I just hit a BEAVER!!!!!

[enganear]

How bizarre is that?(wow) The second beaver I have ever seen and I punt it with my new car!

It was a dark & rainy night here in North Carolina, temp in the 40s, I guess beavers don't have to hibernate here. Anyway, I am coming home from the grocery store, no hurry, an easy 40mph in a large radius sweeper when suddenly there it is lumbering in the middle of my lane. I bet it weighed 50 pounds! I darted to the other lane as hard as I could, but the limited traction only got me halfway and I hit it with the right front. The thing was nearly invisible on a wet road, on a moonless night! It did not go under the car at all and there was so much energy absorbed by the bumper, it may have survived. There was no place to pull over and I did not want to face an angry beaver anyway.

It does not drive any differently or have any shakes. The damage appears to be totally confined to the bumper although it ripped out the fasteners in the front of the wheelwell. If I had center punched this thing and rolled it under the car I would probably ended up in the ditch.

So, how much is a front bumper?
-enganear

[patmaz]

DAMN(boom01)looking at the damage,was it 200pounds beaver????are you sure it wasnt a small bear....

enough jokes,i feal so bad for you,hope its not gonna cost to much to fix that beauty...good luck;)

[sanblaster]

Shit dude, it looks like you hit a boulder or something. Damn, are you sure it was a beaver? What the hell do they eat in tarheel country? Anyways talk to Ken @ protegegarage about a price...

[enganear]

The bumper in that area is just plastic, I could pop it back, but it could never look right. It was definitely a beaver, they lumber along slowly, groundhogs run. I have hit many groundhogs living in the South.
-enganear

[ZOOMit]

Geez man, thats pretty bad. Just thank God you didn't hit a deer. Hope your ok.

[Roywhitep5]

aw i thought this was going to be a dirty joke:( poor little beaver:(

[enganear]

Geez man, thats pretty bad. Just thank God you didn't hit a deer. Hope your ok.

Yeah, there are a lot of those around here, too. This could have been MUCH worse.

[ZOOMit]

^^EXACTLY what i was thinking, not that bad, but could have been

[palerider]

Im laughing hard at the way you told that story man.... thats some funny stuff. Weve got beavers in a pond back in an undeveloped part of the neighborhood.... Ive seen one once there, but they are definitely around here.

Thats just nuts....... was it a side road or highway?

[Loose]

That sux man. Glad the damage was minimal and you kept control! (bow)

[enganear]

Im laughing hard at the way you told that story man.... thats some funny stuff. Weve got beavers in a pond back in an undeveloped part of the neighborhood.... Ive seen one once. there, but they are definitely around here.

Thats just nuts....... was it a side road or highway?

Hey Palerider!
It was on 150 where the gas pipeline crosses in Oak Ridge, about halfway between 68 and Bunch road. I am sure you know where that is.
-enganear

[palerider]

That sux man. Glad the damage was minimal and you kept control! (bow)

Yeah...Im your neighbor, I should have said sorry too. But it was still a funny read.... and quite a visualization...lol

[ZOOMit]

could you imagine seeing the look on the beavers face right before he smacked the bumper? (rofl2) funny visual, reminds me of caddy shack ;)

[palerider]

Hey Palerider!
It was on 150 where the gas pipeline crosses in Oak Ridge, about halfway between 68 and Bunch road. I am sure you know where that is.
-enganear

Dang... sure!! Any idea where it was coming from. Maybe rabies or some mess to be out like that. That is REALLY weird.

[enganear]

Yeah...Im your neighbor, I should have said sorry too. But it was still a funny read.... and quite a visualization...lol

Its nothing that I'm going to get upset about, it was just such a shock! I was right on top of the thing before I saw it and I even had my fog lights on! (rofl2).
-enganear

[Loose]

Yeah...Im your neighbor, I should have said sorry too. But it was still a funny read.... and quite a visualization...lol

(uhm)

[palerider]

(uhm)

I live off of the other end of 150. Im his "neighbor".

[Loose]

I live off of the other end of 150. Im his "neighbor".

Yea but you were quoting me...I was like :confused:

No harm no foul.

[oliumzen]

Sorry when i read this i laughed...
who the hell just hits a beaver with their car????? I mean a deer or a opposum but a beaver? lol thats great man sorry bout the car and all but still....lol

[enganear]

Sorry when i read this i laughed...
who the hell just hits a beaver with their car????? I mean a deer or a opposum but a beaver? lol thats great man sorry bout the car and all but still....lol

Yeah, I'm just an under-acheiver when it comes to running down woodland creatures....(dunno)
-enganear

[BayAreaMS3]

Get this!! $710 from PG.

