05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

My car was vandalized in June on my birthday (happy b-day to me) by unknown individual/individual's and long story short my insurance company decided that instead of paying for the damage to my car they were going try and charge me with fraud and drag it out for 3 months. The damage was to the tune of $9400, one of the things they damaged was my headlights, I have tried buffing them out got the drivers side fixed but have not been able to fix the passenger side. If a body shop were to sand it down do you think they could get the scratches out?

Romanova

If you run your finger nail on them, does it hang? If so, they may be too deep. If not, try and sand it out yourself.

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

Yah it hangs =( i have never dealt with anything like this that's why I am hoping someone can help. A really old guy said to try air craft windshield filler, I have never heard of it if anyone has any ideas how to fix it I am open to any ideas or suggestions.

RA051724

One option would be to try one of those headlight lens restoration kits..... Meguiars has one. It uses a polishing compound to gently "sand" off the top layer of the lens, then you apply a compound that puts on the equivalent of a clear coat to fill in all those buffed areas. They work for old lenses that have become dull. It may work for your case. Its worth a try, because it can't hurt anything and in the best case it will solve your problem.

Johnhav430

I have this weird feeling that if you can't get the scratches out, a body shop can't either? I feel that scratches can be diminished by the material being worn away. When I replaced my door caps, I tried to remove the excess 3M by using cleaner wax, then fine grit sandpaper and wet sanding. It seemed to make everything worse so I stopped, as the door caps have the body color. Only I know there are scratches on one, nobody else would ever notice, but I just felt that sanding was getting futile....(only I would have noticed the 3M so should have left it)...

Hey, if it can't be repaired, imho insurance should cover....

ltd76gold

One thing. Since they are damaged now and it appears your insurance might orphan you,

I used the following tutorial by Chris Fix and my lights are now showroom fresh ...pretty much. New is almost always better but $$$$$$$ vs. $ and some time.


All the best,
Doug k

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

I was thinking about the 3m headlight kit i am thinking that the headlights toast honestly I was gonna send them out to get the housing sprayed black and to have dual ccfl halo rings installed but I am hesitant now due to my circumstances with the headlights. Your finger nail hangs up pretty bad on the scratches, and i think a body shop can do it cause my friends father restores muscle cars and I have seen him do some awsome paint work and work miracles so that's what i am hoping will happen lol

ltd76gold

If the scratches are that bad, then definitely following Chris's tutorial is the best- cheapest option. If the 400 grit starter does not cut the scratches, any "kit" certainly will not.

Doug k

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

oh my insurance company set it up so I would have had $4500 in deductibles at $500 a deductible each headlight was a separate claim the rear bumper was seperate from the trunk each door was a separate claim etc.. I dropped the them so quick and switched to a different insurance company first claim ever in 10 years of driving and they did that so i switched companies.

I love watching Chris fixes videos he does some awsome stuff, I have thought about doing that with the clear coat.

yoitskenn

iTrader: (4)

They charged you with fraud?

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

They acussed me of fraud they dragged it out for 3 months and I was sick of getting jerked around so I told them I am speaking to my attorney today so if they have any more questions my attorney needs to be present during the conversation whether phone or in person, and the next day the "special investigations unit" individual assigned to my case told my agent that there was no indication of fraud and closed the case.

They were just being jackasses and did not want to pay when the 2nd adjuster came out to look at my car she apologized and she asked who the first adjuster was who accused me of fraud and I told her his name and number and she said "He is a complete a$$hole and should not be working in anything related to customer service".

I never filed the claim my insurance agent Tim did and I did it under his advice he is the owner of that insurance office and the entire time they were in investigating me, he continually told them I told him to file the claim he is not committing fraud. The corporate office of allstate (the insurance company that accused me of fraud) called me and a vp or some person apologized and said they would be launching an investigation and that is the last I heard.

I just let it go changed insurance companies and am saving $110 a month on insurance and have better coverage =)......that is turning a frown upside down haha

Johnhav430

Nothing to do with OP, but more on the insurance....

I know someone (former coworker) who was living in Brooklyn, NY, but registered his car in NJ, because it was much cheaper. His car was broken into and damaged, and the co. charged him with fraud and dropped him, and did not cover the incident. I always remembered that. Someone inadvertently blurted out something along the lines of it's cheaper to use their uncle's address in Manhattan, and I just let it go in one ear and out the other....I know another person who lived in CT and registered his car in NM to avoid CT taxes. Again, not worth it imho. Now if it's a co. car (which I assume is the game he would play with cops etc.), that's totally legal, but there is the issue of insurance. Most supercars are registered in MT, but just because everyone does it, doesn't mean someone may not be gunning for you...