On Monday, at work, I was going to take some stuff down to kinkos to get bound. We had filled up two banker boxes with documents, so two of my co-workers brought those out to my car while I filled up the third. They came back, I took the third box, and a co-worker and I went out to bring the stuff over to kinkos.

Walking towards my car, I see that the boxes were not left NEXT to my car as they had said, but ON my car. Sitting on my dirty trunk were both banker boxes. I did my best to remove one of the boxes without scratching the paint, but as I was doing that, my co-worker just yanked the other one off. :mad I didn't say anything, but man!

I looked at my trunk after we got back, and sure enough, I have a horrendous amount of scratches from both boxes (but mostly the one my co-worker removed). *sigh* dammnit and my car still has good wax on it! This isn't a “what should I do” thread, I already have polishes in mind. It’s more of a vent against people who don't understand car paint care. :(

we can never win

...walking towards my car, I see that the boxes were not left NEXT to my car as they had said, but ON my car...
:shifty

It's hard to have anything nice, isn't it... it reminds me of the people who feel they need to touch, lean against, or put stuff on my car. I especially hate it when people take their finger and run it down the car and say, "wow, it's smooth!" I just think to myself, "Well, not any more, it isn't!!!"

I'm the kind of person who will say something about it. People seem offended when I say something. I guess some people will never understand.

I know, I've got some scratches on the sunroof from something that was set on the car. The sad thing is I'm pretty sure it was someone in the car parked next to me that put it down given it's over the driver's side door...

Now the squirrel and cat scratches from those *%& 4 legged PITA's is another thing entirely....

just deal with it. You now have an excuse to spend more time with your car...

a month ago my friend pulled some a freaking tennis ball out of his car that was bigger then a basket ball. i already knew something was wrong since well its a freaking huge tennis ball for god sakes, nothing good can come from something so strange.

sure enough the guy kicks it to pass it to another friend and lands on my roof. it didn't dent it, but all those damn little hair things left a 6" long 4" wide scrape streak. and bent the rear window phone antenna out of wack. i hand buffed it but i can still see the marks so my porter cable is comming in a few days :D

yeah sure thats why i bought the porter cable :devillook

just deal with it. You now have an excuse to spend more time with your car...

i'll have to try and pencil time with car in. I have no idea when i will have a chance to take the scratches out.

I'm pretty sure they would have left the boxes on my car no matter what car I had as long as the trunk line of the vehicle allowed them to do so. It wasn't a planned crime against a bimmer.

I'm pretty sure they would have left the boxes on my car no matter what car I had as long as the trunk line of the vehicle allowed them to do so. It wasn't a planned crime against a bimmer.
As sad as it is, I think you’re right. People are just lazy/ignorant/apathetic/careless/inconsiderate when it comes to this kind of stuff. It isn’t rocket science that setting something on your car is going to have such an effect on the finish. Sure you can fix it, but the point is that you shouldn’t have to because of such reasons.

I’d plot a scheme to do something similar to their ride, however such action would prove to be useless. These kinds of people just don’t have any pride of ownership for the things that they have, so they probably wouldn't even notice if you did something to something of theirs. Sure, maybe the people who do these things have nice things, but they just don’t take pride in them.

Not only would “getting back” at them be useless, it would likely compound the problem. If they saw you do it, it would just reinforce their behavior.

You could try to remove any reason for such people to come near your ride. Or better yet, you could point out their actions if it ever happens again :shifty

what you need to do is when you get into a conversation with them some time in the future where they start saying something like "..don't you just hate people that...." and then you go "yeah i hate them and people who have no consideration for other peoples property, like when somebody puts something on top of your car that you spend time keeping clean and taken care of since you care about it and the crap they put on the car scratches it up, instead of just putting it on the ground since their lazy" and that person will probably be like yeah i hate those people too LOL. hell the thing they will bitch about first is probably something they don't realize they do also since their always freaking Hypocrites

You guys are freaks!

been there b4. its best to just kick them in the balls. then when there laying onthe ground tell them what they did wrong.