[enganear]

Get this!! $710 from PG.

That is sweet! I assume it comes unpainted? Do you know the cost of a stocker?
-enganear

[BayAreaMS3]

Not sure about the price for the stock bumper.

[Rotus8]

Bummer. Your insurance will probably cover it almost completely. I hid a deer in my last car and they told me it was just like if a tree fell on it in a wind storm in my driveway. An "act of God" thing, no fault.

[oliumzen]

Yeah, I'm just an under-acheiver when it comes to running down woodland creatures....(dunno)
-enganear

LOL thats great man i laughed my ass off when i read that

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Bummer. I hid a deer in my last car.

How did you get it inside?

"See the pretty deer."
"Does the deer have a little doe?"
"Yeah, two bucks! Yuck, yuck, yuck."

[lasermp5]

We've all "hit" a few "beavers" so to say, but nothing like this. wow...

Like bayarea suggested above... do the autoexe man!

[palerider]

That is sweet! I assume it comes unpainted? Do you know the cost of a stocker?
-enganear

Buy mine... I'll get the autoexe!!! we can do the swap in my driveway. Too bad I dont have the silver though:(

[USMCEvan]

Congratulations, youv lost your virginity!!


No wait, it was an animal. Nevermind. Damn man, sorry to hear that!! Looks pretty brutal for such a small animal, but at least you are OK. If i was you, I'd go back and find the little shit and run him over again to make sure he is dead!!!

[clos561]

that would have made great vid!

[qddave]

Sorry to hear about damage. I hit a big plastic box a few weeks ago in my 06 Hatch doing 80mph. Ended up having to change the bumper, the styrofoam piece in the bumper, the plastic grille, LH foglamp, a few brackets, and the AC evap core. Total tally from the dealership, $1300. That's using second hand parts. The bumper was $180. The most expensive part was the foglamp at $240.

[enganear]

Sorry to hear about damage. I hit a big plastic box a few weeks ago in my 06 Hatch doing 80mph. Ended up having to change the bumper, the styrofoam piece in the bumper, the plastic grille, LH foglamp, a few brackets, and the AC evap core. Total tally from the dealership, $1300. That's using second hand parts. The bumper was $180. The most expensive part was the foglamp at $240.

Wow, it actually got to the evaporator? That must have been some impact!

Thanks for the input. I am pretty well insured and my comprehensive deductible is $100, so it is not a big hit financially (~2.5 tanks of gas?), I just will hate being without the car while it is being fixed and the though of someone else working on it.
-enganear

[xyooj]

LOL..Your title is funny as hell!!
]
Sticky: What have you done to your 3/MS3 today? ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
ZoomVT Today 09:32 PM
by SwampAss 727 26,065
Sticky: 3/MS3 Age/Occupation Thread ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
jbiird317 Yesterday 09:56 PM
by Flat_six 639 21,271
Sticky: Official MazdaSpeed 3 Roll Call ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
PRO 5 01-26-2008 09:29 PM
by 2 DIZZY 425 17,895
Sticky: Important:Mazda3 cakewalk for thieves ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
zenmaster 01-05-2008 03:49 PM
by SpeedTrap 84 10,676
Sticky: New Members....Please Read!
jbiird317 10-30-2007 11:51 AM
by jbiird317 1 708
Sticky: ********2007 MAZDASPEED3 Engine Mount Bolt Safety Recall 4607F******** ( 1 2 3 4)
TheMAN 09-02-2007 11:47 PM
by ///M Compact 53 5,425
Poll: Crystal White Pearl or Metropolitan Gray? Lets have a poll
swimman Today 10:18 PM
by daonly1around 13 210
Dashhawk install- check it.
boosted3 Today 10:05 PM
by boosted3 5 78
2008.5 MAZDASPEED3 - Now in CRYSTAL WHITE and METROPOLITAN GRAY ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Babyface13

Then BAM!!!! I JUST HIT A BEAVER!!!
Thanks for the laugh. Sorry that you did hit that beaver though. Those things can get big.

[autoxes]

My grandmother must have hit 20+ armabillos in her Geo Metro, I always had to take the bumper off and pop the dents out.

[speed3se-r]

looks exactly like the damage when i hit that tire on the freeway and my car is silver too and im in NC! The stock front bumper is approx. $420-50ish, unpainted. Where in NC are you located?

[EviLMaN]

take a blow dryer and put it on max heat and heat up that area if ur lucky it will just pop right back out on its own or u can heat it up and push it from behind. try that my save your bumper a lil lol

[boosted3]

If things go as planned, I'll be hittin' some beaver here in a few minutes. Wish me luck.

[enganear]

My grandmother must have hit 20+ armabillos in her Geo Metro, I always had to take the bumper off and pop the dents out.

