Not a great week for the A4...

[PRY4SNO]

Within a week I estimate there was a couple thousand dollars damage put on the car, none of it my fault (for once).

Was driving home after quitting my job, and just heading up to an exit ramp behind a tractor-trailer rig and debris just starts jettisoning itself out the back. I dodged one bit and then backed off from three to about six car-lengths. Then a piece bounces out and looks like it'll deflect right after impact, but no! It went right at me. I swerved left, but not enough and it clipped my front bumper right under the headlight, and crumpled the front passenger fender. After I inspected the damage, I chased the truck down for his insurance info.

Then, I get myself all excited about camping on the long weekend, and go to pack the car in the morning... KEYED. All down the passenger side, front + rear doors and rear fender. And all across the front of the hood. Not sure how deep it is, as in if it can be buffed out, but that's not the point. What I'd've given to just caught that chicken shit fucking with this man's automobile. Point blank, I'd be content sitting in a holding cell waiting for bail.

Anyhow, I'll post pics and you guys can tell me what you think. Does the front bumper necessitate replacement? I mean, it's cracked and it is a safety system after all. If so, I'll be going with a USP front.

TIA!

Debris damage:





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Keying

[eg6siR]

damn... i would be pissed about the debris falling off the truck? was it a rig or a pickup? and what fell off the truck? thats crazy that 2 shitty things happened in 24 hours to it... hopefully the guy in the truck didnt copy down your address from your insurance info and key your ride... or do you have other enemies?

[BOPOH]

Sorry to see that happend to you!! Get that truck's compensation money and use it to buy USP for sure.

[PRY4SNO]

damn... i would be pissed about the debris falling off the truck? was it a rig or a pickup? and what fell off the truck? thats crazy that 2 shitty things happened in 24 hours to it... hopefully the guy in the truck didnt copy down your address from your insurance info and key your ride... or do you have other enemies?

Yeah, I was pissed but it happened... and after all that, the only thing I can do is deal with it.

It was an 18-wheeler with a large trailer, not too sure what it was that struck the car. Something iron and built at a right angle. I guess that's how it crumpled the fender too.

No, the truck driver didn't key my car because he never got my insurance info. It's his fault so my insurance isn't involved. All he has is a name and my g/f's cell number. So that'd take some amazing detective work... which would leave me to wonder what the hell he's doing driving truck!?!

And no, I don't have other enemies... anyways, none so virulent that they'd do that to my baby. Not after what it took me to get it over the border (ERG ).

Shit like this makes me want to sell it, and then buy a Corolla S and forget everything. This car makes me broke... but I love every minute I spend in the car. It's everything I wanted (well... almost) and I am so enthused to mod it but shit like this keeps putting all that back. Oh well. Pay to play.

[Siggiepop]

wow... keyed to the max. so sorry

[PRY4SNO]

wow... keyed to the max. so sorry

Yup.

Same spot that the car was stolen from, back in October. You think I'd learn? Nope. Well. I do, but parking downtown in Cow-town is nothing less than $375/month so I'll have to take my chances.

[DarkW!sh]

insurance fraud much lol jk jk

[PRY4SNO]

insurance fraud much lol jk jk

Not likely, pal.

That's not how I roll.

I just want my whip fixed and made as good as, or better than, before all this happened.

[absolutegtr]

wow...that is my worst nightmare....someone keying my car like that...I dont have any enemies, but there is always some hater out there....and I only have liability

Good luck with everything!

[PRY4SNO]

wow...that is my worst nightmare....someone keying my car like that...I dont have any enemies, but there is always some hater out there....and I only have liability

Good luck with everything!

Mine too... especially since I live downtown amongst the hobos, whores and crack-heads.

I couldn't get insurance from anyone on PLPD so comprehensive ought to cover it. But I don't want a claim that will give my already lofty premiums ($288/month) another upward hike.

I'll have my body man see what he can massage out of it and go from there.

[PRY4SNO]

Just to reiterate:

Does the crack in the bumper necessitate replacement? It is a safety system so I imagine Bondo won't exactly cut the mustard. I ask because I like to be nearly pushy with the insurance adjusters because most are dipsticks who know nothing about cars (hence me getting 75% of my clutch replacement cost comped because of the theft last year).

[NVR STSFD]

Damn that key mark is nasty! And that premium is steep. Unfortunately I cannot help with the bumper question. Good luck, hope everything works out.

[FourRings80]

Why the hell would someone do that shit to another person's car? I really hope it can be buffed out.... And sorry not able to say for the bumper, but I would replace it with the usp.

Good luck

[absolutegtr]

There is no way that can be buffed out....you can see the primer.

[My OOOO My]

You did say that you quit your JOB..... hmmmmmm ...... I wonder if someone from work keyed your car.

Did you quit gracefully, or did you burn bridges ?

[toaster]

wow, that's some bad luck.

good thinking about the usp front.

that's the only way to get over a bad situation: upgrade!

