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Re: How easy is it to fix a trolley dent?

"Gary" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

How easy is it to fix which looks like a small dimple/dent possibly > caused by a shopping trolley at the rear quarter of the car near to > where the fuel flap is. Metallic paint it is.

This sounds daft but you can avoid dents like that by being really fussy where you leave your car. One irritating element is the number of people who will happily drag their trolley between cars when they have about 1/2" on either side. To stop that I park right across on the far side of the car park away from the supermarket. Have a go at the dent yourself. Since it was caused by a trolley it's probably small and quite steep-sided, so pulling it out won't work. You might be able to gain access to the inside of the panel; if you can, take a piece of pine batten about 6" long, round the end slightly and see if you can push it out a little without raising the area above the level of the surrounding panel. Use a steady push and slide rather than getting rough with it. Apply filler-paste, and leave it alone for a couple of days. Then take medium fine wet & dry, and a margarine container of water. Now this is the important bit; don't hold the paper in your fingers. Wrap it round a little piece of hardwood so you are presenting a flat to the dent. Dip in the water and gently wear away the top of the filler. Keep it wet and do more looking than sanding. Test it with your finger a lot. When you come to retouch your metallic paint, don't put several layers of the metallic on. If you look, you'll find that the undercoats are of the plain colour and the metallic has been added as a top layer only. Take your time and don't expect it to disappear completely. You know where it was but anyone else probably wouldn't see it for ages.

Best Mike.

Reply to
Mike
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I drive an estate car, so I therefore tend to load the majority of my shopping via the back door.

When I reverse into a parking space (which I always prefer to do wherever possible) in the majority of cases I tend to find that car parks appear to be designed to make it impossible to gain access to the back of a vehicle.

Even in places were there is some kind of strip between parked vehicles, it's usually occupied by bushes or bollards. IMO better access between the rear of vehicles would drastically cut down on the amount of damage caused by people trying to drag loaded trolleys between them.

Whilst I appreciate that space is at a premium, it can sometimes be almost impossible, or even downright dangerous attempting to get into or out of a parking place when shoppers who have been forced to park 'nose in' are trying to unload their trolleys into the rear of their vehicles.

Reply to
ivan

Women tend ot park nose-first. Seupermarkets are simply accommodating the female motorist :)

Reply to
Woof

For 99% of the time I reverse into parking places but, when knowing I'll be needing access into the boot, I drive in nose first. Is that not just commonsense? Why on earth, knowing that you need to put shopping or whatever into your boot, why would you reverse in and make it difficult for yourself to get access to the back of your car???

Mogweed.

Reply to
Mogweed

Also sprach "Mogweed" :-

I back in - but leave plenty of room behind. There's almost always room on the spinal path that leads from the door provided you avoid the doughnut of people who CBA (or even just can't) to walk the extra few feet.

Reply to
Guy King

Well I did say 'wherever possible', which means that just like yourself, in lots of places I have to park 'nose in'.

However this situation doesn't make it easy or safe for other vehicles getting in and out and parking when people are virtually standing in the way unloading trolleys into the boots of their cars, it also means that one has to reverse out of a space blind if there is a large vehicle parked alongside.

No doubt many of these car parks 'could' be designed to make life safer, easier and as a bonus cause less damage to vehicles, but unfortunately all of that goes out the window when it comes to saving money, especially if they can shoehorn a few extra vehicles in.

Reply to
ivan

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