I used to live in Texas, we called armadillos "gophers on the half shell".
-enganear

[enganear]

looks exactly like the damage when i hit that tire on the freeway and my car is silver too and im in NC! The stock front bumper is approx. $420-50ish, unpainted. Where in NC are you located?

I can see that doing about the same damage. Anything other than the bumper cover damaged?

I live on the north side of Greensboro, Where is Connelly Springs?
-enganear

[enganear]

take a blow dryer and put it on max heat and heat up that area if ur lucky it will just pop right back out on its own or u can heat it up and push it from behind. try that my save your bumper a lil lol

The paint is badly cracked at all the stress points and several mounting points are ripped out. I think I will let State Farm put it back like new. Its got less than 4k miles....
-enganear

[enganear]

If things go as planned, I'll be hittin' some beaver here in a few minutes. Wish me luck.

Good luck with that! (naughty) Be careful with your bumper!
-enganear

[jaydubz]

I have never seen a beaver in person, I wonder how big they are?

[enganear]

I have never seen a beaver in person, I wonder how big they are?

According to Wikipedia, they get up to about 55 pounds. This one was at least 18" high at the center of its back. I estimate a good 50 pounds.

It made a substantial thud during the transfer of energy!
-enganear

[qddave]

Wow, it actually got to the evaporator? That must have been some impact!

Yeah, it was made of structural foam, about 3/8" thick. Shattered into a thousand pieces upon impact. They pierced my lower grille like it wasn't even there.


Thanks for the input. I am pretty well insured and my comprehensive deductible is $100, so it is not a big hit financially (~2.5 tanks of gas?), I just will hate being without the car while it is being fixed and the though of someone else working on it.
-enganear

Me too. I also have State Farm, and $100 deductible. The dealer gave me a free rental, a 2007 Kia Spectra. Had it for 4 days, and had a penchant for locking itself with the keys in the ignition, running or not. I had to call a tow truck one night to unlock it. Boy was I happy to get my car back.

[Antonio DiMarco]

How bizarre is that?(wow) The second beaver I have ever seen and I punt it with my new car!

It was a dark & rainy night here in North Carolina, temp in the 40s, I guess beavers don't have to hibernate here. Anyway, I am coming home from the grocery store, no hurry, an easy 40mph in a large radius sweeper when suddenly there it is lumbering in the middle of my lane. I bet it weighed 50 pounds! I darted to the other lane as hard as I could, but the limited traction only got me halfway and I hit it with the right front. The thing was nearly invisible on a wet road, on a moonless night! It did not go under the car at all and there was so much energy absorbed by the bumper, it may have survived. There was no place to pull over and I did not want to face an angry beaver anyway.

It does not drive any differently or have any shakes. The damage appears to be totally confined to the bumper although it ripped out the fasteners in the front of the wheelwell. If I had center punched this thing and rolled it under the car I would probably ended up in the ditch.

So, how much is a front bumper?
-enganear

I've been lucky twice, once I hit a plastic gallon bottle (like Chlorox Bleach comes in) going about 80. I thought I did some major damage based on the sound it made hitting the bumper but the MS3 came out unscathed. And just the other day I was waiting to turn at an intersection and a large dump truck full of frozen snow let loose a "boulder of snow" about the size of a arcade game. I thought it fell directly on my front bumper but it barely missed it. I saw the trucker look out his side-view mirror and he didn't even stop. I was going to follow him but figured it wasn't a big deal since there was no damage.

The most expensive thing happened just today. Without knowing I rolled over a screw and it punctured my tire. Anyone who thinks TMPS is a waste of money think again. The light came on when the difference in pressure was 2psi and I took it to the dealer. Turns out the screw went in sideways so even after three attempts they were unable to plug it. Came away spending $150 bucks for a new tire.

[EviLMaN]

I
Anyone who thinks TMPS is a waste of money think again. The light came on when the difference in pressure was 2psi and I took it to the dealer. .

i donno about the mazda tpms but i hate the bmw tpms. ( ima bmw mechanic lol) those things are POS. then agian the 15k mile oil change intervals who really cheks there tire pressure every 2 weeks right? well im a lil annal and check it every week :-p

[Antonio DiMarco]

i donno about the mazda tpms but i hate the bmw tpms. ( ima bmw mechanic lol) those things are POS. then agian the 15k mile oil change intervals who really cheks there tire pressure every 2 weeks right? well im a lil annal and check it every week :-p

But the TMPS is nice when you hit a nail en route and have a slow leak. For instance, I check my tires about every week but whose to say I wouldn't pick up a nail during the week after I checked them.

