Sometimes i wonder.......

[roman knows]

If it's worth having a decent motor.
Ever since getting the Monaro, i've worried about where i leave it. So many muppets out there with no respect for other peoples property.
Despite the concerns, i think it's a bit pointless having a car and being too scared to use it, so i use it. This saturday, 100 mile run up to Preston, big smile on face. Leave car in shopping center car park for a few hours, no more smile.
Some worthless piece of pondlife has hit the front bumper and driven off without so much as a note to say sorry. Scuffed, scratched and cracked.
Not sure what to do now. Do i get it sorted by a bodyshop at god knows how much money and spend the next 5 years terrified to leave it anywhere in case it happens again?
If i do use a bodyshop, should i use the dealer or an independant?
Will Vauxhall be more expensive than a decent independant? I'd prefer to use the dealer, mainly because i know that they do a decent job and they're not gonna be in awe of the car and take it on a 200 mile test drive afterwards to make sure the new paint doesn't come off when you exceed 150mph.
Maybe i should just shrug, think myself lucky that it's only a tap on the bumper and not a wing or a door and stop being so wound up about it, i know many owners have had far worse to contend with.
Trouble is, this sort of thing will always p*** me off!

[007 VXR]

sorry mate

i worry all the time
but after my big spin , which required a new wing . plus help from some on her .... s wo2tec...monaro5.7 .. neil .. the fish .. .. will be good as new very soon . plus not to bad in the £££

i mad on my car ,and know every inch of her well .. but st happens

some one here will know a good body shop to look after you

good luck

[DevilYellowCV8]

Really sorry to hear that. So many times I've seen it happen in Sainsbury's in Rhyl. The old folk are the worst with their trollies and Rover 25's.

From personal experience, don't use the dealerships bodyshop (the one where we both bought our cars from). They did a totally st job on my car and they really didn't care either.

Best thing is to buy the parts from our dealership and take it to a reputable independent bodyshop for them to do it. Even one of the sales guys said I should have done that when my bumper got scraped. I took mine to a place just down the road from the dealership to have a boot lip/roof spoilers painted and fitted and they did a superb job.

eta The bodyshop I used were in awe of the car, but it never got test driven. In fact, they were proud to have a 'Holden' in their workshop. Made a change from BMW's and Mercs they said!

Edited by DevilYellowCV8 on Monday 25th January 00:30

[neiljohnson]

My old Focus was hit in the side 2 weeks after i got it & was repaired by a main dealer that made a perfect job of it, 6 months later i crashed it into a van went to another main dealer that totally fd it up the bumper fell off driving out of the industrial estate find a bodyshaop with a good reputation (a post on here for recommendations normally works) and dont concern yourself if its a dealer or not. Another option if the damage is not to bad is to get a chips away type person out it really is amazing how good they can repair but again only if you find someone who is good at thier job.

On the worrying front just dont ive learnt the hard way that its just not worth it. Anything can be fixed and worst case its why you buy insurance enjoy your car its one of lifes pleasures

[herbie147]

Exact same thing happened to me not that long ago, only had the car 2 weeks!!

From now on i use my runnabout if I need to go to the supermarket or have to use any busy car parks.

[maxmc2]

Try Auto restore they come to you and do the job, full portable spray booths etc with all the equipment, very good job indeed.

http://www.autorestore.co.uk/

[stigmundfreud]

I worry too, so if ever we go out somewher eI dont know we take Sarahs car

[Tempy]

maxmc2 said:

Try Auto restore they come to you and do the job, full portable spray booths etc with all the equipment, very good job indeed.

www.autorestore.co.uk/

Thanks for the link. That could be exactly what I'm looking for. I need some stone repair work done on the Ro.

[stevemj]

roman knows said:

...Despite the concerns, i think it's a bit pointless having a car and being too scared to use it, so i use it. ...
Trouble is, this sort of thing will always p*** me off!

It would pi%% me off too, but I have one car (VXR8) so use it for everything. In principle I am quite happy to think that I will keep it a long time and use it, so it will get worn out and also get some wear and tear. No point in having it and not using it.

My wife thinks I'm daft for not parking next to old cars, cars that may have kids in them (opening doors) or on corner. She also moaned when I didn't want to use the VXR8 to go to the airport and leve it with the 'valet' parking. Bur I've always been like this!!

Steve

[roman knows]

Not just me that worries then!
Thanks for the advice everyone, i'll get a few quotes this week and take it from there, i do like the sound of Autostore, bodywork repairs on your own drive in one day, they have to be checked out.
All things considered, worries or not, i think it would be a crying shame to have a Monaro or any decent motor and just keep it as a garage ornament. Not only that, but if we don't use Monaro then we have to go everywhere in the fiesta and that's just no fun.

[neiljohnson]

If your overly worried you could always go down the rat look rd then noone would want to park next to you