Not a great morning

[RichieJ]

Well my morning and start of a week off didn't start too well. 2 hour round trip to work for only 1 1/2 hours actually at work and on the way I hit a pheasant which decided to bury itself deep inside my grill. Phoned my local Skoda dealer (Sparshatts of Botley) and explained what had happened and the fact that I had a week down in Cornwall next week and could they squeeze my car in to take a look. Wasn't a problem, they were even prepared to pull the pheasant out! Looks like I need a new grill and chrome trim and a Greenline badge which doesn't come as part of the Greenline grill! Quoted £136. Been advised to replace the air con condenser too as its pretty mashed as well, but they did say see how it goes over my week off. Very happy with Sparshatts and they always seem prepared to help. Just need to try and source some cheaper parts if I can.

 

 

[softscoop]

Ouch!

 

Did you save the pheasant for your tea?

[RichieJ]

Ouch!

 

Did you save the pheasant for your tea?

No, one of the chaps from work had it, he was only telling me on Tuesday about all the random animals he had eaten. I said I had a pheasant if he wanted it, so he asked where was it, so I told him it was still in my grille. He pulled it out and took it away.

[JakeBlade]

Could've been a lot worse: a badger, or a deer...

 

The condensor doesn't look in too bad shape to me, based on that pic.

[kevberlin]

Grilled pheasant. Nice!

Amazed at the amount of damage. Hope you get sorted in time.

[fordfan]

It could have been worse, I've seen a few XFs where the pedestrian safety system has been deployed for such an incident.  That is 2 airbags, bonnet hinges and an ECU, so not cheap.

[silver1011]

The A/C condensor damage looks cosmetic to me. Once the new grill is on you'll never notice.

[silver1011]

I'd be tempted to live with the chrome grill surround too, the marks look quite small?

 

If you can too then this is a good start, £43, genuine Skoda part...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA-SUPERB-3T-MK2-FRONT-BONNET-GRILLE-3T0853668A-/321192077904?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ASkoda%7CModel%3ASuperb&hash=item4ac88a2a50#ht_2191wt_1254

 

[RichieJ]

I'd be tempted to live with the chrome grill surround too, the marks look quite small?

 

If you can too then this is a good start, £43, genuine Skoda part...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA-SUPERB-3T-MK2-FRONT-BONNET-GRILLE-3T0853668A-/321192077904?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ASkoda%7CModel%3ASuperb&hash=item4ac88a2a50#ht_2191wt_1254

 

 

Cheers Silver, 

Just looking for parts now, saw the grille on eBay and am tempted. Found the Chrome surround on there somewhere too. Wasn't too dear. Its cracked all the way through so I will change it. I agree with you about the condenser, it looks ok so i'll hold out and see if it leaks. Cant find the Greenline badge though. Seen loads of tailgate one though!

[Sprightlybob]

Well my morning and start of a week off didn't start too well. 2 hour round trip to work for only 1 1/2 hours actually at work and on the way I hit a pheasant which decided to bury itself deep inside my grill. Phoned my local Skoda dealer (Sparshatts of Botley) and explained what had happened and the fact that I had a week down in Cornwall next week and could they squeeze my car in to take a look. Wasn't a problem, they were even prepared to pull the pheasant out! Looks like I need a new grill and chrome trim and a Greenline badge which doesn't come as part of the Greenline grill! Quoted £136. Been advised to replace the air con condenser too as its pretty mashed as well, but they did say see how it goes over my week off. Very happy with Sparshatts and they always seem prepared to help. Just need to try and source some cheaper parts if I can.

 

Pheasant damge 1.jpg

 

Pheasant damage 4.jpg

 

While back I collected a large white spoonbill while travelling around 100kph. It struck the car beside the grill close to the headlight glass. Did not mark the paintwork but broke the brackets that fasten the headlight assembly in place. Cost over $1000 to replace the entire headlight assembly and the pop out washer gizmo. The bird didn't' make it.

Edited 24 October, 2014 by Sprightlybob

[Guest]

I was hit on the n/s headlight by a pigeon, I was travelling at 50mph. Headlamp did not seem to be broken but was no longer attatched to the vehicle. Called into dealer who had a quick visual and I drove home. Later that day a phone call from dealer to say a new headlamp was required and would cost in excess of £500 and recomended contacting my insurers. Very helpful Insurance firm they recomended I call in to their approved repair shop. Called in 9am next morning, they had a quick look said we will have to remove the front to examine properly. They  drove me home, about 14 miles. Next morning about 9 a.m. they phoned me again, car is ready, they then sent a car to collect me. It appears that breaking the plastic fittings is a common fault with VW cars. There is a genuine VW repare kit for this job. The total cost to me was £79 a little less than the dealer wanted to charge ( and an insurance claim). It is possible that you only needed this kit fitted, did you see the broken unit off the vehicle?

