Car scratches, where do you stand?
- Thread starter nlel1975
- Start date
I avoid scratching or getting my car damaged at whatever reasonable level I can. For example I'll backup a pretty hefty distance to get into a passing place on a country lane much to the bemusement of most drivers who seem happy just to put their car into the hedge. I'll also park where it is quietest if I'm on my own. Ironically this normally involves me returning to some shed of a van parked 2 inches from it.
When it does get a mark I'll hit it with some polish, get it as good as I can and then move on with life. Helps having three cars that are A) my company car, B) The mother in laws old car which we got for free and already had quite a few marks on it and C) a 24 year old MX5 on original paint. I imagine I'd be pretty extreme with avoiding damage if I had a new car though
When it does get a mark I'll hit it with some polish, get it as good as I can and then move on with life. Helps having three cars that are A) my company car, B) The mother in laws old car which we got for free and already had quite a few marks on it and C) a 24 year old MX5 on original paint. I imagine I'd be pretty extreme with avoiding damage if I had a new car though
Soldato
In this universe, if you use a car it will inevitably get scratched. Being careful is only part of it. What some might consider a scratch compared to others is obviously up for debate, though
I've got this tiny dent on mine which I didn't cause, perhaps someone opened their door on me. Anyway its very minor and I can hardly see it but I know its there...
https://youtu.be/3lHYEQjykko
https://youtu.be/3lHYEQjykko
Time to take that down the scrap yard I think, worthless car at that point.
Soldato
I don't really care, although it annoys my wife a lot. i skidded on some ice in our old Mercedes and split the bumper in a few places and drilled/cable tied it back together and was happy about it 
In the new car, i opened the electric boot whilst my paddleboard was on top, forgetting it's not possible to only open it slightly to grab something quickly and then shut it before it gets too high. Result is quite a few scrapes right on the edge of the boot lid.
In the new car, i opened the electric boot whilst my paddleboard was on top, forgetting it's not possible to only open it slightly to grab something quickly and then shut it before it gets too high. Result is quite a few scrapes right on the edge of the boot lid.
I dented the upright on the rear door window driving back my brand new xc60 from the garage after collecting it from a freak stone being thrown up.
Impossible to pull out and repair, needed a complete new section.
suction and some boiling water would get that out easy.
I have a 43 year old car, it has zero scratches, dents or any marks. Look after a car and there is zero reason why it should be scratched unless from malice or stone chips but saying that even the latter the car only has 2-3 on it because again don't drive too close to car in front.
Any recommendations on which dent puller to buy, baring in mind the size of dent.
Man of Honour
Any suggestions and/or a link to a guide how to do this please because I have two dents like that now because some ****** in a supermarket car park couldn't care less about someone elses property?
Did you not take photos? Then wait for them to return?
I'd have camped out, and then made them line up the doors to the dents. And tell them that you will be reporting an accident to your insurance company as they clearly hit your car.
My last car had dents/scraps on nearly every panel due to it being parked outside in a cul de sac next to a primary school lardy ass mums are terrible drivers and don't care about their kids using others cars as door stops, didnt really give a crap was a 18 year old 5 door focus nothing rare exotic or valuable.
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Mar 2011
- Posts
- 10,805
I usually don't over think it but in my current car I do think about it more. I avoid parking next to big family cars at busy locations where possible..
Did that at Weymouth yesterday only to return with someone parked so close to me that I had to climb in the other side and do my son's belt up from the front seat as ther was room for him to squeeze In the back but not enough for me to get to his belt.
Can't imagine the other driver could have got out without hitting mine but I couldn't see a mark on a brief look
Did that at Weymouth yesterday only to return with someone parked so close to me that I had to climb in the other side and do my son's belt up from the front seat as ther was room for him to squeeze In the back but not enough for me to get to his belt.
