First, I would like to say hello! to all fellow MINI enthusiasts. I have loved these little cars since they were introduced. I have been looking forward to owning one and finally made the jump and bought a 2003 MCS on December 22. Chili Red with Black Panther Leather, package 1,2, and 3. I owned the MINI for 6 hours and totaled it (3 days before X-mas).

The roads where I live are very curvy and hilly and I came around a bend to a deer standing in my lane, I swerved right around it and dipped the tires into the gravel at the roads edge. As I swerved back into my lane I lost control and put my MCS into a dirt embankment. The good news is the deer lived to see another day, the bad news is my MINI did not. Myself and my passenger were buckled up (can’t stress how important that is to surviving a car crash). The airbags deployed and the right front corner was destroyed. I almost entirely removed the right front wheel, crushed the bonnet, crushed the bumper, lost the passenger window, broke the windshield, and moved the a-pillar back about 1”. The passenger side door would not close since the opening was now smaller. The roof had crinkles since the chassis was tweaked. I must say I am thoroughly impressed with how well the car protected me and my passenger, and how well the MINI stood up to a hard impact. We walked away with barely a scratch. My pain was all felt in the heart.

Three weeks and several phone calls to the insurance company later, I began looking to replace my broken MINI and mend my broken heart. This is where my second MINI comes in. On Saturday I am flying to RI to purchase a 2006 MCS SB/S. Checkmate pkg., Premium pkg., IPOD, H/K, Cold Weather pkg. While I did not name my first Love, this one will be called Joy. I eagerly await the 650 mile drive back to Southwest PA.

I am still new to the entire MINI community but must say I have never seen such an amazing collection of owners as I have read about on this forum. I am jumping in headfirst and look forward to attending as many events as I can.

 

Aloha and welcome to NAM.

Sounds like you'll fit right in with that incredible story.

Sorry to hear about your near "deer" encounter.

Good to hear you are OK and you have another fine MINI to motor in.

I think your new MINI is nicer than the first.

 

Watch out for deer on that return trip. Every time I drive from MA to Pittsburgh, I see many, many deer carcases along the side of I80.

 

Quite a story I must say! My heart goes out to you on the loss of your first MINI... The pictures are sad! But....very glad that you and your passenger walked away unharmed....and you'll be motoring in another MINI that will make you smile...

And yes - watch out for those Bambi's on the way home..... Have a safe, fun trip.

Donna

 

Glad that you are ok! Sorry about the loss of your first mini! Congrats on the new mini . Enjoy!

Motor - on!

 

Sorry to hear of your first Mini's demise.

But that Checkmate edition is just beautiful! I just saw a friend's copy and that is the nicest blue color in Mini's palette!

John

 

Welcome!
Sorry to hear about your first Mini, but what an experience! Especially now that you are getting a new one! Congratulations!

 

ewwwwwww... a CR bit the dust.

Glad your story had a happy ending. Must have crushed you to wreck that MINI you just bought. Just a piece of bad timing.

By the way... swerve to miss an animal and wreck your car: Collision loss, at fault accident.

Hit the animal: Comprehensive claim. Not at-fault.

I don't want the SPCA all over me, but from a dollar perspective, hit the animal. Unless you're sure you can miss it without losing control. I know...it's largely a reflex and you don't have time to think. My advice, don't get in the habit of swerving to miss animals when you are traveling fast or on a windy (edit: not as in breezy, as in twisty--LOL) road.

 

Good advice. I hit a deer on an eight lane interstate in Washington, D.C. (I-395) at 6:30 a.m. one winter. Crossed five lanes to get me in the HOV lanes. Popped out from in front a van that blocked my view. No-fault insurance claim. No increase in premiums. Homeless ate a six point buck that night.

 

sorry to hear that!!! its great that you are going to own another mini though! there are no deer down here lol but ive been lectured to not avoid animals by my fiance for same reason as everyone is saying...better the animal than your car. as an avid animal lover i cant say i can agree with this..but i understand why they tell us :( welcome to NAM and hope you love your new mini

 

Maybe for smaller animals, but there are many photos on the web of deer that have gone through the windshield on impact .

 

 

The main problem with avoiding an impact with anything that crosses your path unexpectedly is that your reflex reaction might put you in bigger danger.
I have known people that have swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a squirrel.
I knew a girl that drove into a tree avoiding a deer and she did not survive.
You have to train yourself not to over-react and to hopefully be well aware of any possible escape routes (easier said than done).

Several years back I avoided a head on collision with another car by noticing that there were several deer coming across from the other cars right side
where he could not possibly see them and so I reacted by pulling off the road on my side. As the deer ran infront of him from his right he reacted by pulling to his left which is where I would have been.

At last years MOTD there was a Red Mini that came back from the Midnight Dragon run with damage to the left front from a collision with a deer. I guess it could have been much worse if he would have driven over the side of the Dragon.

 

Exactly. Accidents involving animals tend to do more damage when you try to swerve around them

 

Welcome. Sorry to hear about your first MINI, congrats on a second Beautiful MINI and that you and your passenger were unharmed. Next time, I would have to agree with others. Hit the deer if it is in the way, over correcting from a swerve causes many accidents and deaths. The deer will taste good at dinner.

 

I am glad to know your safe.. feel bad about your CR mini.. but where one door closes another opens!! Congrats on your new car..
I wish you happy and safe motoring!

 

Hey, no snow in Pa????
That might have helped

 

Glad you're okay, and love the new Checkmate! Alls well that ends well, but it still sucks for sure!