Is this a write off?
Discussion
^^^^
The same method as was used for chip repair using an air brush & solvent based paint to apply the paint to the chips.
Some colours - generally dark - it worked very well on, on others - pale metallics & silvers - it didn't.
Quicker & wastes less paint on a long scratch to mask tight to each side.
Doesn't work with waterbase as it's very thin.
The same method as was used for chip repair using an air brush & solvent based paint to apply the paint to the chips.
Some colours - generally dark - it worked very well on, on others - pale metallics & silvers - it didn't.
Quicker & wastes less paint on a long scratch to mask tight to each side.
Doesn't work with waterbase as it's very thin.
Thanks both for the repair suggestion.
Interestingly I was taught this repair process over 30 years ago by a neighbour who worked in a paint shop and have used it successfully several times since using masking tape either side of the scratch. This is going to be my approach to the bodge.
Interestingly I was taught this repair process over 30 years ago by a neighbour who worked in a paint shop and have used it successfully several times since using masking tape either side of the scratch. This is going to be my approach to the bodge.
Phil. said:
randlemarcus said:
Could be worth asking around to find an insurance adjuster to (without involving the insurance company) value the damage, and the financial impact of your actions, though I don't think you could claim £5k of actual loss from the criminal if you're going to buy a £10 touch up kit, and live with it.
The reality is that I don’t think we have any chance of extracting the monies from the accused even if convicted. So my options are pay someone to bodge it or do it myself. I’m more than capable of bodging it 
A detailed report has now been submitted to the police online. There is sufficient information provided for the police to follow up and gather evidence if they wish to do so. We should know if they will do this in the next 24hrs. At the very least I want this person questioned and for them to curb their unnecessary and evil behaviour.
Just saying.
I have recently have claimed off insurance after someone hit my car and never reported it , cost me £375 excess & no - doubt a rise in premiums next year , but I just couldn’t live with 👀 ng at it every day , would just annoy me , I fully understand the op frustrations but I’d just put it through insurance 
Car after repair , it would of still annoyed me every day just looking at it if I’d attempted repair my self / left it , now it doesn’t , I’m happy it’s how it should be , it’s cost me / and will continue no doubt for a year / two but I don’t look it’s it every day & get wound up about it , constant reminder of the person who didn’t have the decency to report hitting my car
My thoughts on what I’d do , but appreciate the op has various different things to consider ins wise to me
Car after repair , it would of still annoyed me every day just looking at it if I’d attempted repair my self / left it , now it doesn’t , I’m happy it’s how it should be , it’s cost me / and will continue no doubt for a year / two but I don’t look it’s it every day & get wound up about it , constant reminder of the person who didn’t have the decency to report hitting my car
My thoughts on what I’d do , but appreciate the op has various different things to consider ins wise to me
I have recently have claimed off insurance after someone hit my car and never reported it , cost me £375 excess & no - doubt a rise in premiums next year , but I just couldn’t live with 👀 ng at it every day , would just annoy me , I fully understand the op frustrations but I’d just put it through insurance
VeeReihenmotor6 said:
You could do a process like this to touch in the scratch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4SNN8PjdmQ
It will probably still be visible under some lights but a lot better than you have now.
As for the person that did I'd be happy to see their hands cut off.
Question: the solvent they use to remove, would that be standard thinners? i ask as I have a big can after cleaning graffitti and wondered if that's the correct product to use and is clearcoat safe?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4SNN8PjdmQ
It will probably still be visible under some lights but a lot better than you have now.
As for the person that did I'd be happy to see their hands cut off.
TimmyMallett said:
Question: the solvent they use to remove, would that be standard thinners? i ask as I have a big can after cleaning graffitti and wondered if that's the correct product to use and is clearcoat safe?
Best to mask either side of the scratch and reduce or even eliminate the need for solvent use. In the past I’ve masked the scratch, filled the ‘V’ of the scratch with several applications of paint, and then blended it in using a mild compound and polisher. Update:
Despite providing the police with:
- substantial evidence and circumstantial evidence of criminal damage costing us £k’s
- detailed contacts to gather more CCTV/messaging evidence
- name, contact details, address of the suspect
- written evidence of their motivation to commit the crime and location of the suspect at the time of the event
They decided to do absolutely nothing.
We requested at the very least the suspect was called to inform them that the criminal damage had been reported and they would be monitoring the situation but the police refused.
Given the minor circumstances that caused this unnecessary event you have to wonder what the suspect (female) might do in other circumstances, who is responsible for young child.
This leaves my daughter moving into a new flat this weekend (she had already signed a 12 month tenancy agreement prior to the damage) living alongside this nutter, with fears for her safety. And the police don’t give a s
t.
So the message we’ve learnt from this experience is you can undertake whatever criminal damage you like and unless someone video’s you doing it there will be no consequence. No wonder the UK is in such a st state and getting worse!
Despite providing the police with:
- substantial evidence and circumstantial evidence of criminal damage costing us £k’s
- detailed contacts to gather more CCTV/messaging evidence
- name, contact details, address of the suspect
- written evidence of their motivation to commit the crime and location of the suspect at the time of the event
They decided to do absolutely nothing.
