Impact with a Kangaroo

Earlier this week I took my 250SE on an extended drive.   I had wanted to try a route going north via the Putty road, across towards Mudgee and the back.     The roads were really good but ultimately this is really a two day drive and would be more enjoyable with some more stops.    You could make a really nice weekend road trip out of this route.

Along the way I also witnessed a procession of pre-war Rolls-Royce cars on the Putty road.    It is great to see these cars being driven and used on the road.     It is really nice to get out on the open road in such a great cruising car.    I hadn’t actually planned to take the 250SE on that drive, but the day was so nice it was perfect for it.   Sunny and low 20s.

Unfortunately, I ran into another problem – literally.   As the route took longer than I expected, I ended up on some back roads at dusk.  I slowed down because wildlife is very active at this time.     That didn’t stop me impacting a Kangaroo in the 250SE, the car I would have least wanted to damage.

The W111 cars are pretty tough so despite the impact, the damage is fixable.   The drivers side headlight is pretty much destroyed, but spare headlights are easy to come by as they are shared with the sedans.   The bodywork around the headlight is damaged, but is fixable.    There is slight damage to the grille, and perhaps the bumper, although I am not sure at this stage.

For overseas readers, Kangaroos are a real menace on the roads here in Australia.   Their population numbers can swing rapidly in the flood/drought cycle.   They are also unpredictable – they can jump towards cars, and jump into their path.   As they jump rather than walk or run, it can be hard to gauge what direction they are going to turn.   The wheels I have my my 450SLC came off a car wrecked due to Kangaroo impact.

I have lodged my insurance claim, contacted my preferred repairer, and started checking on parts.   In the off chance they still sell them, I contacted the Classic Centre to see if grille shells are still available.  Mine is dented and has three small tears.    Not surprisingly, they are no longer available, so mine will need to be repaired.    The idea that Mercedes-Benz sell all the parts for their older models is a myth.   They are still better than most, but fewer and fewer parts are available as the cars age.     The grille shell is not shared with the sedan, so is extremely rare used.

I’m obviously pretty upset about the damage to my 250SE.   However, I would rather occasionally damage the cars through use than have them sit as garage queens.    The joy of owning these cars is the experiences you have with them, not possessing them.

The Mercedes-Benz club is having a Paul Bracq day in late May.   I was planning on taking this car.   I hope I can have it repaired by then.

Before I hit the Kangaroo, I was able to snap a nice sunset photo of the car.