PICS : Car scrubbed by vandals. Will polishing help?

dot · 19th October 2010, 19:50

Guys,

I saw a lot of precautionary and post trauma action plan messages on this thread. I feel that these acts of vandalism is on the rise in many parts of our country. My family had cars for last three generations and we have never faced these types of issues till late. Don't know what is driving people to deface other people's cars. My personal experiences on parking in Bangalore, Mumbai, Kochi and Kolkata is that people are a little bit more considerate. Casual key/blade brushing exists but deliberate scratching, slashing tubeless tyre walls are still on the lower side. However in Pune things are bad. Once, I had to replace one Michelin as it's side wall was slashed and was unrepairable. Specially two wheeler riders are least careful when parking next to a car and leave scratch marks without any consideration. What to do, we need to park also right?

parsh · 24th October 2010, 16:59

It is very sad to see such things. We have two Innovas and similar vandalism we have seen on them. My green one has somebody making deliberate scratches on the driver side body panels extending from front to rear end like sommebody scratched with a key and in random continuous waves. The other red one, pretty new, is deliberately vandalised today with big deep writings of A, B C D...all over from all sides like it being a big slate. It is sad to see people vandalising like this and we owners unable to anything against it. Once when my green was even covered standing under stilt, somebody has run a blade on the cover that ran deep on the bonnet with a deep scratch.

ByDesign · 24th October 2010, 18:33

First things first my heartfelt sympathy for your beautiful machine. My palio stile has been scratched randomly here and there, slowly I have learned to accept it.

Moving on, this is the first time I have ever seen anything like this in my life. I can't understand what tool was used, or how the person did it. Simply the level of destruction amazes me. This is much more than your random passer by with a key or nail in his hand. This is WAY more.

Do you have any personal enmity with anyone in your neighborhood? Have you done anything to anyone to cause them to retaliate or possibly want to take revenge? Anyone at all? It's almost like someone took some steel wool or brush and scratched the car up bad.

You said you parked your car facing a wall? How much space was there between your front bumper and the wall? I'd be grateful if you could give some details of your parking. Also, do you stay in a residential colony? Have you spoken to the guard or watchman?

I'm sorry if I'm taking this too far, but I have a palio stile, well a car anyway and it hurts me to see this happening to a fellow car owner. I too recently got my first car, a palio, with my own money and I don't know what I would do if this happened to my car. Stay strong my friend, even though it must be really hard to move on from this, but you will. Your car my friend am proud to say is a tank. She can take a LOT of abuse, fiat's are built sturdy. So a little paint, and you're ready to move on!

ghatotkatch · 24th October 2010, 22:56

@ByDesign I have moved into this appartment only couple of months ago. But sure there are maniacs around in this sophisticated locality. I used to park in front of my appartment on a govt road. Still a lady on the ground floor objected saying she cant park her car there. I had watched that space for almost a month before buying my car, and no car used to be parked there. She said she wants the space to park her car for 15mins in the morning. So I should cooperate and park somewhere else for her 15mins pleasure! Nonsense. But I had a lot on my plate to waste my time on a non-issue blown out of proportion; so I just stopped parking there and chose to park on a different road facing a wall (couple of feet of distance).

Similar couple of small instances of 'bachelor-antagonisms' we had faced and ignored since moving into the place.

I dont know who did it, but I do know from experience that some people conveniently mis-interpret decency as fear, and can very much take one step further to cause misery. Anyway, whoever did it, I have blamed it on a cute kitten and have got rid of those bad vibes.

And I really liked the idea of black vinyl suggested by @Tassem. I wasnt aware of it. And I have really fallen for it after seeing few images and videos of different cars done in black vinyl, including this one -

YouTube - Matte Flat Black Smart Car Vinyl Sticker Wrap

I know in India the finish may not be as good, but if the finish quality is convincing enough, I am thinking of getting the whole car done. I imagine matte black would look fabulous on the palio. And besides, it might actually be cheaper to maintain, than paint. I was wondering just how cool and sporty couple of white racing stripes on a matte-black-vinyl-finished palio, would look. And it's actually reminding me of that old adage - "everything happens for your own good."

Now I am hoping, getting matte black vinyl wont cost me a limb. Any idea about the cost guys? @Taseem??

19th October 2010, 19:50	#46
dot Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ban Chang Posts: 1,680 Thanked: 734 Times	Guys, I saw a lot of precautionary and post trauma action plan messages on this thread. I feel that these acts of vandalism is on the rise in many parts of our country. My family had cars for last three generations and we have never faced these types of issues till late. Don't know what is driving people to deface other people's cars. My personal experiences on parking in Bangalore, Mumbai, Kochi and Kolkata is that people are a little bit more considerate. Casual key/blade brushing exists but deliberate scratching, slashing tubeless tyre walls are still on the lower side. However in Pune things are bad. Once, I had to replace one Michelin as it's side wall was slashed and was unrepairable. Specially two wheeler riders are least careful when parking next to a car and leave scratch marks without any consideration. What to do, we need to park also right?
	() Thanks

24th October 2010, 16:59	#47
parsh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,629 Thanked: 1,367 Times View My Garage	It is very sad to see such things. We have two Innovas and similar vandalism we have seen on them. My green one has somebody making deliberate scratches on the driver side body panels extending from front to rear end like sommebody scratched with a key and in random continuous waves. The other red one, pretty new, is deliberately vandalised today with big deep writings of A, B C D...all over from all sides like it being a big slate. It is sad to see people vandalising like this and we owners unable to anything against it. Once when my green was even covered standing under stilt, somebody has run a blade on the cover that ran deep on the bonnet with a deep scratch. Last edited by parsh : 24th October 2010 at 17:01.
	() Thanks

24th October 2010, 18:33	#48
ByDesign BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 450 Thanked: 457 Times View My Garage	First things first my heartfelt sympathy for your beautiful machine. My palio stile has been scratched randomly here and there, slowly I have learned to accept it. Moving on, this is the first time I have ever seen anything like this in my life. I can't understand what tool was used, or how the person did it. Simply the level of destruction amazes me. This is much more than your random passer by with a key or nail in his hand. This is WAY more. Do you have any personal enmity with anyone in your neighborhood? Have you done anything to anyone to cause them to retaliate or possibly want to take revenge? Anyone at all? It's almost like someone took some steel wool or brush and scratched the car up bad. You said you parked your car facing a wall? How much space was there between your front bumper and the wall? I'd be grateful if you could give some details of your parking. Also, do you stay in a residential colony? Have you spoken to the guard or watchman? I'm sorry if I'm taking this too far, but I have a palio stile, well a car anyway and it hurts me to see this happening to a fellow car owner. I too recently got my first car, a palio, with my own money and I don't know what I would do if this happened to my car. Stay strong my friend, even though it must be really hard to move on from this, but you will. Your car my friend am proud to say is a tank. She can take a LOT of abuse, fiat's are built sturdy. So a little paint, and you're ready to move on!
	() Thanks