My car, the killer--UPDATED

UPDATED: I notified my insurance company. It's a comprehensive claim, since the deer hit me and I hit nothing else. Except the break, and then the roof when I realized what had happened. We're going on Monday to see if SO's friend who works there thinks it's bad enough that I have to keep the claim open or it's just cosmetic. I don't think the adjuster is too pleased that I'm choosing where the work is done, but SO and I are working as a team, and probably SO's friend will do more to help us see it's done right than random body shop guy. Not to mention, the place they sent the Neon took forever to assess the damages and he was rude to my mom. I don't like that. So, cross your fingers . . .

And at such a young age, too.

Yes, I hit a deer last night. In my not-even-5-month-old car. Well, I didn't hit it, not technically. I didn't go into the field after it; it came onto the road and in front of my car, and technically hit me. And dispatched itself. However, in the process, it pushed in the grill, and split the grill area from the bumper area. And caused me to fail in my efforts to not curse. I cursed heartily. With abandon. I was upset; I don't like to see anything die, and I don't want my new car messed up.

SO says it's not too bad. Of course, it has to be fixed. The last thing I need is a financed hoopty. My father said send it to the insurance. That's not happening. Not with one accident I caused and one I didn't in the same year.

So we're looking at the next best option: personalizing the car. I forget sometimes that my car is a Toyota, masquerading as a Pontiac. I'm driving an American tuner! When I was much younger, I loved tuner culture. It just wasn't financially possible or reasonable to have a tuner car. Now, it's a little more reasonable. If I am tight with my money and I use my tax refund, I can do it. We had been talking about tinting the windows anyway. So this just seems like a way to take care of two situations (I don't have problems, I have situations) with one solution.

I found a bumper kit online for $150, with the aluminum grill. I'd still have to pay for painting, but SO knows people who paint. He knows people who do ANYTHING. Of course, all this thinking last night set me off into, "We can do this, and this, and this, and this." So, as I am dancing around the bedroom, fantasizing about new powder-coated rims, new bodykit, tinted windows, new paint job, my tame little car being turned into a sexy black street machine, SO says, "And how do you propose to pay for this?"

Me: "I'll figure it out. Heck, if some 18-year-old can do it, I can too. 18-year-olds don't have good jobs."

Him: "Yeah, but they have more money. They don't have car payments."

Me: "You have a point. But I will do it. Yes, I will." And I pointed my finger at him.

So, we'll do one thing at a time. The bumper kit is the start, then we'll work on the others.