A mechanic accidentally let the hood fall onto a wrench was sitting on the edge of the fender, denting a small part of the hood skeleton. After getting new hood struts, the little bump got bigger. Recently I had to send the car to a shop because the crappy aftermarket waterpump on the car siezed (you get what you pay for. They didn't know about the hood damage and I think the mechanic closed the hood the wrong way and it looks like a truck backed into the car.

So the moral of the story is...don't mess up your hood...don't buy crappy water pumps

(And if someone wants to point me out to an 92 LS400 part-out or someplace that has the hood...)

so, a mechanic dented your hood and you did nothing about it!? you really screwed yourself by not confronting him and demanding that he or the shop he works for pay/fix the damage.

Sheep happens and that's why it's good to do a walk-around to inspect the car before and after.
This is important these days as even a door type ding will cost ~$350 if it needs paint.

Never, ever, never just walk away when someone damages your property. Cmon I know you probably worked hard to get that car and even though it is a 92 (I also have one), I'm sure that you are still proud of it because it is yours. If you let people take advantage of you now with even the smallest incidents, I dread to think what will happen to you when the time really comes to stand up for yourself. Me personally, that shop/mechanic would be paying to have the hood fixed.

Can we totally blame the first mechanic if the hood struts were worn out and could not keep the hood open? Did you know that the hood struts were worn out? If so, did you warn the mechanic?

What do you mean when you said that the second mechanic "closed the hood the wrong way"? The hoods on our cars each close only one way.

By the way, did you use OEM Lexus hood struts or aftermarket ones. Some of the aftermarket hood struts (like MightyLift) require so much force to close the hood that some people have bent their hoods.

Good point, I think any mechanic would find it obvious that the struts are worn and would do something to hold the hood up while working. Wrench caused the damage, (based on info provided), and I myself would not have walked away; working struts or not. You do bring up a good point though.

Cmon man, he might have had the hood convertted to open from the opposite way. LOL!!!!!! I actually thought about doing this myself.