[PRY4SNO]

You did say that you quit your JOB..... hmmmmmm ...... I wonder if someone from work keyed your car.

Did you quit gracefully, or did you burn bridges ?

LOL

No offense, but that gives me a good and hearty chuckle.

This time, at least, I didn't burn any bridges. I work as a Pipefitter/Steamfitter (think industrial plumber) on unionized bitumen upgraders and petroleum refineries -- among others... let's go Peace River nuke plant! -- so me quitting is no big deal. I could have pulled a slip for the same place the next day if I'd wanted. I quit because they took away the guarantee of double OT weekends (from 11-days on / 3-days off ---> 5-days on / 2-days off + occasional weekends) and commuting back home for two days is too tiring and too expensive without the double overtime. The day they announced the schedule change, entire crews quit. The next day, droves more. About 100-150 guys of about 400 went to look for greener pastures within two days of the announcement.

Oh, and the refinery is in Edmonton (Petro Canada) and I live in Calgary. So definitely wasn't a coworker. I'll just go ahead and all but certify it was a cracker or teenager or bum or such who figured vandalism to be some good, wholesome fun. That's one of the hazards of living downtown, I suppose.

================================================== =================================================

There is no way that can be buffed out....you can see the primer.

Well, I shall keep that in mind as a potential outcome... but I'll wait to see what my body man has up his sleeve first. If he can't massage it out then I'll see what I can do for a claim to have it replaced outright instead of resprayed.

The reason I'm apprehensive to have it resprayed is that -- even though his work is top notch and OCD -- the colours never match perfect. And the time factor... so I'd be without a vehicle for about a week. Maybe I can time it for when I have the car in for the bumper and then I'll at least have a rental.

================================================== =================================================

Thanks everyone for the kind responses and information! I sincerely appreciate it!

[My OOOO My]

Thank goodness you are NOT a player and broke some girl's heart....

Cuz you would have been the victim of:



OR



OR



OR

[PRY4SNO]

LOL

You know, as much as my heart would have sagged... same deal as when my car was stolen. The least the gutless motherfvcker could have done was write it off for me. But no... now I have to deal with the fall out.

Such is life.

[d_maniac]

that last one with the bmw is crazy, i think i would have gone crazy if that happened to me.....

[ABanT]

That is some serious bullshit. Hope whoever keyed your car gets whats coming to them.

[A4monkey]

people can be real scum, sorry for your car man. I get livid pissed if i find one small nick on my car, can't even begin to imagine what i'd do if that happened.

[PRY4SNO]

Well... karma exists IMO... so who knows, I probably had it coming. I was one ripe bastard growing up, though I've been trying daily to do well by others.

Getting livid at the onset of my May 2-4 camping trip wouldn't have helped a damn thing, so all I can do is deal with the bullshit at the appropriate time. I had to take a page from my favourite novel, Shogun, and be very Japanese by compartmentalizing my rage for the appropriate instance.

================================================== ==========================================

Went to Glenmore Audi -- earned a $300 speeding ticket in the process... I'll just tuck that in with the $250 one from the long weekend -- where I learned the bumper (non-USP) and fender parts come to $1,225 plus labour. Tomorrow I'll call with the USP part numbers and get a quote, go from there. The guy doesn't want to go through insurance so if he gets lippy when I tell him I want a rental for the downtime, I'll get his insurance company involved. He may go that way considering how expensive it'll be (for the debris hit it could be $3,000 or more) at the end of the day.

Talked to my body man, he said he won't be able to fix the scratch for less than $1,800. That's deep. He did say that because it's vandalism, a no-fault kind of claim, I should only have to pay a deductible (read: $500 IIRC) and incur no penalty toward my rate. In that case, he'll make the entire car shine and take any little rock or door dings out while he's got a hold of it. But it could take up to two weeks for the whole kit and caboodle. *groan*

Fun stuff!

[AudiA4Turbo22]

that truck piece wasn't as bad as the keying! dude if someone keyed my car like that i'd have a heart attack! and i'k probably wring the guys neck and then charge his insurance or something! but ya try some rubbing compound u might be able to save some of it!

[PRY4SNO]

that truck piece wasn't as bad as the keying! dude if someone keyed my car like that i'd have a heart attack! and i'k probably wring the guys neck and then charge his insurance or something! but ya try some rubbing compound u might be able to save some of it!

Caution, grasshopper.

Your eyes can deceive you... so don't trust them!
- Obi Wan Kenobi

The truck debris will cost about double the keying. And it has damaged the major safety system in the car aside from the brakes, the front bumper.

And no rubbing compound or buffing will erase that blemish: Chris is a straight up kind of guy and wouldn't say $1,800 for a buffing job.

Trust me though, had I caught the guy , with the knife and/or collapsible baton I keep in my car, y'all's wouldn't have heard from me for a long time. I'd gladly have sat in a holding cell awaiting my elite criminal lawyer's bail hearing and paid with glee.

Next time.