The population in general has no clue about paint/body finishes.

Even as an automobile enthusiast, for many years I did not realize how minimal things, like running your finger down the hood, or placing light objects on the vehicle could scratch the paint. For a long time I though people like all you bitching right now, were crazy. But after spending a lot of time with SilverBeam, and actually trying to notice these things, I have realized how easy it is to scratch the paint.

It is very true that many people don't give a damn, but that is because cars are not on the top of their list of things to care for, however, I do think that there are a large number of people who do care, but just dont think/realize how much harm they could cause with such little effort.

In the end, we have to seem like assholes, and ask them not to get near our babies.

a month ago my friend pulled some a freaking tennis ball out of his car that was bigger then a basket ball. i already knew something was wrong since well its a freaking huge tennis ball for god sakes, nothing good can come from something so strange.



indoor soccer ball

this past summer I hit a couple of stones when I was cutting the grass. Unfortunately, one of the stones went about 25 feet at about 100 mph and left a dent the size of a quarter on my rear quarter panel, right above the wheel.

talk about getting pissed off.

guess i shouldn't rush to cut the lawn in order to wash and wax my car?

I always used to park out back of the shop until one day I noticed a few of the good 'ol boys who left a few hours ahead of me had a little pow-wow at the end of the day. The one loser would put his lunch pail on the trunk of my car and lean his fat ass on the side of my car while they solved all the world's problems.

My previous car was sort of a beater... but one thing about it was the paint was in fairy good shape for such an old car (91 chev corsica 203K miles)

I know exactly what you guys mean. My brother used to have kids jumping on his car, sitting on it, and belly flopping the hood. Its an old benz, so I'd like to see some respect for it, my father and I put alot of time and work into it. You shouldnt do that to ANY car, even if its a Geo Metro thing. At my HS, people jump on eachothers cars when they are leaving the parking lot. Its a "joke" and it scares me. People just dont understand. Its not only the body work its also the mechanical aspects, and the interior that people abuse. :mad One day someones going to jump on my car or do something stupid and im going to flip out and start a fight. I felt like punching the kid that belly flopped my bros car, so I bet I would flip if it was my car.

You guys are freaks!
:shifty

I've had similar experiences. I was with a friend one time at a Krispy Kreme donut shop. We got a dozen donuts in a box and went out to the car (which was somewhat damp because of the high humidity and cool air that night).

Also, I had just received my car back from the paint shop two days before to fix a crack in the paint on my spoiler. He proceeded to set the donut box on my spoiler.

Initially it pissed me off but he always made fun of me for how much I get pissed off at people when they do the littlest things to my car. So I calmed myself and didn't say anything because my car was clean, the box was clean and the paint seemed to be completely dry. There was nothing really to scratch the paint.

After about a minute, I go to take it off of my spoiler and the bottom of the box STICKS to my paint. Oooh, I was so F**King pissed off. It took my about an hour and a half with 3M rubbing compound and mother's 3 stage wax system to get it all off.

In the end everything was OK but it still pisses me off when people lean against my car or show a lack of respect for my property in any way.

How about when people go: "Hey, your car is dusty!" Then proceed to wipe the dust with their hand!!! I *hate* that.

Here is a story to end all stories (I bet most of you would literally kill this kid).

My little neighbor kid is maybe 5 or so, and has a little toy broom. He has some infatuation with my roommates car (maybe cuz it's orange?) and he's always leaving his toy's and shit on the hood and trunk. One day, he decided he'd help out by "cleaning" the car. He used his little toy broom to "sweep all the dust" off the car... he climbed up on the hood, swept it furiously, then walked UP the windshield, and went crazy on the roof. You should see the car, I've never seen a car swirled that bad in my life...

How about when people go: "Hey, your car is dusty!" Then proceed to wipe the dust with their hand!!! I *hate* that.

Here is a story to end all stories (I bet most of you would literally kill this kid).

