Does anyone know generally what size hail will damage a car (e.g., pea size generally won't, but golf ball size will)? The reason I ask is because I was driving home today and got caught in a serious storm. The rain was coming down harder than I've seen in a while and it brought traffic to a standstill on the highway. In addition to the hard rain, it looked like there may have been a few hail stones in there as well (no bigger than the size of peas). It wasn't all hail, but it sure sounded like it on the roof of my car. Anyway, I dried the car off when I got home and took a real close look, but didn't see anything. I'm kicking myself because I passed under an underpass about 1/4 before the pounding rain/hail set in. Uch.

 

Dude you should chill. These are Lexus cars you are talking about here not Hondas or Fords. Especially the GS it is bulit like a mo'fo.

About 1.5 years ago there was a hailstorm here in Dallas. I was cruising around with my friend in his IS300. We were just leaving a store and it started to rain. Then the rain turned into hail (mix of glass marble/golf ball size). We ran in his car and drove around to find some shelter for the car. Every underpass and gas station was packed so he just decided to drive all the way back home with hail...lol. Home was about 6-7 miles away. By that point my friend was thinking eh' what the hell car is probably beaten to hell anyway and insurance co is going to pay. So we get on the freeway going about 60 (btw: 60mph+marble/golf sized hail does not sound pretty). Sounded like a machinegun shooting at the car from the inside. Eventually we get back to his house and park in the garage to inspect for damage. Surprisingly there was one dent on the very front of the hood and one on the rear passenger side panel of the car. I thought the car was going to look like it went thru a battlezone but it didnt turn out so bad.

I believe that GS's are built to a higher spec than the IS (thicker metal). An IS can take a beating of hail while driving 60. In short, I don't think pea size hail is going to do jack to your car.

 

Actually, that's reassuring. I guess the reason I'm so paranoid is because years ago I had a 93 300zx, and I believe the hood was made from some sort of aluminum composite (I'm not kidding -- I think they did it to save weight). Anyway, I was driving home one day from work and some ice fell from an underpass on the hood resulting in a nice crisp dent.

If I had to guess, I would say that this storm today was 95% rain with a few small hail stones. As I drove on the highway (at about 5 mph -- traffic was at a standstill), I looked on the ground and saw very, very few stones. Anyway, thanks for the response.

e

 

if they are just pea size then you are good. had that happened to my car once when i was in office, worried as hell. checked it out that night and everything was ok

 

just because it's a Lexus, does not make it immuned to golf ball size hail. I'd avoid that any way possible.

glad you made out unscathed e

 

My SC400 got messed up pretty bad last year with hail - smashed my rear window, sunroof etc. Ended up being about $8000 when it was all said and done

Thankfully never got caught in the GS.

Jonny

 

That had to be at least golf ball size I'm guessing. You guys get some vicious storms down there in tornado alley. I'm a big fan of the storm chasers, but I don't know that I'd want to live through something like that.

 

Here's a link to a "hail" information site. Henry -- it looks like you're right. Pea size and smaller usually is okay.

http://www.theweatherclub1.homestead.com/hail.html

 

...i was living in texas around that time...hope nothing like that comes around again...but...having lived here most of my life...i know that not to be true