Car keyed twice plus scraped/bumped - time for a re-think?
Discussion
I've been running two cars for a little while. An A8 during the week and a Boxster for fun at the weekend. Both are a few years old. This initially worked well for me as the A8 is excellent for long runs and the Boxster is great fun for a quick hoon. It took me ages to settle on this combination and it seemed to cover all the bases for me (my wife also has a "practical" car).
When it's not parked on my driveway the A8 spends quite a lot of its time parked at the station - at least a couple of days a week.
Three times in the last year I have come back to find the A8 marked quite badly - obviously where someone has hit it with a door or scraped/dented it whilst extracting their car from a space. No notes left any of the times and no sign of anything on the station CCTV (which I'm led to believe isn't connected....). The station would struggle to be less helpful if they tried and I always park as far away from other cars as I can but this isn't always practical as the car park fills up and the spaces are very cramped.
Since Christmas, the A8 has also been keyed twice, quite badly. The second time today while parked at the supermarket. They have dug the key right in and dragged it around two feet along the rear quarter. The car is black so the mark stood out like a sore thumb when I got back to it.
I'm not even going to try and put myself into the minds of people who think it's OK to do this kind of thing - their brains are wired differently to mine. However, their actions are costing me significant money and I think it may be time to adopt a defensive strategy. I'm thinking that I may buy something really nice to use at the weekend for my own pleasure but never leave it parked anywhere except in my garage, and something cheap(ish) and cheerful for everything else. My thinking is that:
a) A "snotter" is less likely to attract attention and suffer damage
b) If it does, I will be less bothered
c) I'll have something very special to look forward to at the weekend
It's a shame it has come to this but I suspect this type of behaviour is only going to get worse.
So, anyone done this? Does it seem like a good idea? Apart from VBRJ and throwing Red Bull, any other suggestions?
When it's not parked on my driveway the A8 spends quite a lot of its time parked at the station - at least a couple of days a week.
Three times in the last year I have come back to find the A8 marked quite badly - obviously where someone has hit it with a door or scraped/dented it whilst extracting their car from a space. No notes left any of the times and no sign of anything on the station CCTV (which I'm led to believe isn't connected....). The station would struggle to be less helpful if they tried and I always park as far away from other cars as I can but this isn't always practical as the car park fills up and the spaces are very cramped.
Since Christmas, the A8 has also been keyed twice, quite badly. The second time today while parked at the supermarket. They have dug the key right in and dragged it around two feet along the rear quarter. The car is black so the mark stood out like a sore thumb when I got back to it.
I'm not even going to try and put myself into the minds of people who think it's OK to do this kind of thing - their brains are wired differently to mine. However, their actions are costing me significant money and I think it may be time to adopt a defensive strategy. I'm thinking that I may buy something really nice to use at the weekend for my own pleasure but never leave it parked anywhere except in my garage, and something cheap(ish) and cheerful for everything else. My thinking is that:
a) A "snotter" is less likely to attract attention and suffer damage
b) If it does, I will be less bothered
c) I'll have something very special to look forward to at the weekend
It's a shame it has come to this but I suspect this type of behaviour is only going to get worse.
So, anyone done this? Does it seem like a good idea? Apart from VBRJ and throwing Red Bull, any other suggestions?
absolutely mindless If it was me, I'd just leave the scratch on it. I suspect if it's already looking less than pristine, it's probably less likely to get attacked again and it's got to be cheaper to get the whole thing resprayed if you ever want to sell it than get scratches fixed every few months.
Your alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
Your alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
My old E36 (bought almost new back in '98, as I keep telling everybody) has been the focus of a lot of unwanted attention over the years. 3 times windows smashed, keyed and dented countless times and yesterday someone appears to have spilled a ton of white paint on to the road and over the back of my car.
It still astounds me that this all happens in a leafy middle class street in London but I am quicker to just shrug my shoulders these days as she still drives lovely and the interior is great. The mean dented look is a boon in heavy traffic
Keep the A8. It's a great car and just worry about it less. It's happened now.
Admittedly I did have a brand new 987 that I sold after 3 months as the worry about leaving it on the street was making my life miserable.
It still astounds me that this all happens in a leafy middle class street in London but I am quicker to just shrug my shoulders these days as she still drives lovely and the interior is great. The mean dented look is a boon in heavy traffic
Keep the A8. It's a great car and just worry about it less. It's happened now.
Admittedly I did have a brand new 987 that I sold after 3 months as the worry about leaving it on the street was making my life miserable.
Thanks for the kind words and suggestions. Just leaving the scratch is an option but I like my cars and spend quite a lot of time cleaning/maintaining them. It's quite upsetting to see the scratches when washing the car, especially as when I bought it I spent ages looking for a minter.