[StuartTunstall]

Have you turned the AC on? 

 

I hit a dear in my old Exeo, just a glancing blow but did similar damage and the condensor looked about the same as yours, until I witched the AC on and a jet of gas poured out a pin hole...

 

Stuart 

[RichieJ]

I was hit on the n/s headlight by a pigeon, I was travelling at 50mph. Headlamp did not seem to be broken but was no longer attatched to the vehicle. Called into dealer who had a quick visual and I drove home. Later that day a phone call from dealer to say a new headlamp was required and would cost in excess of £500 and recomended contacting my insurers. Very helpful Insurance firm they recomended I call in to their approved repair shop. Called in 9am next morning, they had a quick look said we will have to remove the front to examine properly. They  drove me home, about 14 miles. Next morning about 9 a.m. they phoned me again, car is ready, they then sent a car to collect me. It appears that breaking the plastic fittings is a common fault with VW cars. There is a genuine VW repare kit for this job. The total cost to me was £79 a little less than the dealer wanted to charge ( and an insurance claim). It is possible that you only needed this kit fitted, did you see the broken unit off the vehicle?

The headlight is absolutely fine. The pheasant went straight in through the grille. Don't even think it hit the bumper! Just need a new grille and chrome trim. Still driving with a big hole in the grille as i'm off on holiday to cornwall tomorrow. Hopefully nothing else will hit me in the same place during the 220 mile drive. Its just the car looks like a toothless Jeremy Kyle guest at the moment.

Have you turned the AC on? 

 

I hit a dear in my old Exeo, just a glancing blow but did similar damage and the condensor looked about the same as yours, until I witched the AC on and a jet of gas poured out a pin hole...

 

Stuart 

Yeah, that was one of the first things I did. Still working at the moment so I think I may be lucky. 

[JakeBlade]

Previous owner put a dent in my condenser. Still works fine, but I built a guard to go over the lower grill to stop any further incidents.

[Noddy90]

I hit a dear in my old Exeo, just a glancing blow but did similar damage...

 

Stu: hitting animals is an occupational hazard for any driver; hitting old ladies is rather more serious.  What was just a "glancing blow" to you might have been a fractured pelvis or a shattered femur to her...

[StuartTunstall]

Whoops meant Deer... lol never said I could spell

[Sprightlybob]

I was hit on the n/s headlight by a pigeon, I was travelling at 50mph. Headlamp did not seem to be broken but was no longer attatched to the vehicle. Called into dealer who had a quick visual and I drove home. Later that day a phone call from dealer to say a new headlamp was required and would cost in excess of £500 and recomended contacting my insurers. Very helpful Insurance firm they recomended I call in to their approved repair shop. Called in 9am next morning, they had a quick look said we will have to remove the front to examine properly. They  drove me home, about 14 miles. Next morning about 9 a.m. they phoned me again, car is ready, they then sent a car to collect me. It appears that breaking the plastic fittings is a common fault with VW cars. There is a genuine VW repare kit for this job. The total cost to me was £79 a little less than the dealer wanted to charge ( and an insurance claim). It is possible that you only needed this kit fitted, did you see the broken unit off the vehicle?

I heard about the repair kit after mine was fixed with the whole new light assembly. Guess dealers sign a company pledge that they must not suggest cheaper options to owners. I first detected the problem when I was washing the bird remains off the light lens and noticed the whole light assembly moved laterally. Did not see the broken unit as a matter of fact. Reminds me of mechanical shops in Asian countries where I worked for some years....after a service/tuneup, the mechanic invariably hands you a plastic bag of your old parts. Seems when you ask an Australian mechanic for the same thing, they get insulted and assume their integrity is being questioned. Just seems like decent business practice to me.

[brad1.8T]

They should be able to tell if the condensor is leaking using their AC sniffer.

Get a toothpick, wooden skewer or even a sharp point steel scriber & straighten out the bent fins. It will look like new.

[RichieJ]

All my new parts arrived today. Hopefully I'll get around to fitting them this weekend

Got the grille for £37 in the end. The shock is the chrome trim. That was £67!!!