^^^ loves kids for dinner?

hope all's well with Schultze

 

Wow! Sure has been a lot covered in this thread!

Tragedy, fraud, revenge, apathy, determination.....

Got a great movie in there somewhere!

 

More like always inserts itself between the kids and a stranger and maintains that position until the stranger is no longer there. Plays with kids when strangers are not around.

Schultze should get a custom paint job for the trouble.

 

So what's the latest?

 

I gathered that from your earlier post. Nothing we can do when the non-pillars of the community go out and about to ply their trade.

I live in San Francisco and I park in a private garage that holds about 50 cars. One time a homeless creep went into the garage when the sliding iron gate was open. He vandalized about 30 cars, mine included. He took a screwdriver to the side of my beautiful black 4Runner.

The police arrested him, but being homeless there was nothing any of us could do, except make an insurance claim. I didn't even follow up to see what happened to him since I could have cared less. [Our City liberal do-gooder types spend $200 million annually on homeless services. $200 friggin million. And before the Mayor cut off giving the homeless cash every month, it was about $500 million given to the homeless. And mind you, I am not talking about the poor, I am referring to the homeless bums who vandalize cars just for the fun of it.]

All we can do is make sure out insurance is up to date, that we have good coverage and to insist on making the carrier put the car back to the condition it was before the crime.

Hopefully your deductible is $250 or less. Recently, based on a NAM member's helpful post I checked on my mine to see what it would cost to go down to a lower deductible. I had it at $500 deductible, but I lowered it to as low as my carrier would go, to $100.

And it's only costing me about $20 a year more to have that $100 deductible. More evidence of how valuable being a NAM member is.

By the way, are you considering my suggestions, some auto-on security lights and the video cameras. Those things really deter the creeps. They move on to unprotected property.

Also, would it possibly have helped to have a cover on the car? If you are parking it outside, even in the driveway, a cover sometimes deters vandals because it's one more hurdle to get to the car and start damaging it.

You can get a cover that has a grommet on each side, in the middle. You then run a coated cable underneath the car to lock the cover to the MINI with a small padlock on one end. This not only prevents the cover from blowing or being ripped off, but the cover cannot be taken off to vandalize the car, at least not the entire car.

 

Some people in this world....I tell you what!!! The thing is, your neighborhood looks like the quintessential quaint, family-oriented neighborhood. It's unfortuneate that there are *********s like this no matter where you go.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this! I felt like I was kicked in the stomach when I got a door ding...I can't imagine what having something like this feels like!

 

That is awful and shouldnt happen to anyone, especially a MINI owner! i couldnt imagine how you felt. Like Duck above me, I i go nuts when someone dings my mini with their friggin door, and living in the city i know its gonna happen sometimes; but where you are...geez sorry to see it. I remember the day i came out of a wally world and someone backed up into my car and took off... i was devistated (sp?) I mean some people these days..l all they had to do was get out and say sorry or leave a note you know? Well again sorry to see a mini being purposely defaced.

 

What's the latest on your MINI, Erika ?

 

Schultze is scheduled to be seen by an adjuster on Monday.

With the help of fellow c7m members, we were able to remove most of the gold spray paint and much of the chemical residue.

Another club member tested two areas on Schultze to see if wetsanding/colorsanding/polishing would help. As he worked his way from lower-numbered to higher-numbered grits, it was amazing to see the damage disappear. Schultze will definitely need to have all panels (except roof, boot & rear bumper) go through the wetsanding/colorsanding/polishing step + have clearcoat reapplied in some areas.

Also found out that somehow my comprehensive deductible was changed to $500!

The DH wants the work done at a "Blue Ribbon Shop" because of the lifetime guarantee on the work--which includes the paint.

I wish I knew someone local who is a "Blue Ribbon Shop" who would do the work for INSO (insurance only, no deductible collected)...but I'm not that lucky.

The chemical also ended up on 3 of my newly powder-coated wheels!

