Miss Ruby's first "boo-boo"

[missruby]

So I picked my car up Thursday night after having the wiper cowl and front valance installed. Before I left the shop we discussed the fact that the suspension setup was pretty low in the front. I went down my driveway, no problem.

I went up my driveway Friday morning and guess what? Yep, you got it. I dinged the bottom of the front valance on the driver's side. Not hard, but a scrape none the less. By the time I got it to my wheel alignment appointment, a big piece of paint had flaked off.



Immediate solution to said issue: back out of the driveway.

It's back to the shop today. I can either opt for an emergency front end 'lift' or a 'face lift' - have the valance removed completely. It's already separating from the front end and looks pretty stupid.

The biggest problem with my car? It looks really great . . . from a distance. I'm tired of beating this dead horse and I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it!

I think this afternoon I'll start to do what I should have done a long time ago: find a REAL shop to finish my car the way I want it done.

Poor Miss Ruby!

[callisto9]

aw, thanks stinks! i bought my car with all kinds of dings and nicks, so i am way ahead of ya'. i feel your pain.

[dnyed]

I think the very day after we bought my Turbo S in 2002, Bill was driving, and a business driveway got us in the same manner. Doh! It scraped on the underneath, and we left it that way. But, it taught us to take those steep driveways slowly!


Sorry that happened to you.

[noR]

Get the valance painted in rhino liner.

Or get it up off the ground.

Or buy yourself a pint of red paint?

[CoriBug]

I feel your pain!! Daisy has some scratches underneath the grill and some on each side where the driveway got her. I hate that when it happens!

Cori

[missruby]

Originally Posted by dnyed

I think the very day after we bought my Turbo S in 2002, Bill was driving, and a business driveway got us in the same manner. Doh! It scraped on the underneath, and we left it that way. But, it taught us to take those steep driveways slowly!
Sorry that happened to you.

I was afraid it might happen so I took the driveway at maybe 2 mph! Doh is right!!

Originally Posted by noR

Get the valance painted in rhino liner.
Or get it up off the ground.
Or buy yourself a pint of red paint?

*snort*

Originally Posted by CoriBug

I feel your pain!! Daisy has some scratches underneath the grill and some on each side where the driveway got her. I hate that when it happens!
Cori

The main reason I was upset is that I've had her almost 8 years and this is her first 'scar.'

[JuggBug]

*sigh* What a pisser!

Here's a hug from my family to Miss Ruby..........

[missruby]

Originally Posted by JuggBug

*sigh* What a pisser!
Here's a hug from my family to Miss Ruby..........

Thanks Aura!

[shellbug]

Sorry that happened to you. I scraped my car a week after getting it. I was so used to the Explorer that I had no clue about big dips

[FarrisK]

My condolences to you and your front bumper.

About two weeks after I got my TDI, I scraped the back coming out of a WalMart parking lot. Somehow, the front made it out alright, but I think I "hopped on it" a bit quick after the front came up...

.....back end touches concrete, Farris almost cries....

[Beetlemania]

Sorry about the new valance, Deb! I guess you've decided to part with it for now? It looked pretty cool! Well, except for the owie, of course.

[SMG]

...Umm.. That looks like a super crappy paintjob, did they even prime it?

It should have broken the valence before a chunk of paint fell off.

SMG

[JuggBug]

Originally Posted by SMG

...Umm.. That looks like a super crappy paintjob, did they even prime it?

It should have broken the valence before a chunk of paint fell off.

SMG

Not if it just scrapes, you buttwad.

[missruby]

Originally Posted by SMG

...Umm.. That looks like a super crappy paintjob, did they even prime it?

It should have broken the valence before a chunk of paint fell off.

SMG

Yeah, thanks, SMG.

First I have the most terrifying beetle you've ever seen and now I have a super crappy paintjob - I knew I could count on you to cut me down, once again.

I so give up - I'm out of here!

[SMG]

NOOOO! You took it totally the wrong way.

It's just that the paint shouldn't have fallen off like that, look at all the scrapes under any car's front bumper and you'll see that impacts don't cause chunks of paint to fly off, just gouges the paint and that's it.

What I meant is that you should go tear up whoever painted your valence.

Sheesh, I'm not negative all the time.

[SMG]

Wow, she quit. See kids? Misunderstandings are bad.

SMG

[Lnzbug]

I agree with SMG. It should have scuffed the paint not make it peel. Unless it bent, then it's possible. It might have been flexible enough.

[gilligan]

well I'm not taking sides on this issue but I can assure you that when paint flakes off in huge chunks like I see in the picture it was not installed properly its like the primer was sanded smooth before the paint was applied or the piece was not prepped properly and even the primer did not get ahold of it. In any instance it just plain sucks that it happened, although you gotta expect these things with your car is slammed as low as it is. its just a fact of life that the people who build roads do not have our best looking interest in mind when they make them.
Stupid roads and driveways.

P.S. even with the paint missing your car looks way hotter than mine.

[JuggBug]

Originally Posted by gilligan

P.S. even with the paint missing your car looks way hotter than mine.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

What up Sir G?!

[Papa Bug]

This totally sucks, Deb!!
I question the workmanship of the shop.
I hope you find more reliable shop. You & Miss Ruby deserve better treatment than that, especially with the money you're shelling out.
Good Luck!