My little neighbor kid is maybe 5 or so, and has a little toy broom. He has some infatuation with my roommates car (maybe cuz it's orange?) and he's always leaving his toy's and shit on the hood and trunk. One day, he decided he'd help out by "cleaning" the car. He used his little toy broom to "sweep all the dust" off the car... he climbed up on the hood, swept it furiously, then walked UP the windshield, and went crazy on the roof. You should see the car, I've never seen a car swirled that bad in my life...

yep most here would kill him....

How about when people go: "Hey, your car is dusty!" Then proceed to wipe the dust with their hand!!! I *hate* that.

Here is a story to end all stories (I bet most of you would literally kill this kid).

My little neighbor kid is maybe 5 or so, and has a little toy broom. He has some infatuation with my roommates car (maybe cuz it's orange?) and he's always leaving his toy's and shit on the hood and trunk. One day, he decided he'd help out by "cleaning" the car. He used his little toy broom to "sweep all the dust" off the car... he climbed up on the hood, swept it furiously, then walked UP the windshield, and went crazy on the roof. You should see the car, I've never seen a car swirled that bad in my life...

That reminds me of the people I've seen actually washing their cars/trucks with a push broom and bucket of water. I always go into mourning for the vehicle.

That reminds me of the people I've seen actually washing their cars/trucks with a push broom and bucket of water. I always go into mourning for the vehicle.
hehehe... I had a rental vehicle about a month back when my Jeep was in the shop. As I had been driving the bimmer most of the time I had the rental, the rental remained parked under a tree by my driveway. And since fall was underway, a fairly significant number of leaves found their way to the car - far more than I could drive it safely with.

When it came time to return the car (a Malibu), it was raining and the leaves has become stuck to the car. They wouldn't just blow off. And since it was raining, I wanted to get the leaves off as quickly as possible since I didnt want to be wet for the rest of the day.

My solution was a push broom :buttrock

It worked well...

That sucks but atleast yoru car is silver.

I used to bite my tongue about people putting stuff on my car - Pretty much when i was younger and had a Honda civic. It was dark blue and really made me realize how little it took to put scratches in the paint. Since I've had the M3, I no longer am quiet! With single stage paint, it is very evident any time something is dragged across it. I'll actually point it out to people if they fuck up and put something on my car. My six year old will forever be aware of car paint because he's been yelled at SOOOOO many times for touching or leaning on my car.

I used to bite my tongue about people putting stuff on my car - Pretty much when i was younger and had a Honda civic. It was dark blue and really made me realize how little it took to put scratches in the paint. Since I've had the M3, I no longer am quiet! With single stage paint, it is very evident any time something is dragged across it. I'll actually point it out to people if they fuck up and put something on my car. My six year old will forever be aware of car paint because he's been yelled at SOOOOO many times for touching or leaning on my car.

Yeah but the thing is, most people still don't realize it even after you yell at them.

I'm like: "Ahhh!! Don't do that you're scratching the paint!"
Offender: "Where?"
Me: "Right here!"
Oblivious: "I don't see anything?"
Me: "See these hairline scratches?"
Dumbass: "OMG I don't see anything, stop being so anal"

:shifty

Me: "See these hairline scratches?"
Dumbass: "OMG I don't see anything, stop being so anal"
That is EXACTLY what my x-gf says :shifty

Oh, I know what you mean. :eyecrazy

When I worked as a detailer at an autobody shop I had one of they guys do an injector flush and when he asked for my keys he set them right on the paint. :mad

I didn't say anything, but he took the keys off right away, so I think he could tell I was enraged.

The funny thing is that for the rest of the time he was doing the flush I would keep coming over and checking up on him. The service manager finally had to tell me to leave him alone.