We requested at the very least the suspect was called to inform them that the criminal damage had been reported and they would be monitoring the situation but the police refused.
Given the minor circumstances that caused this unnecessary event you have to wonder what the suspect (female) might do in other circumstances, who is responsible for young child.
This leaves my daughter moving into a new flat this weekend (she had already signed a 12 month tenancy agreement prior to the damage) living alongside this nutter, with fears for her safety. And the police don’t give a s
t. So the message we’ve learnt from this experience is you can undertake whatever criminal damage you like and unless someone video’s you doing it there will be no consequence. No wonder the UK is in such a s
t state and getting worse! Had the same happen to me many years ago. £3k worth of damage done by a vandal. Paid for the repairs myself because, being a young male driver at the time, my excess and my inflated premiums would have left me even more out of pocket. Actually saw the person doing it. Neighbour saw the person. Neighbour's son knew who it was and where they lived. Police weren't interested. They're a complete waste of space.
cptsideways said:
You need some friends to make a visit to that person and return the favour
Trouble is they would know it’s associated with my daughter and escalate. Plus they could easily return to their country of birth in Eastern Europe to dodge any police action. Time to move on and accept the rules of the multicultural society we now live in which is only going to get worse.
Contact your local MP and discuss your case with them, along the lines of why is a proportion of your council tax being spent on the police if criminal damage is just going to be overlooked, even when you’ve done most of the leg work for them. Will probably get you nowhere or you might be in the right place at the right time with elections looming, also helps if you start having more trouble down the line.
I would personally not inform my insurance company. I would look at the cost of any respray and then determine if that was worth the cost to bring the car back to an acceptable standard.
It will also give you an idea of the resale value of the car once you knock this cost of what you would have sold it for before the damage.
Any potential buyer will just do the same, if the car is otherwise in good condition, it’s a know quantity to repair those scratches. At that age, it might not even register with a buyer if they are just looking for a car to smoke around in.
If you do go through the insurance, it will be cheaper initially to repair the car then multiples of the above respray cost in the long term.
If you want to respray it, it’s either pay the non-insurance figure or go through them and accept it will be baked in to multiple future premiums.
It’s a bodge but is there an option to part paint (upper or lower panels) to the crease line and do an “OK” job. Majority of painters won’t want to be associated with a bad / half job but you might also be surprised what a good machine polish and panel by panel review be cost wise in the right hands.
Also be aware that if you don’t resolve the original issue that led to this, the car remains a sitting duck if the perpetrator decides to go at you again. Nothing stopping you living with the scratches and laughing them off through gritted teeth to show the scum that did this hasn’t gotten to you either.
I would personally not inform my insurance company. I would look at the cost of any respray and then determine if that was worth the cost to bring the car back to an acceptable standard.
It will also give you an idea of the resale value of the car once you knock this cost of what you would have sold it for before the damage.
Any potential buyer will just do the same, if the car is otherwise in good condition, it’s a know quantity to repair those scratches. At that age, it might not even register with a buyer if they are just looking for a car to smoke around in.
If you do go through the insurance, it will be cheaper initially to repair the car then multiples of the above respray cost in the long term.
If you want to respray it, it’s either pay the non-insurance figure or go through them and accept it will be baked in to multiple future premiums.
It’s a bodge but is there an option to part paint (upper or lower panels) to the crease line and do an “OK” job. Majority of painters won’t want to be associated with a bad / half job but you might also be surprised what a good machine polish and panel by panel review be cost wise in the right hands.
Also be aware that if you don’t resolve the original issue that led to this, the car remains a sitting duck if the perpetrator decides to go at you again. Nothing stopping you living with the scratches and laughing them off through gritted teeth to show the scum that did this hasn’t gotten to you either.
Thanks for responding.
Writing to the MP local to the incident is a no go for me as I live in a different area of the UK and as you say/my experience is unlikely to make a blind bit of difference.
The car was worth around £5k, resale now is whatever someone would pay for it probably not much more than £2k in its current state.
Insurance has already been dismissed as too expensive as is a respray of any kind.
We decided my daughter is going to keep the car while she decides to live in a crappy city full of nutters without her own driveway, subject to the car continuing to be mechanically sound which is the case presently. It’s Jazz after all.
She’s using it with the scratches for now until she can visit me for a weekend when the weather isn’t awful when I’ll bodge the scratches as explained in earlier posts.
At least we won’t have to worry about her scratching it in future.
Writing to the MP local to the incident is a no go for me as I live in a different area of the UK and as you say/my experience is unlikely to make a blind bit of difference.
The car was worth around £5k, resale now is whatever someone would pay for it probably not much more than £2k in its current state.
Insurance has already been dismissed as too expensive as is a respray of any kind.
We decided my daughter is going to keep the car while she decides to live in a crappy city full of nutters without her own driveway, subject to the car continuing to be mechanically sound which is the case presently. It’s Jazz after all.
She’s using it with the scratches for now until she can visit me for a weekend when the weather isn’t awful when I’ll bodge the scratches as explained in earlier posts.
At least we won’t have to worry about her scratching it in future.
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