Venting And Ranting!!!!!

nycts · 08-24-04, 07:54

VENTING AND RANTING...

I live in NYC and I have a 2004 brand new Black Cadillac CTS, I got it July 1st. Against everyone's advice (YES EVERYONE) I have been parking it on the street in my neighborhood. Me being the genius that I am figured .."I see beemers and a rover in my area and they are fine..WTH"

However there is a scourge worse than bird droppings, tree sap and soot from delivery trucks.....TEENAGERS!!!!
(I know you are cringing right now) YES TEENAGERS who in there pathetic attempts to be cool believe that sitting on someones car is acceptable behavior.

I realize you're in suspense as to what happened...one word- SCRATCHES! THE RIVETS IN THEIR RIDICULOUSLY LARGE PANTS SCRATCHED MY PAINT!!!

HOOD, DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER AND TRUNK!!! (there is also a chip on my passenger side rear door handle from 2 weeks ago that I cannot figure out where it came from, so I will blame them for that too) The scratches are not light, there are not as deep as the chip and they are easily seen, especially to a detail nut like me.

It got worse when some of the maintenance workers in my area began talking to me and explained that they are consistently telling the car paint attackers NOT to sit on cars. I asked why some vehicles seem to escape any harm, they explained that they (evil teens) sit on the cars that are close to their hang out spots!!!

I am plotting my revenge as I type this. Maybe a few of my paintball buddies will do a drive by or maybe I will wait till I see the assailants park their cars and I will use it like a park slide!!!

ARRRRGGGHHHHH

!

Yes I have Scratch X and I will definitly attempt to remove/fix as much of the damage as possible. Are there any other products I can use to remove scratches by hand? If I have to take it to be professionally fixed any know what it might cost me?

I am done for now, I think I am going to go cry for a minute.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for the feedback.

blackcaraddict · 08-24-04, 08:03

You need to move. You'll be paranoid and neurotic until you do. Believe me, I am temporarily in an apartment complex while my house gets built, and the smell of Curry, having no garage and constantly worrying about my Denali has driven me up a wall. Add the fact that she's not garaged and I hate that place more and more every day.

Well, 20 more days to go, its the homestretch.

You could also purchase a CO2 BB gun and play Delta Force Marksman from the rooftop. A couple leg shots and they probably won't be back.

nycts · 08-24-04, 08:27

Quote:

Originally posted by blackcaraddict
You need to move. You'll be paranoid and neurotic until you do. Believe me, I am temporarily in an apartment complex while my house gets built, and the smell of Curry, having no garage and constantly worrying about my Denali has driven me up a wall. Add the fact that she's not garaged and I hate that place more and more every day.

Well, 20 more days to go, its the homestretch.

You could also purchase a CO2 BB gun and play Delta Force Marksman from the rooftop. A couple leg shots and they probably won't be back.

Moving is in the works, but in the mean time thinking of putting the caddy in a garage.

I already made a few calls, my paintball crew is ready. Pellets are being chilled as we speak.

blackcaraddict · 08-24-04, 08:43

Putting the caddy in a garage is a good idea. I mean, anything to try and alleviate your current situation will help your mental well-being.

DFTowel · 08-24-04, 08:47

I remember when I used to work in NYC my monthly parking rent was over $300, I can only imagine what it is now. BUT... a garage near my office (55th & Park) had two rates, one for daily in and out and another for residents who only used the car on weekends. This second rate was less than $150 but you could not get to your car on weekdays until after a certain hour I think as they would bury it in the back somewhere.

nycts · 08-24-04, 09:12

Quote:

Originally posted by DFTowel
I remember when I used to work in NYC my monthly parking rent was over $300, I can only imagine what it is now. BUT... a garage near my office (55th & Park) had two rates, one for daily in and out and another for residents who only used the car on weekends. This second rate was less than $150 but you could not get to your car on weekdays until after a certain hour I think as they would bury it in the back somewhere.

I live further up, by the George Washington Bridge and the prices are in that ballpark for monthly parking. I am already looking to move, however for the month or 2 it may take to find a home, thinking I might as well spend the $ and save my sanity.

OH if you want to hear about crazy prices for parking..72nd street & York Ave. $1064 PER MONTH, ($89 PER DAY) - I am NOT KIDDING!!

bet993 · 08-24-04, 09:41

Would a car alarm with a perimeter warning help or make matters worse? I can't imagine wanting to sit on a car as the car alarm goes off constantly but then I am not a teenager anymore.

Mike Phillips · 08-24-04, 09:56

Quote:

Originally posted by nycts
Yes I have Scratch X and I will definitely attempt to remove/fix as much of the damage as possible. Are there any other products I can use to remove scratches by hand? If I have to take it to be professionally fixed any know what it might cost me?

I am done for now, I think I am going to go cry for a minute.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for the feedback.

Sorry to hear about you mis-fortune...

I'm not familiar with any product on the market that are more aggressive than ScratchX that are intended for application by hand, and won't leave more scratches behind in the process.

That's the tricky thing about removing scratches by hand on hard paints like clear coats. You can use an aggressive product to remove a scratch by hand, but while you may remove the offending scratch, you leave behind even more scratches from either your product, or your application material, or both.

Without seeing the scratches, but understanding the way they were instilled, I'll take a guess that if they are anything but very fine, shallow scratches, that the most you'll be able to do with the scratchX is to improve them, but not remove them.

Here's a how-to article I wrote for getting good results with ScratchX,

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

I used these same techniques this last Saturday at a Miata clinic and Sunday at a Harley Davidson clinic with great success. The key is really working the product in, and apply the product 2, 3, and even 4 times before you really start to see a difference. Remember after using the ScratchX paint cleaner, you need to re-apply a protective coating.

Hope this helps...

Mike

Duckman · 08-24-04, 10:48

Quote:

OH if you want to hear about crazy prices for parking..72nd street & York Ave. $1064 PER MONTH, ($89 PER DAY) - I am NOT KIDDING!!

Holy CRAP!!! I pay less than that ($70 per month)in CANADIAN funds for the month where I work... I knew New York was expensive, but DAMN!!!

I just realized, that monthly fee is more than my mortgage on my condo... again, in canadian funds.. that actually works out to almost twice what my mortgage is after exchange. That's gross

andriver · 08-24-04, 11:41

I have had success removing light scratches with 1Z PP by hand. I can't comment on deeper sratches. Good luck.

series1 · 08-24-04, 01:28

That is pretty rude of them just to sit on a car thats not even theirs. Scratch X should be able to do the trick to get the scratches out. If they want somewhere to hang out by your place why don't you make some nice chairs that lock the person in when they sit down. Then go outside wash your car and occasionally squirt them with the hose and taunt them. Ha no I'm just kidding.

nycts · 08-24-04, 08:12

Paintball TARGETS, that is what they will be become.