I know exactly how you feel people just don't care about other peoples' property anymore. Iv'e screamed at little punks who were sitting on the trunk(YES THE TRUNK!!!) of my car when I got off work. They just acted like it was no big deal...was so close to grabbing a 3 iron from my trunk just to scare the crap out of them. I also discovered scratches(in a perfect circle with the shapes of soccer ball patches in it) right in the middle of my passanger door. I later found out that because the field at my school was wet, they decided to setup soccer practice in the very back of the parking lot...right next to where my buddy and I park. People these days are becomming such lazy slobs it's rediculous.......

sorry,

I think he did it on purpose, or sub conciously (sp)
Even a soccor mom knows a bmw is a good car.

welp, sounds like its time to repaint. ;)

i kid i kid, i know where you are coming from. my dad recently opened the garage door without checking first to see if i parked to close to it and the garage door hit the trunk of my car. then he *wiped* where the trunk had hit because there was white stuff on the trunk, well, i didn't notice it until i cleaned my car and in one area it seemed slightly scratched. then i noticed a little dent, then i asked him and he fessed up. no one will get away with something on my car, i know every little mark/imperfection that is there, if there is a new one..i WILL notice.

Here's the dumbest thing about it... if they're taking stuff out to put into your car, why would they sit it on the trunk? So that you'd have to take them off the trunk to open the trunk to put them IN the trunk? People don't think. Even if they don't give a damn about paint on a car, common sense would say to put them on the ground, right? I mean, they assume you're putting it in the trunk, and they can't open the trunk, so they block you from opening the trunk without undoing their work first? Stupid.

Here's the dumbest thing about it... if they're taking stuff out to put into your car, why would they sit it on the trunk? So that you'd have to take them off the trunk to open the trunk to put them IN the trunk? People don't think. Even if they don't give a damn about paint on a car, common sense would say to put them on the ground, right? I mean, they assume you're putting it in the trunk, and they can't open the trunk, so they block you from opening the trunk without undoing their work first? Stupid.


Thats because people are stupid. I dont care how bad someones car is...you dont do stuff like that. If it has holes in the body, its still disrespectful. What if the person is going to fix the rust, and now they need to pop the dents out becasue someone was being an idiot and sat on their car or something.

Then theres those people that assume that since your car is old, it's bad, and you dont car about it, so they trash it. I havent experienced this with my car, but I have with my brothers.

AHH PEOPLE :mad :mad :mad

OMG, this is like an AA meeting for paint conscientious people. I have to show this thread to my girlfriend so she doesn't think I'm crazy anymore :eyecrazy

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one.

But, allow me to mention something that may be the *most* anal: when people put their greasy fingerprints all over your clean car just getting in and out of the car. I always tell people "use the door handle to push the door closed!" :lol It's amazing how they can put their damn fingerprints all over the windows and door just getting in and then out of the damn thing. It's recockulous.

Or better yet, even when hot chicks start leaning up on the car I tell all of them to get the *uck off! LOL

heres one for you, this one girl that is pretty hot always asks me for rides right, and yes she did 'reward' me but every fucking time she got in my car, she acts like its hers, she puts her feet up onto my leather seats, onto the dash and then messes with up stereo!!! :mad

needless to say, I stopped giving her rides...but I also stopped getting anything else from her. :( haha, oh well

...But, allow me to mention something that may be the *most* anal: when people put their greasy fingerprints all over your clean car just getting in and out of the car. I always tell people "use the door handle to push the door closed!"...
Using the door handle is a great idea, r6jon... I think I'll start doing that one too.

On a similar note, I drive a coupe, so when the doors are open there is no frame supporting the glass. The glass just hangs there supported by the mechanics within the door. Still yet, my x-gf seemed to think that it was still ok to use the glass to shut the door. She didn't just shut it either, she slammed it (which is another story for another time). I'd ask her politely to use the door (not the glass) to gently shut the door. That always pissed her off :(

To all the girlfriends out there that are reading this at the request of your boyfriends:
Please understand that we just really care about our cars. It takes a lot of work and dedication to keep them looking good. Not only is touching a car, feeling a car, setting stuff on a car, leaning on a car, or otherwise making contact with a car unnecessary, but it will damage the paint/clear coat/body. Maybe that doesn't bother you or maybe you don't notice the damage, and that is fine. You should, however, respect your boyfriend and do your best to keep from doing these things to his car. It all comes down to respect.

