Hailstorms: Your Mercedes-Benz’s Worst Nightmare
Hailstorm damage to your Mercedes or death by firing squad — which would you choose?
We’ve all heard of people claiming their collector car is so well kept that it has never been driven in the rain. That’s nice, but, for the rest of us out there, it’s okay to set more reasonable goals. Never driving in golf-ball sized hail? That’s a reasonable achievement to aim for.
This video from Motor Authority demonstrates just how seriously hail stones can damage your car. As you probably know, hail is frozen water that can occur in very cold weather patterns that also contain a lot of moisture.
As opposed to snow — which is harmful because of the salt it forces crews to use on roads — and rain — which can strip your finish of protectants — hail can do actual physical damage to your car. Not all hail comes in XXL, like the stones in this video. That’s a good thing, too, because if you’re in traffic when heavy hail comes down, your car is likely going to sustain real damage. For this unlucky guy, there was simply nowhere to go.
CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About Such Crazy Weather
Most insurance companies will not cover body damage that happens as the result of acts of nature. As you can see, your windshield is likely to suffer badly, and getting it replaced could have you out of a car for one or several days.
If you encounter weather like this while on the road, get your car out of it as soon as possible. If you’re on city streets, find covered parking or the safety of your garage. On the highway, it can be difficult to find shelter, but you can attempt to pull over beneath an overpass. Sometimes though, you just have to wait it out and hope the damage isn’t too bad.
