[R1ch]

Loving my new car. Can't wait to get in and drive.

Now I have it though I think she needs some extra protection to keep her nice. Two areas which I think could be damaged very easily are the door sills and the painted exposed metal to the top of the door interior. Seems to me when you (or the passenger) lets go of the seat belt it could/will bounce along the painted surface and after time will be chipped and scratched. Was thinking of getting some 3M protective film to go over both areas. Anyone have any experience of this type of product?

Gave her a wash today and noticed my first stone chip also

Doesn't take long with these modern paints. Edited by: R1ch

 

[Leif]

Is it worth it? When I bought my first new car 10 years ago, I was very concerned about every little knock and scratch. This is my second new car, so I am a bit more relaxed. My Ford Ka lost paint on the door sill, but there was never any rust. You could always buy sticky back plastic, on ebay for example. DC-Fix is I think a German firm that makes the stuff.

The worst enemy of the car is the motorway (you get black flecks on the bonnet) and vandals. I had a large dent appear overnight in my Ka. And numerous dents in the door, due to someone not giving a **** in a car park.

 

[ZumbaQueen]

Yeah you can be to cautious, people are going to knock it when getting in their cars in car park and the like so if you're worried then just tell your passenger to be careful!!
After only a month of my new Polo a leaf springwas thrown up in the roadwhile I was waiting to turn right at a junction and had to have a pull andrespray then some plank decided they were going to open their car door and not onlybangedthe car but then obviously loaded their kids in sotheir door was ginding and bouncing against my back quarter resulting in a dent and a scuff.

People just don't care

 

[R1ch]

Yeah I hear what your saying but have a bit of OCD when cars are concerned. Actually who am I kidding - I have it with everything

Also looking to keep it in the best possible condition to get the best price for it in 3 years time.

 

[nEiL!]

I've done this on the bit the seatbelt hits if you let go, I did it after a passenger took their belt off and it clattered the door on the way back!

 

[Leif]

Also looking to keep it in the best possible condition to get the best price for it in 3 years time.

Aha, yes I suppose if you want to sell after 3 years you want to keep it in decent nick. Bear in mind that companies such as Chips Away can remove minor knocks. I suspect dealers get someone in to tart up a car before selling it under an approved scheme. A lot of minor imperfections will vanish.

What do you intend to buy after 3 years? This is stating the obvious but the best value is to run it into the ground i.e. until servicing costs rise. Some say you are best to buy a 1 or two year old car, but I would argue against that in the case of these cheap to buy cars.

 

[Wayman]

I'm wondering if the paint would still chip underneath the 3m film? Would look fine whilst the protection is on, but may chip off on the back of the film when removed? Not sure? Guess you could give back with the film still on though

 

[Mumski1]

I can see I will be parking in the supermarket the furthest away I can get !! my son did talk to me about getting it "wrapped " but was not sure what he was on about

 

[R1ch]

My suspicion was correct. Picked up a friend tonight who just let go of the seat belt. A very small chip in the paint has now appeared. After many months I can imagine it will look very bad. Found enough 3M tape to do the tops of the doors and the door sills for £20. Not for everyone but worth it for me

 

[Grumps]

I'm wondering if the paint would still chip underneath the 3m film? Would look fine whilst the protection is on, but may chip off on the back of the film when removed? Not sure? Guess you could give back with the film still on though

HI
I have had many a new car...sure look after it....but when it comes to a trade -in the book price the garage gives you is way under What you want.

So all this fuss about minor scratches ,etc. really will not make any difference. Look after your car, keep it polished,enjoy it,and stop worrying about your minor scratches. Keep your service record up to date! JUST enjoy your car!

 

[R1ch]

Yes, your right of course. Just my nature I'm afraid. A bit OCD. Love new stuff. As I say it's not for everyone but have posted for anyone that maybe interested.

 

[Mumski1]

Grumps I think your right

life's to short to worry bout these little things even though it may bother me at the start. It will be time to just enjoy thank you for that comment

 

[Bingalau]

My lady friend owns a Nissan Micra, she inherited it from her husband when he died thirteen years ago. It was then only a few months old. In other words more or less brand spanking new because he had become ill a few days after buying it.


She had passed her test many years before, but like most wives left most of the driving to her husband. Since then she has driven it regularly but not great distances. A few miles to the local hospital where she works and maybe an occasional visit to the local shops or her relatives. When she started driving the 14 miles to visit me there and back, the car had a total of 8,000 miles on the clock. Now she has got it up to about 13,000 miles. Talk about one careful lady owner fits her down to the ground. She washes and waxes it every week. If it rains she dries it off before putting it away in the garage. She once got a small scrape on the wing and was nearly in tears. I knew a man who did dents and paint jobs as I have used him for my many bumps and scratches over the years, so one day when she wasn't about I called him in and he did it in about ten minutes, charged me ten quid and off he went. I then showed her the car and asked her to show me the scratch. She was dumbfounded that it was no longer there.



When she takes it for its MOT the garage bloke just laughs at her and says "Here comes Graham Hill" His main worry and mine is that she keeps an eye on the tyres which may deteriorate over the years without use. But so far they look o.k. too. But she will not get more money from a dealer for looking after it.



By the way she is like that when she is my house too. If I stand still long enough I get dusted down as well as the furniture. She laughs about it but it is built in....



Last week I googled to get a valuation just for curiosity. The price I got was £326.01 I am wondering where the penny comes in? Anyway I said to her whatever you do, don't flog that car to a dealer because in a couple more years it will be worth a king's ransom.