How picky are you with nicks, dings, and scratches?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,809
Likes: 4
From: Chino Hills, CA
Mercedes C300 Sport, BMW 745Li, VW Mk6 Golf TDI
One word of warning though about coin-up self-service car washes.... All of them use water reclaimation to cut their operating costs, which is fine, but sometimes, they'll cheap out and not clean their filters when they should (causing chemical and particle condamination to clean water) or not fix piping when they have leaks (causing sand and dirt to get in the water). When this happens, you're basically sand blasting your vehicle. Also, as you're reclaiming water, Not saying all places are like this, but something to keep an eye out for.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
2008 C350 Sport
I know where you are coming from Duck... But I have a question for you all:
Even though I am lucky enough to live in the suburbs of Long Island and don't have to worry about parking at my house, I work at a baseball park, where my past car has had 2 hit and runs... I learned my lesson this time around and park in bumble f**k. However, this has not saved me from a ding on my rear passenger side wheel well. It is right on the edge, probably from a baseball and there is no paint damage, I can feel the dent (pretty minor) from the back of the wheel well and it is right where the lip becomes flat and even with the front shiny part of the rim. My question is what would be the best thing to try to pop out the dent without bringing it somewhere?
A buddy of mine said a hairdryer for 2 minutes + holding compressed air can upside down on it until it pops should work, but I worry about spraying liquid nitrogen on my car... That can't be good for the paint. What about the butt of a screwdriver, or if you have any suggestions I'd be open to listening. Thanks!
Even though I am lucky enough to live in the suburbs of Long Island and don't have to worry about parking at my house, I work at a baseball park, where my past car has had 2 hit and runs... I learned my lesson this time around and park in bumble f**k. However, this has not saved me from a ding on my rear passenger side wheel well. It is right on the edge, probably from a baseball and there is no paint damage, I can feel the dent (pretty minor) from the back of the wheel well and it is right where the lip becomes flat and even with the front shiny part of the rim. My question is what would be the best thing to try to pop out the dent without bringing it somewhere?
A buddy of mine said a hairdryer for 2 minutes + holding compressed air can upside down on it until it pops should work, but I worry about spraying liquid nitrogen on my car... That can't be good for the paint. What about the butt of a screwdriver, or if you have any suggestions I'd be open to listening. Thanks!
Do not try any method your friend tells you about or those "As seen on TV" dent removal products. THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE A DENT IS PDR. It cost me $75 and was well worth it. You drive a Benz man, get it done right 
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 1
From: Orange County, CA
ML350 4Matic and CLK 430
Pulse Check Years Later - Do those dings really matter?
Curious if anyone (who has or had a low tolerance threshold for accepting minor/small dings) came to change their thinking and just learned to live with them? Especially since the cars in the postings have aged a little
I think I've changed my perspective on this: it's nearly impossible, and becomes quite costly (money and time to schedule PDR) to keep one's car absent of innocuous dings.
I think of it this way: these darn cars, which are moving objects, are on the road with other moving objects- of all kinds, in all kinds of driving conditions. Seemed every time I addressed a ding or two, a few weeks or months later...there's another! And they are usually small and barely noticable. And, I caught myself worrying so much sometimes, that I wouldn't drive: and that's NOT what a car is for. It's meant to be driven.
I am just over caring I think. Now, I just try to be reasonable, keep the car looking good and maintained, etc.
However, it can be a battle in my mind: right now I have a tiny tiny ding, or minor tiny depression, on the hood of my 15 year old CLK, which is in really nice condition. But honestly, it's friggin old, still looks good, and there's a bunch of other minor, yet reasonable with age and use - flaws. I'm thinking the car should be allowed to age gracefully. Thoughts?
Of course, if there's large dent or something...that's a different story.
Seems there's just better things I now do with my time these days than worry about a car to this anxious extent.
For me, there's got to be a reasonable tolerance threshold for this stuff!
I think I've changed my perspective on this: it's nearly impossible, and becomes quite costly (money and time to schedule PDR) to keep one's car absent of innocuous dings.
I think of it this way: these darn cars, which are moving objects, are on the road with other moving objects- of all kinds, in all kinds of driving conditions. Seemed every time I addressed a ding or two, a few weeks or months later...there's another! And they are usually small and barely noticable. And, I caught myself worrying so much sometimes, that I wouldn't drive: and that's NOT what a car is for. It's meant to be driven.
I am just over caring I think. Now, I just try to be reasonable, keep the car looking good and maintained, etc.
However, it can be a battle in my mind: right now I have a tiny tiny ding, or minor tiny depression, on the hood of my 15 year old CLK, which is in really nice condition. But honestly, it's friggin old, still looks good, and there's a bunch of other minor, yet reasonable with age and use - flaws. I'm thinking the car should be allowed to age gracefully. Thoughts?
Of course, if there's large dent or something...that's a different story.
Seems there's just better things I now do with my time these days than worry about a car to this anxious extent.
For me, there's got to be a reasonable tolerance threshold for this stuff!
Last edited by johnnr; Oct 16, 2014 at 11:45 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 449
Likes: 12
From: Shanghai, China
C200 4matic
Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 98
Likes: 1
From: Miami, Fl.
C300
There's a car wash place where they have hoses and dryers, I'd recommend bringing your own washes and fluids...I think it's like 10$ per hour. It's on Miller and SW 37th avenue I think...There's also a pro washing place on 8th st and 5th ave northwest if you want to let other people touch your car, my dad goes there all the time.
ldtCapitan, Is that place any good for full details? I saw them online but you know how it is in Miami to find reputable places.
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