Keeping a car free of scratches and dents
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Buying a new car free of cosmetic blemishes, using the stupid thing everyday, and expecting it to remain free of cosmetic blemishes is an exercise in futility.
Enter: my very first brand new car, in fact, my very first car that cost over $4000.
While not a BMW, it provides driving thrill and prestige about on par with a stanced Isetta. (Nissan Versa)
It started life with special care, undercoating, fabric protection, and a carefully applied wax job the night i brought it home.
Within a year distracted driver was, well... distracted and my virgin versa experienced some surprise freeway buttsecks from a ford explorer.
Kewl. It was repaired, you can see some blend lines on the C-pillar but overall it looks good
Not a few months pass before it was hit sideways on the rear bumper by a relative, putting some nasty gashes in it and popping the bumper out of its clips. It snapped back in place and it felt wrong asking said relative to pay our deductible to get it repaired, so we left it.
Then it gets its first and second door dings from some anonymous space cadets, many mysterious scratches, and 1 not so mysterious 2ft long scratch along the rear quarter panel from my firstborns bicycle. The same firstborn that decorated my E30s front seat with Behr premium semi-gloss one fateful day.
Some of you are familiar with the "care" i gave my 93 camry. It was refreshing to see a fresh door ding (or possibly a dent caused by me tossing wrenches at it) and just laugh about it. It was convenient to maximize spatial efficiency and park it by feel against curbs, trees, walls, etc.
I ran it through the automatic carwash that teabags the bajeeberz out of your paint with blue frillies containing bits of sand, hypodermic needles, Cap'n Crunch dust and who knows what else.
My lack of regard for its ability to do anything but drive (stopping was also a bonus) was one of the sweeter parts of life.
Having kids was cool too.
So this Nissan Versa. The first car i bought brand new, hoping to take extremely good care of it so that it would last me a long time and maybe become one if those peculiar well kept econo cars for sale in 15 years that you want purely because you are infatuated with its condition; this car is now littered with scratches, has no fewer than 3 door dings, gouges in the bumper, an accident, and as of today I discovered what can only be described as an attempt by a juniper bush to draw a topographical map on the rear decklid.
My e30 has its share of flaws. I go overboard maintaining it mechanically for which it rewards me great reliability and performance, but astrologers have begun naming clusters of rock chips on my hood as new constellations.
Id love a pristinely painted E30.
$6000 later I would take loads of pictures. Whore them out online, and get made fun of for having fake wheels.
Then about 5 minutes later I would notice my first scratch or rock chip and have an emotional breakdown.
I think TJ might know these feelings after painting the hood on his roadster.
Caring about how your car feels, performs, and connects to you sits far higher on the totem pole of things that matter to me than aesthetics. Theres no doubt that a clean polished up car is an artpiece, but living in the real world can suck, and I wish Earl godspeed for that inevitable moment when his freshly painted ti receives its first blemish.
Godspeed my friend, godspeed.
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...one of those peculiar well kept econo cars for sale in 15 years that you want purely because you are infatuated with its condition
I bought one of those about 2 years ago. Don't do it. Ever. Today there is a 4 or 5 foot long crease in the sheet metal on the passenger side (don't know how it got there), rust, damage on the drivers side from an unscheduled winter off-roading event, and the rear cargo area looks like a well-used truck bed, except greasier. The interiors current inventory includes things like an m42 swap parts (uncleaned), door shims (never know when you'll need a door shim or three) and my dirty work clothes on the passenger seat.
Unless you view your car as and art piece and treat it as such it's pretty hard to keep them in immaculate condition. I view my daily as a tool and treat it as such. I'd rather work with my tools than work on them. Granted, nobody wants to drive a POS every day...
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cars are tools, not jewelry. if you drive a car everyday and expect it to not get worn out, youre just in denial of the way the world works.
brb, i have to untie the christmas tree which is sitting on the bare roof of my touring.
Dan
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cars are tools, not jewelry. if you drive a car everyday and expect it to not get worn out, youre just in denial of the way the world works.
brb, i have to untie the christmas tree which is sitting on the bare roof of my touring.
I agree they are meant to be driven. Anyone who collects cars and let's them sit is wasting money. I would just like a car with straight sheet metal and paint that isn't flaking off.
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Buying a new car free of cosmetic blemishes, using the stupid thing everyday, and expecting it to remain free of cosmetic blemishes is an exercise in futility. Enter: my very first brand new car, in fact, my very first car that cost over $4000. While not a BMW, it provides driving thrill and prestige about on par with a stanced Isetta. (Nissan Versa) It started life with special care, undercoating, fabric protection, and a carefully applied wax job the night i brought it home. Within a year distracted driver was, well... distracted and my virgin versa experienced some surprise freeway buttsecks from a ford explorer. Kewl. It was repaired, you can see some blend lines on the C-pillar but overall it looks good Not a few months pass before it was hit sideways on the rear bumper by a relative, putting some nasty gashes in it and popping the bumper out of its clips. It snapped back in place and it felt wrong asking said relative to pay our deductible to get it repaired, so we left it. Then it gets its first and second door dings from some anonymous space cadets, many mysterious scratches, and 1 not so mysterious 2ft long scratch along the rear quarter panel from my firstborns bicycle. The same firstborn that decorated my E30s front seat with Behr premium semi-gloss one fateful day. Some of you are familiar with the "care" i gave my 93 camry. It was refreshing to see a fresh door ding (or possibly a dent caused by me tossing wrenches at it) and just laugh about it. It was convenient to maximize spatial efficiency and park it by feel against curbs, trees, walls, etc. I ran it through the automatic carwash that teabags the bajeeberz out of your paint with blue frillies containing bits of sand, hypodermic needles, Cap'n Crunch dust and who knows what else. My lack of regard for its ability to do anything but drive (stopping was also a bonus) was one of the sweeter parts of life. Having kids was cool too. So this Nissan Versa. The first car i bought brand new, hoping to take extremely good care of it so that it would last me a long time and maybe become one if those peculiar well kept econo cars for sale in 15 years that you want purely because you are infatuated with its condition; this car is now littered with scratches, has no fewer than 3 door dings, gouges in the bumper, an accident, and as of today I discovered what can only be described as an attempt by a juniper bush to draw a topographical map on the rear decklid. My e30 has its share of flaws. I go overboard maintaining it mechanically for which it rewards me great reliability and performance, but astrologers have begun naming clusters of rock chips on my hood as new constellations. Id love a pristinely painted E30. $6000 later I would take loads of pictures. Whore them out online, and get made fun of for having fake wheels. Then about 5 minutes later I would notice my first scratch or rock chip and have an emotional breakdown. I think TJ might know these feelings after painting the hood on his roadster. Caring about how your car feels, performs, and connects to you sits far higher on the totem pole of things that matter to me than aesthetics. Theres no doubt that a clean polished up car is an artpiece, but living in the real world can suck, and I wish Earl godspeed for that inevitable moment when his freshly painted ti receives its first blemish. Godspeed my friend, godspeed.
That is why you shouldn't get too attached to your car. Remember. It's a material possession. It doesn't come with you when you die.
I don't get upset about blemishes on my E21 after spending all that time sanding and painting.
The only way to have a car remain perfect is to not use it. But that would just be gay.
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I agree they are meant to be driven. Anyone who collects cars and let's them sit is wasting money. I would just like a car with straight sheet metal and paint that isn't flaking off.
they sell them that way
Dan
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