At Last A New Car

[pikehunter]

After 13 years and 340,000 KM's I finaly decided the old '97 Aerostar needed to be put down

so I gave in and bought a new...at least new to me car, an /05 Ford Five Hundred (havn't a pic downloaded yet.) Couldn't go brand new as we had just picked up an /01 Merc. Cougar C2 for P.H Jr. and cash is geting tighter.

 

Anyway the car is mint, not a mark on it. I even insisted that the front bumber be redone by the dealer because the clearcoat was peeling. So yesterday I go out to the car at lunchtime and notice a couple of deep chips out of the paint on the roof near but not along the door edge. Can't figure out what the hell happened. Figured some was putting something in his truck or on/into his car and it fell onto my car, but so high up and along the roof seam/joint?

 

After work I looked at the other side. Sure enough more marks in the same area above the passenger door and the chrome moulding is scratched. Then I look at the rear door, same thing!

 

So I figure it out, some tried to get into it. Don't know why, nothing in sight and the car has a factory theft system as well as decals on the windows and engravings all over. As I drive away the store manager is leaving, stopped and showed him as I'm figuring it happened at work in the store parking lot. He is not happy either, but says do you think it happened here? Hmmm, maybe not, it was dark when I left on Wed., Dark when I went in yesterday morning so maybe not. He also asked if the car was new, I told him no but we both went over it with a fine tooth comb and there wasn't a mark on the car.

 

So I figure it may have happened in my driveway after I realized I had pulled the car up the previous night right in between our house and the neighbours. Excellent cover for an idiot to try something.

 

So off I went and bought a Master Lock steering wheel lock in the hope that it won't happen again and PH jr is now again using his.

 

Sorry for the above novel, it's early morming and I can't get back to sleep. Not only that but just want to remind everyone to be careful and practice good logic and don't take saefty for granted.

 

BTW the 500 is a beautiful car to drive. It was Ford's replacement for the Taurus and then in /08 the Taurus name was brought back and badged onto the 500 along with a larger engine. A 2011 Taurus is quite pricey! And it burns me that I've only had it 2 weeks and this, could be much worse though.

 

Thanks for letting me vent.

[lew]

I feel your pain Harry, I bought a brand new F-150 last December and 30 days later came out of a store and found a 24" scratch along the bottom of the rear door. I drove straight to the dealship where it cost me $300 to fix it.

 

I always park at the far end of a plaza to try and avoid all the bozo's but somebody still found me.

[Mike Pike]

Enjoy your new ride, Harry. I love the 500s and the new Taurus. Never understood why Ford stopped production of the Taurus.

 

Anyhoo, don't let some jerk deny you the joy of your new vehicle. Many she take you safely for many many miles.

[Fish Farmer]

Sorry to hear that Harry, I know how you feel. The only brand new vehicle I ever bought, it got stolen 2 months after I bought it. I felt like my world had ended when I saw that empty parking spot, what a feeling. I never bought a new vehicle since. Man I'd like to catch these guys.

[jbailey]

ah that sucks - did this happen in hamilton or surrounding area? they have a problem with car thefts

[JohnF]

I feel your pain Harry, I bought a brand new F-150 last December and 30 days later came out of a store and found a 24" scratch along the bottom of the rear door. I drove straight to the dealship where it cost me $300 to fix it.

 

I always park at the far end of a plaza to try and avoid all the bozo's but somebody still found me.

 

My wife laffs at me when I park at the empty far end of the parking but every time we get a new car I agonize waiting for the first damage to appear. I'm actually getting so that I look forward to getting it out of the way so I can stop obsessing.

 

My last new car (the Flex) I dinged myself (by accident). I was hauling a borrowed trailer and didn't realize how square it was and barely touched the rear quarter with the trailer corner. At first I thought there was just a tiny scratch in the plastic bumper end but later realized it had actually collapsed a nice clean smooth dent in the quarter. $500 later it was good as new except for the 1/2' scratch which I kept as insurance so would be dingers would realize the vehicle was already wounded and they would go off to find a nice pristine one to hurt.

 

JF

[SRT8 smoker craft]

My first newer car was a 2003 dodge 2.0sx and some drunken cyclist smashed right into the side of it in the middle of the night Dude left a perfect face print on the passenger side window and puked his guts out after the impact .

[pikehunter]

Thanks guys. And yes it was probably in my own driveway (East end Hamilton south of the Queenston traffic circle) when the attempt was made. Pulled the car up too far into the driveway between the houses away from the street light where it is darker and that is probably why they targeted it. I am going to pick up a motion light and hang it on the garage front gable looking down the driveway this weekend.

 

My first thought was it may have happened at work as that is when I discovered it and the Ancaster Meadowlands is a target for car thieves. One of my fellow associattes SUV was stolen a couple of months ago. Police found it, wrecked. Broke the womans heart as it was a right off and her husband had just bought it before he passed away. She went out at 10:30 A:M and it was gone. You have to be careful in shopping centre parking lots, in particular when they are close to the highway. Burlington Mapleview Mall, the Meadowlands etc.