How much do you all think this will cost? It seems that someone hit the car in a parking lot and didnt even leave a note, they just took off!




Oo and this is my first Post. Hi all.

 

It's hard to see how deep this goes, but some (most of it) could probably be removed with a Scratch Remover.

 

I agree with the above . . . try polishing compound and rub in the direction of the scratch. If that fails, the damage appears to be contained within a delineated strip that can be masked without blending. I'd guess $150.

 

Over the years I have had some pretty ugly scratches on paint and bumper that amazingly came off at a professional detail shop. I even got keyed on a Saab about 6 years ago and you could not see it after they buffed it out. The advantage of trying this out is that a good detail place may only charge $60-$100 to do your entire exterior and to buff out damage. Worst case is that you can't fix the bumper to your liking but you are only out a few bucks and you get a detail. I can't see your damage well but I bet you won't be out more than $200. Less if you can do it your self but it never seems perfect when you do it that way.

 

I think its maybe just a CM deep. its just that its so long. maybe 7-10 inches in the back, then there is a vertical scracth that is about 2 -4 inches long.

After this i park the car probably 10 car spots away from anyone else, god damn do i hate *******s.

 

I would try to buff it off first, but if that does not work then there are two possibilities: 1st is that the bumper strip can be fixed and that is the only thing that needs to be repainted. If you go to an expensive shop (meaning that they will do great work) just painting the bumper strip/rail after fixing it would at least be $400. The second thing that might need to happen is that the shop will decide to remove the whole bumper assembly and maybe even replace the bumper strip. This might be as much as $800.

Make sure you insist that they use the original paint that Mercedes uses! I feel for you, I really do! My car was keyed last month and I just finally got it to PERFECT condition again. My bill was about $1,100 and they charged my insurance. My deductible is $250 but my rental car insurance covered that since I did not need to rent a car. This kind of claim cannot go against your record.

Tell us how much it was,

Steve

 

I hope CM is not European Cm (Centimeter) !!!

 

I am interpreting it as being Cm. That is why I mentioned all the other stuff. I really don't think that you can polish it out! Unfortunately.

Steve

 

I highly doubt it can be just polished out its pretty damn deep. If i find the ******* who did this.

 

it looks to me more like the damage was made by a shopping cart. i would think the damage would have been much worse if it had been made by another car.

 

If he is talking about Centimetre it would be beyond repair because it would have made a hole in the bumper. The thickness of the steel in a Mercedes is 0.7mm (Millimetres), and the thickness of the bumper is 2mm. A Centimetre is 10mm.

 

I would have thought that if you run your fingernail over the paintwork, and feel the scratch, then you have a problem. By then attempting to 'polish' out this scratch, you will have to wear the surrounding paint (top coat) down to the lowest level of this 'wound'

I am sorry about being so negative, but I would hate for you to make a mess of trying to fix it.

Having a car deliberately damaged is sheer, mindless vandalism and I feel for you. To make matters even worse, if your car has the latest 'nano' paint, then the repaired area will not have this top coat. Having said that, there should still be no visible difference between the repaired area and the original.

I apologise again for being so negative and have my fingers crossed that I am wrong on all counts.

Regards,
John
A cold, sunny, cool morning in Torquay

 

Hi John

I envy you

Oslo versus Torquay:

 

I have just answered Steve's post about -19c I am looking out of my window at a beautiful calm sea, bright sunshine and clear blue skies, just like the picture you have attached. (NOT the very scenic Norwegian one though ) How do you get that white 'froth' to stay on the water??

Does the cold weather help, or hinder your sinus condition?

Take care and keep well wrapped up,

John
Sunny Torquay

 

I've had the same damage to the Left Rear or my bumper 3 times!! (All while parked at totally different SAFE locations. I've had to repaint the damaged portion of the bumper all 3 times... $250 each time. A perfect match. I'll bet though, if you look at the alignment of the top of the bumper with the rearward face of the tail lights you will see that the bumper has been pushed into the car. My bumper is pushed in inder the left taillight & is flush with the rear edge of the right tail light.

I couldn't pick any safer, more distant parking spaces away from everything. its absolutely rediculous that people don't consider a car someone's personal property.

 

My wife was hit in the back in my mb a few weeks ago. 2 small scratches about the size of a pencil eraser. The body shop estimated $625 to remove and repaint the bumper.

I may think about visiting the detail shop 1st because I don't like the idea of having the car at the body shop for some reason.

 

There is one thing that sucks even when the Body Shop is good. Since the good body shops bake the paint (even if it is not NANO paint), it tends to STINK to high heaven.

Sometimes, they can remove the part and just bake it alone (like the bumper) but the car still gets that nasty paint thinner/enamel/lacquer stink (whatever it is) since it is parked in the general area.

I had my keyed scratch fixed last week and they did an amazing job. You truly cannot tell the difference (even in the orange peel). However!!! My car stank for 7 days. I have been parking it in the garage with everything open. Driving with cracked windows and sunroof and I think that it is finally gone!

It is a temporary inconvenience of getting good work done.

Steve

 

i saw on the discovery channel, the car specialists got a device that can measure the thickness of the paint and they use it to check to see if a car has been repainted. the repainted area is always thicker than the original area, no matter how well the bodyshop did the work. it would be a nice device to have when you are shopping for a used car.

 

There is a lot of truth to that. Since they gravel the roads here for better traction paint chips a lot here. When that gravel flies out of the tread of the car in front of you it kills the paint. You can always tell if the hood was repainted because the paint chips are huge! OEM paint barely chips.

Needless to day, clear bras are very popular here in Colorado

Steve