A idiot scraped my car door !
#2
Lexus Test Driver
=\ Looks like someone cut the wheel too early. At least they cut it WAY too early instead of scraping and possible denting your fender. Thats the bottom of the door right? That might need a repaint on that molding.
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Sorry to see that, Liz...that sometimes happens.
The SCRATCH-OUT liquid that I usually recommend for minor things obviously won't work on something like this.......so you have 2 practical choices. One. of course, is to have the piece repainted. If you don't want to fool with Insurance, deductables, body-shop-appointments, rentals or other temporary replacenent cars, etc......you can also try an old....and cheap...... trick I learned years ago. Get some black-out auto-trim tape ( the TRIM-BRITE company makes some good stuff ) and just cover the mouldings from front to rear with the black tape. Wash the mouldings, dry them, and peel off any loose flakes, peel the backing off the tape, then apply it. You may have to cut and flare the tape strips at both ends to match the shape of the mouldings. Make sure, of course, you trim and cut the tape at both ends so that the doors close properly without binding on the tape.....the panel gaps on new cars are very small and have very little clearance. This will not only cover up the scratches but make it LOOK like it had black mouldings put on at at the factory. Of course you'll have to do both sides to match. If the tape later gets hit AGAIN and damaged by some careless driver, then of course all you have to do is re-do that one moulding the same way. The TRIM-BRITE tape is very durable and lasts for years....probably longer than you'll have the car. I did this on my brother's Subaru and he loves it. I have done it on other cars as well....with good results.
If you don't like black, you can look for some other tape color closer to the moulding's original color...but they are harder to find. I just mentioned black because it is neutral and goes with just about anything else.
The SCRATCH-OUT liquid that I usually recommend for minor things obviously won't work on something like this.......so you have 2 practical choices. One. of course, is to have the piece repainted. If you don't want to fool with Insurance, deductables, body-shop-appointments, rentals or other temporary replacenent cars, etc......you can also try an old....and cheap...... trick I learned years ago. Get some black-out auto-trim tape ( the TRIM-BRITE company makes some good stuff ) and just cover the mouldings from front to rear with the black tape. Wash the mouldings, dry them, and peel off any loose flakes, peel the backing off the tape, then apply it. You may have to cut and flare the tape strips at both ends to match the shape of the mouldings. Make sure, of course, you trim and cut the tape at both ends so that the doors close properly without binding on the tape.....the panel gaps on new cars are very small and have very little clearance. This will not only cover up the scratches but make it LOOK like it had black mouldings put on at at the factory. Of course you'll have to do both sides to match. If the tape later gets hit AGAIN and damaged by some careless driver, then of course all you have to do is re-do that one moulding the same way. The TRIM-BRITE tape is very durable and lasts for years....probably longer than you'll have the car. I did this on my brother's Subaru and he loves it. I have done it on other cars as well....with good results.
If you don't like black, you can look for some other tape color closer to the moulding's original color...but they are harder to find. I just mentioned black because it is neutral and goes with just about anything else.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-23-05 at 07:25 AM.
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#8
Lexus Diva
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*sniff* Thanks for your sympathy guys.
I was so mad yesterday! I'm tired, it was hot, I worked all day, and this was my reward....
I parked my car on a nice, quiet side street in a residential area. I should park in the employee parking lot from now on, although I guess it's never safe anywhere.
I'm going to have to buy a new molding piece for that side now. Shoot.... good thing I work at a dealership.
I was so mad yesterday! I'm tired, it was hot, I worked all day, and this was my reward....
I parked my car on a nice, quiet side street in a residential area. I should park in the employee parking lot from now on, although I guess it's never safe anywhere.
I'm going to have to buy a new molding piece for that side now. Shoot.... good thing I work at a dealership.
#12
That really sucks... Sorry to hear about this. Bay Cities Auto Body in Harbor City should be able to hook you up with a nice color match paint job to fix it. Ryan and I both had our Bodykits painted there.
#13
Super Moderator
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I share in your experience, this has happened with me too. Residnetial streets scare me. If it is anything like mine, with kids riding bikes, running around waving things at each other...the least of their play worries is with cars. I've seen them run into them, lean their bikes, put stuff on the hood or even climb on them.
I've had countless encounters telling the local kids to "stay away from the car!" Do they listen...NO. They will still run between them and what not. It isn't just mine either.
I've had countless encounters telling the local kids to "stay away from the car!" Do they listen...NO. They will still run between them and what not. It isn't just mine either.
#15
exclusive matchup
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liz, definitely park in the employee parking nw.... you know that area isn't good at all....
look at what happened to me last time...... it was one of the scariest moment.... and that old man even stared at me to make sure i didn't scrape his car? wtf..... he's out of his mind.....
look at what happened to me last time...... it was one of the scariest moment.... and that old man even stared at me to make sure i didn't scrape his car? wtf..... he's out of his mind.....