Can't imagine the other driver could have got out without hitting mine but I couldn't see a mark on a brief look
Soldato
Bring it to my pals body shop, it's amazing what you (royal you) can miss lol
Lots on the net
https://www.thesupercarblog.com/dented-your-car-dont-panic-try-one-of-these-8-things-instead/
https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/how-to-fix-a-small-dent-in-a-car
dry ice is meant to be even better, esp on small dents
or buy a cheap dent puller kit
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manelord-P...ocphy=1007015&hvtargid=pla-667110190996&psc=1
use hot water first or heat up with a hair dryer.
Or there are lots of mobile guys around who will come in and do it for you really quickly and dont charge much. We have one at work we use all of the time. Amazing how he can pull out even the worst dents and make them look like new (so long as the paint hasnt been cracked/broken)
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2012
- Posts
- 8,333
for a daily driver these days i just accept a certain level of inevitability to it, stones get kicked up, folk brush by it in car parks etc
yes you can go mad with trying to prevent it but it's just going to add stress to your life or end up with stupid accessories like bonnet bra's that frankly end up being worse aesthetically than a few chips.
used to know a chap who's dad's driving routine was once a week brought his car out of the garage to polish it then park up again. he almost always used his wifes car for any driving as he didn't want to get any scratches etc on his own car which from my point of view pretty much defeats the point of owning it.
yes you can go mad with trying to prevent it but it's just going to add stress to your life or end up with stupid accessories like bonnet bra's that frankly end up being worse aesthetically than a few chips.
used to know a chap who's dad's driving routine was once a week brought his car out of the garage to polish it then park up again. he almost always used his wifes car for any driving as he didn't want to get any scratches etc on his own car which from my point of view pretty much defeats the point of owning it.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
I'm not sure I really understand some of the views in this thread.
I don't even think you need to be really into cars to care about whether your car gets damaged or not. I mean, I'm not that interested in microwaves but I'd be pretty annoyed if there was a giant scratch down the front of my microwave, as it would look rubbish? Ditto cars, surely?
I don't think damage beyond stonechips is inevitable at all. It's largely down to how you drive and how you park as to whether your car is pristine or not. Granted that unless you are particularly fussy you probably won't go to the effort of always finding the best possible space but I reckon most damage is caused by the way people tend to not really care where or how they park. The way you see some people park in stupid places, on narrow roads, on the corner of junctions etc and force people to carefully pass them I'd not be a bit surprised if these are the same people who then go 'its just a car, it's impossible to stop it getting damaged isn't it'.
I don't even think you need to be really into cars to care about whether your car gets damaged or not. I mean, I'm not that interested in microwaves but I'd be pretty annoyed if there was a giant scratch down the front of my microwave, as it would look rubbish? Ditto cars, surely?
I don't think damage beyond stonechips is inevitable at all. It's largely down to how you drive and how you park as to whether your car is pristine or not. Granted that unless you are particularly fussy you probably won't go to the effort of always finding the best possible space but I reckon most damage is caused by the way people tend to not really care where or how they park. The way you see some people park in stupid places, on narrow roads, on the corner of junctions etc and force people to carefully pass them I'd not be a bit surprised if these are the same people who then go 'its just a car, it's impossible to stop it getting damaged isn't it'.
I'm probably the least confrontational person in the world but I can tell you that my response to being told to line my car up against the dents on someone else's would have been short and ended with "off" so I don't think your suggestion would really apply in the real world.
I'm honestly thinking I've been doing it wrong all these years now by trying to park out of the way. New strategy is find any space where the cars either side haven't parked right up to the line and just park in it. All of the 'find an end space then park right up to the line' stuff I've been doing for the past 20 years just seems to give the car in the next space room to swing the door into yours with more oomph. That or attract someone who drives a ginormous tank and can't park for love nor money.
I do wonder if modern paints are making the problem worse. My metallic blue Leon will get a fine scratch in the paint if you look at it whereas the flat red Passat I had previously never really had much shine to the paint but neither did it really show any damage either.