Jump to content
Complete France Forum

car scratches


richard51

Recommended Posts

The locals are notorious for sloppy parking, our 2 year old from new car had the bumper corner clipped by a girl with an A plate car in a car park - fortunately I was standing a short distance away having a smoke - she was very crestfallen when she realised I owned it and had seen her.

Cue multiple phone calls from her mother insisting that we have the repair work done at the garage she worked at!

We didn't.........!

Maybe look at fitting a dashcam which if you wire it up to be live when the ignition is off will record all the goings-on when you aren't in the car.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bumpers were so-called because they are there for ........... bumping [:)]

Maybe modern cars should have a different name for them, or have bumpers to protect the bumpers [:D]

Where we lived in Spain most drivers reversed into parking spaces gently until they felt a bump, drove forward for a second bump, then reversed again to the half-way point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in the 70s, a bejewelled old dear buried in a fur coat and large hat was parking a Rover 2000 in an enormous space along Cheltenham Promenade. She never once turned her head or tried to use the mirrors but just went back and forth, walloping the cars in front and behind until she had got somewhere near the kerb. My wife and I and other pedestrians tried to stop her but she was oblivious to all protestations. Eventually, she calmly got out and walked into Cavendish House while notes were scribbled for the owners of the cars that had been thumped. I don't think she was French.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="Harnser"]The best vehicle for the urban jungle has got to be an old rusty Land Rover.[/quote]

They are aluminium and don't rust, apart from the chassis. but I get what you mean, have a worse car than theirs [:)]

[/quote]

and the bumpers[:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think its either

1. White van man with no conscience or

2. old car driver with nothing to lose.

Newish car owners would be first to disappear and claim on their insurance, thus upping the insurance for everybody.

Nb have calmed down now. Most cars I have owned I keep for quite a while so resale value not dependent on condition!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="richard51"] ............  have calmed down now. Most cars I have owned I keep for quite a while so resale value not dependent on condition!!![/quote]

Best way [:)]

If you were a wealthy owner you'd just change the car every couple of years or less and not bother about small scratches.

If keeping it longer, as you say, scratches and small dings are inevitable and unimportant.

On Friday I partly ripped off the front bumper on our not-so-old car on the too-high kerb when backing out of a parking space at our local hospital. I didn't even realise I had run over it when I parked.

However, it still runs just as well with the bumper hanging a bit low, and I'll patch it up later this week when It's hopefully not so cold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Richard, read between the lines a tad; a little while ago I managed to scratch my plastic car bumper against a stone sticking out from a traditional stone wall without feeling a thing and was surprised to see the damage myself. So, my question relates to the world of possibilities, not cynicism.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Théière wrote... "They are aluminium and don't rust, apart from the chassis. but I get what you mean, have a worse car than theirs"

Worse is a relative term. As a long standing Voiture de Collection Landy keeper I can confirm that many oncoming drivers do tend to stick well to their own side and tailgaters usually maintain a relatively respectful distance. Perhaps lack of visibility has something to do with it because the old girl can chuck out a smidgen of black smoke if she is working hard.

But at just 145k kilometers the vehicle is barely run in; insurance is ludicrously cheap; parts are inexpensive and widely available; everything is extremely easy to repair with basic tools (hammer and crowbar for many jobs) and she's appreciating in value year on year.

If that's worse, what can possibly be better?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have found that a tow bar has a certain deterrent on those who 'bump park'. At least at the rear end.

Aly still corrodes no matter what it's on and if you really wanted to see just how then just drop a little mercury on it [:-))] Flowers of mercury may sound pretty, BUT!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In France scratches and minor dings are the norm and to be expected and unlike in UK owners do not rush off to the body shop for every minor blemish.

That's in no small part because if you make too many claims (and with some insurers three 'no faults' incidents can be 'too many') you can find your cover withdrawn leaving you to the mercy of the French government scheme which appoints an insurer to cover you but at the minimum 3rd party until you have rebuilt a no claims bonus from scratch.

Easy answer, don't buy new or nearly new cars

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...