved place. Teh latter also reckon they can get the parts quicker as they are MB approved. As you probably know, the C55 has an CLK style bumper as opposed to a standard C class one so it's on 'special order' whatever that means... The bumpers come unpainted and the paint cost alone is £ 256. Youch.....

Anyway, the best news of all is that I will get a coutesy car from the bodyshop for the week or so that it will take to do the work. I can't wait to get hold of it and see how it compares with my C55. One Vauxhall Corsa awaits...

So looking into fun rental options instead...