A 2500 HD Durmax impact with a Large Bird

[saulsse]

There are some days you wish you had never got out of bed. I have had one of those days.

Having driven my mother to see a relative in south Georgia, I was on my way back on Georgia Highway 85, in Coweta County when it happened.

 

I guess I can be thankful for the highriding and very high hood line of the 2500 HD Duramax powered regular cab Chevy that I was driving.

 

After topping a small hill, at 55 mph; I had a momentary glimpse of something large, black, butt ugly looking and crossing from left to right just even with the hood.

 

I noted that the large right wing was just beginning to brush the top of the hood. The butt ugly head was just beginning to turn to the right to see what was about to hit it when the impact took place.

 

When you hit something that is large, black, heavy, and basicly moving into your path, there is not much you can do.

 

The noise was loud, it rattled the truck, and I got feathers flying past the windshield and watch as the now dead buzzard sommersaults over the cab of the truck and just clears the 8 foot bed and lands in the roadway.

 

Not much I can do on a 2 lane country road, so I keep going and hope for the best.

 ???

 

Well when I finally get back to the house in Atlanta, it is there I discover the damage on the round section of the hood on the left side.

 

The dent is about the size of a softball.

 

The repair is gonna be $250 at Dent Wizard.

 

At least the dead buzzard got what it deserved.

:angry:

S.E. Sauls

2001 Chevy Siverado Regular Cab Duramax Powered

[Kelly]

Have you checked with your insurance to see if comprehensive will cover it.

 

We are having our roof repaired because of a rock or something hit it. Our comprehensive coverage is paying $305.

 

We have not even made the first payment or done the first oil change.

[saulsse]

My deductibles are in the $500 range across the board. So it pretty much comes out of my pocket.

[Kelly]

A comprehensive claim usually does not have a deductable.

 

We are paying zero on our claim and they are also paying for a rental car while it is in the body shop.

[Maverick]

Don't feel to bad.  I stopped to pull some out punk kids that buried their S-10 Blazer.  I gave him his hook end.  "You hook it on your own truck.  Not me."  I hooked my end to my right front tow hook.  Began pulling and his hook came off and came right into the pass. side windshield.  I have a reg cab 3500 and my son was in his car seat.  Its a miracle he didn't get glass in his eyes.  There were 3 small spots where glass hit is face.  Glass was everywhere in the truck.  The windshield did its job though.  The hook stayed outside.

[saulsse]

These are some photos showing the impact point on the 2500 HD which I was driving at the time of impact by a flying buzzard.

 

 

 

This deffinately gives an eye opening aspect to how bad the hit was on the hood.

[RyanbabZ71]

#### that was a big bird

[saulsse]

Just an update to the buzzard impact and repair.

 

After checking with my insurance, my out of pocket repair cost was $129.

 

The repair took about an hour at a facility called Dent Wizard.

 

Their specialty is paintless dent removal. So since there was no paint damage, they were able to get the dent out.

 

Unless you actually know the exact area, there is no way to tell where the large buzzard hit.

 

If in Georgia, they currently have two facilities in the metro Atlanta area.

 

Chamblee - Peachtree Industrial Blvd

Marietta - Cobb Parkway.

 

So if you get an ugly ding, dent or other gawdaful thingy that is ruining the appearance of the truck and you don't need any painting.. give them a try.

 

They did an excellant job.

 

S.E. Sauls

Chamblee, Ga

[jelisfc]

I've seen Turkey vs mini van.  The turkey hit so hard the windshield buckeled and pulled the roof down.  They had to tweak the roof back up to get the windshield to seal right.

[JimWilson]

Ouch, that's major ugly.

 

To be honest with you I'd have thought the damage would be more, given the size of a buzzard. It's a bit of ironic it was a bird that preys on the dead who ends up being prayed upon by his own kind...

[saulsse]

If that bird had not flipped up and over the cab, I suspect I would have been having to replace a windshield too.

 

Just got really really lucky.

 

S.E. Sauls

Chamblee, Ga