OCBen

This morning my daily driver wouldn’t start – the keys are so worn they no longer turn the tumblers in the ignition switch lock and it’s like I’m trying to start the car with the wrong key – it fits in but won’t turn. I have a long commute, about 70 miles roundtrip. I live in Orange County but work in LA, actually El Segundo, right next to the airport for those familiar with the area. I would have called in sick but I have some critical work that needs to be done this week so I was forced to drive the 911 to work…for the very first time! Some of my friends at work have asked me to drive it in someday so they can see it and I would always say: NO WAY! Not with the conditions of the notorious 405 during the work week with all kinds of road hazards and debris flying all over the place! No effen way! My poor Nissan has taken quite a beating on that stretch of freeway, no way am I going to risk my precious baby. I told no one I had driven it in today.

I left work a little early so I could stop at Circle Porsche to talk to Doug, my favorite tech there, about what he thought might be the cause of my ignition switch problem. I had been driving quite cautiously going in to work and now in the early afternoon, staying away from trucks and large vehicles that could shed small stones from their large wheels. I was heading south on the 405, coming up on the exit ramp to Lakewood Blvd and needed to change lanes to get over to the right to make my exit. I happened to notice a stake-bed truck about 15 car lengths ahead and was watching it but had to take my eyes off the road ahead for a second to make my lane changes when all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, a large piece of plywood, maybe 16x16x3/4 came flying off that truck and toward my car so fast that I had no time to react except for the instinctive flinch as I saw the large object coming my way.

I knew the car had sustained damage. The only question was the extent, which I was able to see once I arrived at the dealership a couple of blocks away.

I took the car to the body shop the dealership uses to get an estimate of the repair. I was told that since the paint was apparently protected by the clear bra and not damaged that it was possible to just remove the bumper cover and replace the damaged structural member that supports the cover, and that the bumper cover might just flex back into shape and a new clear film can be placed over it, since it looks like the film was damaged in absorbing the blow.

But here was the most important point he was trying to make. That if the bumper cover had to be repainted it would never look as good as the factory, no matter how good of a job they do in mixing the paint. It will just never be as good as the factory, especially on a metallic paint job. That if it were his car, he would rather not have to paint if at all possible, because you will always be able to tell where a body panel was repainted, especially with metallic paints.

Now if my bumper cover bounces back into shape and it can be made to look as good as new without a repaint, then that clear bra may just have saved me.

jcnesq

That sucks! I am beginning to hate L.A. more and more.

It's amazing your hood doesn't appear to have been touched at all. Glad it wasn't a lot worse. Good luck.

boolala

I would have followed that truck and gotten his license plate. He did not adaquately secure his load and is responsible for the damage.

1080iAddict

OCBen,

Dude so sorry to hear that, especially a car care buff like yourself. Man I can feel your pain. I agree with Boolala - did you by chance get a plate so you can hunt him down after hours and beat the crap out of him? Oops. What I meant to say was, so you can report him to his superiors and get his insurance information?

Keep us posted on the repair efforts. If I were there I would buy you a drink (or a few!) to make you feel better.

OCBen

Yes, that thought occurred to me but I was already making my exit and the shock of the incident stunned me and froze me from aborting the exit and chasing him down.

Yes, it’s illegal to drive an open bed truck with an unsecured load here but unfortunately in Southern California we have a severe infestation of illegals who are either ignorant of or have a total disrespect for the laws, or both. And these are the typical culprits spewing debris along our freeways.

Thanks. I appreciate your thoughts and concerns.

996toomey

I feel your pain.

OCBen

Thanks.

Apparently the piece of plywood hit almost squarely with a flat side, and as it slid up depressing the bumper cover as it did, it caught the edge of the hood squarely and then flew off. I scrutinized the hood edge under flourescent lighting to see if there was any deformation at all and apparently there wasn't. The wrapped around film protected the paint from scratching, so it looks like the hood was spared any damage.

CO997

OCBen
Really sorry to hear about your misfortune. However I'm glad you have the film on your car and I'm really glad I finally got it put on my car. It's crazy stuff like this that can happen out of nowhere that makes that film worth every penny.
I hope that bumper pops back into shape for you and all you have to replace is the film.

OCBen

You know, it's kinda funny in a way, and eerily ironic that I had been touting the benefits on that other thread just the other day of having a clear bra . It's like I took a bullet for all you guys to demonstrate the benefits of wearing a kevlar vest.

Larry Harris

OCBen
That must have felt like a kick in the *****. Every time I drive on our freeway system I feel nervous. Maybe its my old eyes lying to me but your hood looks crooked, at least in the pictures. I completely agree with your statements re illegals driving construction type trucks . Absolutely no regard for those around them. Five years ago I was rear ended on the freeway by an illegal. He then split the scene, leaving me with a broken neck and a disability retirement from the sheriff's office.

Coochas

Sorry Ben...Ouch.

SrfCity

That sucks. Can you heat the spot a bit with a hairdryer and try to push out the indentation? Maybe you could attach a suction cup and use the heat to encourage it back to original shape. Good luck.

OCBen

Yeah, you would think so just by looking at the 4th pic down, but if you look at the 1st and especially the 2nd, you can see that the hood line follows the contour of the edge of the fender without lifting up at all.I'll see what the shop recommends. But I think you're right, that it might require heat application to get it back to shape. I certainly wouldn't want to attempt it myself. I'm sure these pros know the best way to work these plastic bumpers back into shape. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

There's a metal strip, probably aluminum, that supports the bumper cover along that edge that probably needs to be replaced. But even once it is, I'm afraid the bumper cover won't just spring back without some sort of heat application.

Likemystoppie?

I'm sorry to hear about that..........and actually........I'm a little supersticious myself.........so.....when I picked up my benz I drove it home and right under the fender, where the fender folds under.....I scratched it. Just to beat 'anything' to it.

Knock on wood, 2 years and 55K later no damage. Other then rock/dust pitting from RT128 in MA. Which, I really should have spent the $300+ on the clear bra.........dummy me.........

stigt

Oh man that sucks! I can really sympathize with you because just the other day I came out to find my rear fender got keyed. Made me sick to see it. Not sure what I can do about it due to paint miss-match issues. Anyway, hope your paint is okay and that the bump comes out.