The insurance company wants ME to ask the powder-coating company if THEY have an extra set of wheels that can go on Schultze while the 3 damaged wheels are being redone. (HUH? I don't know of ANY powder-coating shop--or collision center, for that matter--who will "loan" wheels while work is being done.) We have rental coverage on the policy and the powder-coating shop has already told me there's a 2-wk backlog just to get the wheels done.

I do still have the wheels that were on Schultze during the 3/15/08 accident. He'll look pretty damned ridiculous with 3 silver wheels and only 1 white wheel!

The chemical dripped down into the aero rocker panels, near the teardrop vent located near the rear tires and TOTALLY "ATE" the paint and the ABS plastic. It also dripped down the front of the bonnet, alongside the curve that runs next to the headlight and pooled on the top of the aero kit bumper. We didn't notice it right away because Schultze was parked on a slight incline, so the chemical also had a bit more time to eat the finish in that area.

The neighbors have been keeping an eye out and police patrols have increased. Other neighbors had bikes & other ridiculous items stolen that weekend from their yards and/or the open beds of their trucks--they didn't report any of it because it was so minimal. The police did advise them to always make a report because it helps show "trends" in a neighborhood.

Thanks for asking about Schultze & I apologize for not posting an update sooner...between prepping for the GWR500 (I'm an officer of c7m) and changing employment, it's been VERY hectic.

 

DH is working on obtaining quotes for the installation of security lights and video security system. We're also obtaining bids to FINALLY have MY dream garage built: 1.5 car minimum/2.5 car preferred; in-floor drain system w/water hose & curtain system (aka ER style) suspended from ceiling (for "sheltered" bathing); heating/cooling system; air compressor system; utility sink & FROG/in-law suite so that I can get away from DH & the kids for some "me time".

 

Very sorry about your car. Sounds to me like the sicko perp went down one side of the car while an accomplice went down the other side. Did the glass come out alright or is it etched? I know a lot about glass, and out of curiosity I took a small sheet of glass and poured brake fluid on it and left it for 3 days. Rinsed it off with plain water... no etching at all, no trace of anything. In my opinion, if the windows are etched it wasn't brake fluid. Anyway, best of luck, hopefully your car comes out like new.

 

<------nodding in agreement.. from a felow State Farmer

Oh and relevant to this thread also, if anyone has any questions insurance-wise...please let me know! I'd be happy to answer any.

 

That sounds super cool!
Ooooohhhhh...I have a birthday coming up...wonder if I can talk my hubby into building me one of those too!!

 

So sorry that this happened to you. I really don't get why kids think vandalizing is fun.

Glad that Schultz will be back to good soon! Cool that your club members are helping you out!

 

Thanks for taking the time to update your thread, Erika.

Sorry to hear there is such extensive damage. Wow.

One thing really piqued my interest in your post. You said your Comp deductible somehow got raised to $500 ?? If you didn't request that change (assuming you thought you had a $100 ded), then make the insurance company show you proof that you requested that change. If it was phoned in, they should have a log entry indicating such.

Yes, insurance companies can make a mistake... I know, hard to believe ! So make them show you proof you requested the change or else make them change it back to $100 and back date it to just prior to the accident.

Good luck on the rest of the process.

 

Erika,

Thanks for the detailed update. I think it helps other members for when they suffer the same problems.

As an aside, those motion sensor lights are pretty inexpensive at Home Depot. You can be up and running pretty quick.

Also, don't forget some signs. I put some in my basement and a small one at the entrance to our condo. They say the place is under video surveillance and recording.

My local PD said that residences that have recording setups have not suffered repeat crimes.

Also, check on what the resident insurance pro NAM member ["CR..."] said, your carrier should have proof that you made the change to $500 deductible. They will be able to check the records while you are on the phone.

It's no skin off their nose if it's $500 or $100 and they will own up to this kind of mistake if they made one.

And if you have an insurance agent, best to check with him or her. The agent will be more thorough in the search. For example, I have had the same Allstate agent for 18 years of property insurance. He is very good at answering questions without a bureaucratic touch.