Fortunately, both my husband and I are car nuts, so we're uber-respectful of each other's rides. :cool

You can't take a nice car anywhere. A couple of years ago, just after I had detailed my car, we drove to a restaurant. I parked in an end space next to a walkway leading to the door. I was unbuckling my seat belt when a woman walking very unsteadily (aided by another woman) came hobbling up the walkway. She leaned on my freshly-waxed hood to steady herself as they headed into the restaurant.

I erupted from the car and said, sarcastically and just loudly enough for them to hear, "Thank you VERY much." I got an indignant stare in reply. :angryfire

Lesson? Don't park too close to the door, if you can help it.

On a similar note, I drive a coupe, so when the doors are open there is no frame supporting the glass. The glass just hangs there supported by the mechanics within the door. Still yet, my x-gf seemed to think that it was still ok to use the glass to shut the door. She didn't just shut it either, she slammed it (which is another story for another time). I'd ask her politely to use the door (not the glass) to gently shut the door. That always pissed her off :(
One of the (many) reasons why we don't go to the local MINI dealer for service anymore is because the valets and mechanics use the glass to shut the door. :mad :mad :mad

Me: "Hi, my name is G.P. Burdell, and I obsess over my car's paint."

Everyone: "Hi, G.P. Burdell..."

My friend (who happens to be a girl) is obessed with her paint way more than I am... so not all women are oblivious, just the majority :D

When I get out of her car, she makes me close the door by pushing on the keyhole... I can't even touch the handle to close it :nono

Fortunately, both my husband and I are car nuts, so we're uber-respectful of each other's rides. :cool

You can't take a nice car anywhere. A couple of years ago, just after I had detailed my car, we drove to a restaurant. I parked in an end space next to a walkway leading to the door. I was unbuckling my seat belt when a woman walking very unsteadily (aided by another woman) came hobbling up the walkway. She leaned on my freshly-waxed hood to steady herself as they headed into the restaurant.

I erupted from the car and said, sarcastically and just loudly enough for them to hear, "Thank you VERY much." I got an indignant stare in reply. :angryfire

Lesson? Don't park too close to the door, if you can help it.



One of the (many) reasons why we don't go to the local MINI dealer for service anymore is because the valets and mechanics use the glass to shut the door. :mad :mad :mad

Me: "Hi, my name is G.P. Burdell, and I obsess over my car's paint."

Everyone: "Hi, G.P. Burdell..."

No way! Your female. :confused I never would have guessed that.

No way! Your female. :confused I never would have guessed that.

Not necessarily... :rolleyes

Not necessarily... :rolleyes
I'm not necessarily female, or gato would not necessarily have deduced it? :stickoutt

But, yes, I am female; I just don't announce it like others do. :)

Back to topic - we can't get away from inconsiderate louts anywhere we go. Even at work, my co-workers and I are besieged by careless landscapers who blow leaves and crap all over our cars once a week. The car now has rock chips on the sides! Every now and then, the landscapers with their leaf blowers will go that extra mile - they'll brush up against the paint and leave scratches. :mad

I'm not necessarily female, or gato would not necessarily have deduced it? :stickoutt

But, yes, I am female; I just don't announce it like others do. :)

Back to topic - we can't get away from inconsiderate louts anywhere we go. Even at work, my co-workers and I are besieged by careless landscapers who blow leaves and crap all over our cars once a week. The car now has rock chips on the sides! Every now and then, the landscapers with their leaf blowers will go that extra mile - they'll brush up against the paint and leave scratches. :mad

Damn, why couldn't you have used spouse?

How am I supposed to respect what you say about cars now? :stickoutt


Lol, just kidding. Its cool you keep a low profile.

:D

I feel all your pain.

Last year I was at a golf tourney and I was leaving and I noticed a beer can on my trunk. :mad No one was around, but luckily there were no scratches or any marks left. I try and park as far away as possible, but still some a$$h0le has to park beside.