This is my second car (Mazda) with TMPS and I love it. I wish my wife's car had it. She picked up a nail and I was the one who ended up noticing that the car was driving wrong. Gods knows how long the nail was in the tire before I noticed.

The only downside to TMPS is having to buy a second set of sensors for snows. IMO

[speed3se-r]

I can see that doing about the same damage. Anything other than the bumper cover damaged?

I live on the north side of Greensboro, Where is Connelly Springs?
-enganear


Yep, ripped out the passenger side inner wheel well covering, cracked a couple splash guards, etc. Estimates were from $800-1300 for me with similar damage. Connelly springs is located near Hickory, NC. There are a couple of MS3 around here. I was just curious because I have seen one other silver MS3, one red and one black in my area.

[enganear]

I just got the repair estimate, $932.00.

It is covered under Comprehensive, so my $100 deductible applies. It will take 2 days and will be finished by the time I get back from a biz trip. In the meantime I am driving my old 5.0 Mustang, which is still a hoot, if not a little old school.

The estimator said he hit a big raccoon with his pickup and got $1800 damage. He also said if I had hit the beaver in the front center with an EVO, damage would have exceed $4k.
-enganear

[meha11]

Make sure to check the colour match at dusk as thats when they seem to show up more.

[wmbeaver]

my last name is beaver

[mazdaspeedwerx]

I hit one of those today...... twice

[Aaron2112]

Uh I really hate to say it but the 5.0 mustangs even though they are a 302 they are actually 4.9 they measure out to be 4942cc and that just doesnt round to 5.0 :/ though they are a lot of fun to drive lol.

good luck with the repairs glad it wasnt tooooo much damage, and thank god your insurance will cover that.

[enganear]

Uh I really hate to say it but the 5.0 mustangs even though they are a 302 they are actually 4.9 they measure out to be 4942cc and that just doesnt round to 5.0 :/ though they are a lot of fun to drive lol.

good luck with the repairs glad it wasnt tooooo much damage, and thank god your insurance will cover that.

My 5.0 is .03 over bored, so at least it is closer to 5.0......
-enganear

[Aaron2112]

LOL i stand corrected!!! thats good. (headbang)

[2ManyCars]

Every time I see this thread re-ignite I LMAF. The title is too funny...

[1shark1]

According to Wikipedia, they get up to about 55 pounds. This one was at least 18" high at the center of its back. I estimate a good 50 pounds.

It made a substantial thud during the transfer of energy!
-enganear

you should get an award for hitting an 18-inch beaver.(bowdown)

[ProtoType5]

I hit a 100lb dog doing 70mph on the highway...did about $1,800 damage to the front end..I still feel bad about the dog tho...Thing was freakin huge...

Imagine hitting a Porcupine...That'd be freaking crazy...


lol...beaver...hit it...haha

[KZL_99ES]

wow, well one of my buddies just hit a wolf last night...

that's right a wolf...when the police got there, they called the DNR and they found the RFID under the neck and said that they just reintroduced them around this area (south-eastern Minn.) a little while ago...

crazy... though i'd rather hid a dog than a wolf, there's more dogs out there than there are wolves...

[Aaron2112]

holy beaver hitting thread revival batman!!! i love this threads title.

[2ManyCars]

wow, well one of my buddies just hit a wolf last night...

that's right a wolf...when the police got there, they called the DNR and they found the RFID under the neck and said that they just reintroduced them around this area (south-eastern Minn.) a little while ago...

crazy... though i'd rather hid a dog than a wolf, there's more dogs out there than there are wolves...

We have coyotes all over the place out here. You gotta watch out late at night in some neighborhoods. Most of them are pretty small but they would definitely bang-up the front end...

[jeffjett]

How bizarre is that?(wow) The second beaver I have ever seen and I punt it with my new car!

It was a dark & rainy night here in North Carolina, temp in the 40s, I guess beavers don't have to hibernate here. Anyway, I am coming home from the grocery store, no hurry, an easy 40mph in a large radius sweeper when suddenly there it is lumbering in the middle of my lane. I bet it weighed 50 pounds! I darted to the other lane as hard as I could, but the limited traction only got me halfway and I hit it with the right front. The thing was nearly invisible on a wet road, on a moonless night! It did not go under the car at all and there was so much energy absorbed by the bumper, it may have survived. There was no place to pull over and I did not want to face an angry beaver anyway.

It does not drive any differently or have any shakes. The damage appears to be totally confined to the bumper although it ripped out the fasteners in the front of the wheelwell. If I had center punched this thing and rolled it under the car I would probably ended up in the ditch.

So, how much is a front bumper?
-enganear

I think I am gonna go hit the "beaver" right now - good night all !!!