Broken Heart

As the saying goes, "no good deed goes unpunished". I was invited to bring my F355 Spider to a charity event for sick kids over this past weekend. I met up with a great group of guys who brought all sorts of different cars. Mine was the only F car. The setting was perfect... We had them all lined up in the shade, with plenty of space in between each car or so I thought. So as the kids came around (mostly disabled), they were very excited (of course). Well one of the wives of an owner of an NSX beside, got the bright idea to let a normal (non-sick) kid get in her husband's car. Well of course she had to take pictures and she took full liberty of leaning her big, you know what, against my car with her majorly studded jeans while doing so. She scratched the heck out of it. I ran over to get her off and all got was a fake "sorry". I believe it should buff out but man does it suck. So my question is, what does everyone else do for these types of events (grin and bear it, ropes, etc)? Anyone care to share similar experiences? I want to do an event like this again but not at the expense of total disrespect for my car.

 

Grin and bear it.

And you shouldn't be heartbroken...it can be fixed.

That said, the only wear I've suffered is tires...

 

Horse crap. PM me, I'll tell you exactly how to buff it out. Some people rock, some suck

 

True, it can and will be fixed. I just wish I didn't have to do it right after the major it just had.

Yes, I hope in the future, the tires are the only wear I have on her.

 

PM Sent and I agree with you!

 

High speed polisher, scratch remover compound with polishing foam pad (black)....better than new!

 

Well...that pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

 

So very true. Problem lies imho in the ratio between those two variables. Sometimes it seems that for every 10 clueless, careless idiots there's 1 nice guy.

I feel for Tim and if it had happened to be I'd be enraged. Not so much regarding the issue itself (as stated, fairly easy to be corrected), but by the attitude and principle. Most people think "it's a car". It's not. It's a Ferrari, it's a dream, it's expensive, it's a unique piece, it requires a fair amount of sensitivity and "etiquette" is advisable. When drinking a really nice wine, do you leave the bottle at the edge of the table with kids running around and burp each time you have a sip? I believe most folks here just wouldn't.

And Tim: congratulations on choosing to participate in such a noble event. I believe you made those kids' day. Priceless. I wish more people were like you.

Kindest regards,

Nuno.

 

here you go, this is what you need to do

Project Ferrari - can't drive it so i'll clean it - Part 1

 

Hey Tim,

Look over this thread. If you want to chat in detail, we can do that too.

I've not seen your car, but I'm optimistic it will be an easy fix as long as the marks are not too deep...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/408492-my-exterior-adventure.html

 

I've seen the rule of thumb " if the scratch is not so deep so that your fingernail doesn't "catch" while running across it" then it should buff right out.

If it does catch, then depending how deep it is you may need to get a little more aggressive including possible wet sanding.

Depending on your level of experience / comfort I would get an opinion from a reputable professional in "paint correction" distinguishing from a run of the mill "detailer"

I swear though the female fashions today are not car friendly.

My girlfriend has heels, bracelets, clothes, jewelry that are all covered in pointy metal spikes (and she's not like a biker chick or anything). I am constantly on her to be conscientious when getting in and out of the car but the whole right side of my car (not F car) from the door handle, door sills, door card and seat looks like a damn cougar went wild in there...

 

I agree, on the fashion front. I have strict requirements for the wife when get in the car. Thankfully she complies and is very petite. Your description of the cougar made me laugh. BTW, I'll be up in NYC next week. It be cool to see your car if you have time.

 

People are the worst!

 

Nuno, Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it was the attitude and the principle more than anything else. If one of the kids would have done it, I would not have thought anything of it other than it was for a good cause. I put so much time and care into the car (as most of us do) to keep it in stellar condition, that I forget others just don't care or think it is a "Mustang" .

 

Very unfortunate.

It too late for her but it highlights the need to teach the younger generation the need to have respect for others belongings.

Even some POS beater can be very important to someone and we all should respect that.

 

I took my 348 Challenge to a charity car show a few weeks back. Most people were respectful but there were a bunch of people trying to open the car and sit in it without asking and the icing on the cake was that someone leaned up on it and their belt buckle put a small dent in the back. I got it out with PDR but what a way to be rewarded with sharing your car for charity.

 

Completely agree! If car is at a show, it would be nice if the spectators would have some semblance of a thought process on why the owner brought a car out in the first place and respect it as such.

 

Man so sorry to ear that... I would have went ballistic. That truly is mind boggling in terms of lack of respect. SO glad you got it out!

 

Or you can do like me.

I gave up YEARS ago trying to make my 348 perfect. My kids dinging it with their bikes, idiots at the store parking too close and bumping it with their car door, shopping carts bumping it, people sitting on it. Rock chips, scratches, little dents be damned, now I just drive it and enjoy it. Yeah it's hammered, but I really don't care all that much.

 

I learned my lesson. I won't be bringing cars to any more car shows. And yes I feel very fortunate that it came out and the car looks like it did before. Anyways, you just can't expect people to care for your stuff the same way that you do. It's so sad.

One thing that I have learned is that my kids have been taught to be very careful about other people's cars and it really is a joy to take them to shows and get togethers as I don't have to worry about their doing something to someone else's cars.

 

Ernie,
That's why my daily driver is a 15 year old station wagon with 130k miles on it and not something new and perfect. But when it comes to my Ferraris, I just can't not care. I'm OCD and I know it but you can't take the eggs out of the cake. It's part of what got me where I am in life.

The other thing is that it was so freaking hard to make enough money for my cars. Not saying that's not the case for you or others but I have been kicked in the nuts so many times in business and had to walk it off every time and when I did have deals work out for me and I had enough money for the cars, it's really hard not to just really go all out in caring for them. They represent a lot of blood, and tears and to see something happen to them is like watching all that accomplishment also get ruined.

 

Well - - - - did she?

 

Sorry to here, not a good feeling

Remember you will be rewarded 10 times over for your charity

 

While the intention of the event is great and I feel your draw to it, what you have experienced was a minor warning.
Heed it.
This type of damage and worse happens all the time and to thwart it you can expect to either stay at your car 100% of the show or next time her large, studded buns might be sitting on the hood. Don't worry, she'll apologize with words...

 

man, so sorry to hear. this is exactly the reason why I stopped showing my car at events. the last cars & coffee I attended here in town, I watched people paw all over my car then witnessed a person with a dog on a METAL leash. you guessed it, that leash was being rubbed all over the cars they walked by.

the disrespect some people exhibit is absolutely astounding to me. but at least it was for a good cause, if there was an upshot.