After a brief trip to the £5k barge thread I'm thinking an early 2000's Lexus of some sort would fit the bill nicely, leaving a bit of room for a V8V/997 (which I've been mulling over anyway....).
Was it Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse who had a snotter for his job beating up scrotes and a nice Merc under a sheet it a barn somewhere? Sounds like the winning formula, I bet he had the time of his life...
I can only apologise, I'm not sure what came over me
After a brief trip to the £5k barge thread I'm thinking an early 2000's Lexus of some sort would fit the bill nicely, leaving a bit of room for a V8V/997 (which I've been mulling over anyway....).
Was it Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse who had a snotter for his job beating up scrotes and a nice Merc under a sheet it a barn somewhere? Sounds like the winning formula, I bet he had the time of his life...
I can only apologise, I'm not sure what came over me
I feel for you. I have to succumbed to this as well due to the state of society nowadays. I have a cheap runner for shopping. So no longer need to worry about scratches and dings especially because each new iteration of a car inevitably becomes bigger, fatter, heavier, more insulated from its surroundings. This means you are even more likely to get dinged by the car parking next to you.
My shopping trolley is a Ignis sport - chosen because it is light,simple,fun and narrow.
My shopping trolley is a Ignis sport - chosen because it is light,simple,fun and narrow.
A disposable car is great in ways an expensive car never will
Going into town - dump the snottier anywhere and come back a few days later and pick it up
Need to move something dirty - dump it in the snotter
But the best snotters must never ever be locked
Mine hasn't been locked since i bought it, i even leave the keys in it at home
Going into town - dump the snottier anywhere and come back a few days later and pick it up
Need to move something dirty - dump it in the snotter
But the best snotters must never ever be locked
Mine hasn't been locked since i bought it, i even leave the keys in it at home
kambites said:
If it was me, I'd just leave the scratch on it. I suspect if it's already looking less than pristine, it's probably less likely to get attacked again and it's got to be cheaper to get the whole thing resprayed if you ever want to sell it than get scratches fixed every few months.
I agree, just get a car you don't have to worry too much about, then you can relax about it. Doesn't have to crap, you can get a nice big motor on the cheap these days.kambites said:
If it was me, I'd just leave the scratch on it. I suspect if it's already looking less than pristine, it's probably less likely to get attacked again and it's got to be cheaper to get the whole thing resprayed if you ever want to sell it than get scratches fixed every few months.
Your alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
You would think that would work but no. My daily car had a lorry run down one side of it a few years ago. The whole side was fYour alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
ked. Whilst waiting to go in for repair I was still using it. Did a job in Erith, came back and some low life keyed up the other side. I have my weekend toys. I still have the same daily car and with 286k miles on it and a keyed and damaged rear corner (someone hit it when I was away) I don't care anymore. Don't have to worry when I'm working in bad areas of London etcI take it we just let the snotter get beaten up and don't concern ourselves as long as it's running?
The only downside for me is that over the years I have become used to just getting in a car and driving it, with an annual trip to the dealer for a service. If I want to retain this level of reliability I assume Japanese is the way to go?
The only downside for me is that over the years I have become used to just getting in a car and driving it, with an annual trip to the dealer for a service. If I want to retain this level of reliability I assume Japanese is the way to go?
kambites said:
If it was me, I'd just leave the scratch on it. I suspect if it's already looking less than pristine, it's probably less likely to get attacked again and it's got to be cheaper to get the whole thing resprayed if you ever want to sell it than get scratches fixed every few months.
Your alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
I wouldn't do this. It will eat away at you. Your alternative sounds like a good idea though - lots of people run a "station car" for situations where they know damage is likely, and something nice for the rest of the time. You can get a perfectly nice car for a couple of grand these days.
If you buy wisely and keep a grand ready to make the next purchase 'snorters' become almost disposable 
My previous car cost me £400 to buy, mot and tax. I waft around in climate controlled leather comfort safely in the knowledge that I got a years motoring for less than some tax discs. She is only for sale as a cheap wrx came my way and I couldn't resist
My previous car cost me £400 to buy, mot and tax. I waft around in climate controlled leather comfort safely in the knowledge that I got a years motoring for less than some tax discs. She is only for sale as a cheap wrx came my way and I couldn't resist
Tidybeard said:
Was it Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse who had a snotter for his job beating up scrotes and a nice Merc under a sheet it a barn somewhere? Sounds like the winning formula
It was (couldn't bring myself to quote the rest 
) I think the idea is to keep it maintained mechanically but not concern yourself with scuffs and scrapes. It can still be a reliable daily but it will make the weekend toy a little more special.ETA if you happen to end up with a stop sign through the windscreen and a flick knife in the tyre........... move area or change jobs!
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