I happen to close the door by the glass, but near the bottom and with the side of my first finger, where no oils or fingerprints can be left on the glass or paint.

Yeah, I hate ignorant people. I went to a wedding over the summer and walked out to see a crowd of people next to my car. Sure enough, some ass clown was leaning on my car.

I walked up to the car not making a sound, hop and start here up. When the UUC started to gurgle, the guy leaning hopped up and all the other people jumped. I smiled to myself as a pealed out of the parking lot.
:evil2

Its good to know I am not alone in making people close the door by the handle

Its good to know I am not alone in making people close the door by the handle

I know, it does!

People who actually wash and wax their own car, and appreciate their things, notice these things

I always try to park as far away from anything as possible, but even then sometimes crap happens. One time I went to walmart and parked all the way at the far end of the lot. When I came out there was not one, not two, but four shopping carts leaned against my front bumper. Since they were all against my front bumper I figured I could just back out and be ok, but when I backed out they started rolling towards me. "Oh noes!" I thought as the renegade shopping carts came after my car. Luckily I didn't panic and thought clearly enough to manage to turn away from the shopping carts. As I waited for all four shopping carts to roll by the faces on the bystanders witnessing the event were priceless.

Last year, some guys i know built a snow man on top of my grand cherokee. I found out that they were sitting on top of the roof to build it. Then when the snow man fell down it scratched the sh*t out of my hood. Its just a jeep i know, but it probably has nicer paint than even my bmw, the thing is spotless. And after i bitched at them, all they said was i that im in love with my car and i care too much about my cars. No, i just take care of my expensive possessions A-holes!

You guys think you got some bad stories??!

If I leave my car in an uncovered parking area the dust in the air here settles on it and leaves a nice film overnight. Lets not even mention the water sprinklers here that have such a high mineral content, I left my car parked for a good 3 days once and when I came back my windshield and hood was COVERED in deposits so thick that I needed to use limeaway and about 2 hours of scrubbing!

As for people? well, a kid used to like to crash his bike into my car. I didn't realize it untill I actually caught him doing it one day, All I see is this kid coming at my car and skidding out just in time to crack my right foglight in half. I checked the rest of the car and I had 2 HUGE dents in my front shiny chrome bumper! The kids mom came out and I was like, "you need to keep a better eye on your kids", and her only response was "kids will be kids tee hee hee". God I wanted to smack the shit out of her!

And the time someones spilled their icecream all over the hood of my Rover coupe, and it baked into the hood in the 103 degree temp! :mad

And how about the time (with my current car, the E36) I came out to go to work and found a group of young teenagers with their bikes leaning on my car, and their styrofoam cups of koolaid all over my hood, with little koolaid drops around them! I just detailed the car the day before, and I just walked out and stared at them, they took off like little cockaroaches in a spotlight.

I must agree, you can never have anything nice, someone always has to fuck it up.. always. People are just plain ignorant of other peoples property here, and I can't wait to get back to the states and stick my car in a garage every night. I've had this car for 8 months now, and it had a pristine body + paint on it when I bought it from up north. Now it has 3 huge dents down the drivers side from a hit and run on the Highway (mouldings gone too, as well as drivers side mirror!). A dent right above the wheel on the passenger front fender, from some bitch who backed up into my car out of her driveway while I was parked in traffic in the road behind her. And I got out and was like "come on, why did you do that? i know you saw me", and all she could do was point to my mouldings and say "no no I hit the moulding, not there, i didnt dent that, i hit the moulding", and when I called her out to her face she got right back in her car and took off.

I swear, italy is the worst place for driving ever, there are literally NO ROAD LAWS enforced, not a single one. This is good when no one is on the road in the morning, as driving to work at the full capacity of these cars is amazing, but when it comes to other people, they have utter disrespect and neglect for other peoples shit.

Once this car gets back to the states, its getting parked, repainted, and redone.

P.S. Sorry for the long post.. hadda vent :eyecrazy