You need a car like like my Focus, where every corner is scratched, dinged, or dented from many years of working at a grocery store and street parking at home. Vandalism would obviously be a waste of the crim's time.
You need a car like like my Focus, where every corner is scratched, dinged, or dented from many years of working at a grocery store and street parking at home. Vandalism would obviously be a waste of the crim's time.
My first three years of teaching was like that. Had a primered beater.
One day, a wack of teacher's vehicles got keyed. I got all excited, hoping I would end up with a new paint job courtesy of insurance. But no. Not my car. I guess they couldn't find a good spot to make worse....
Had the same thing happen to my Miata this year, at the courthouse no less. Fortunately, it was done by rank amateurs and 98% of it buffed out. I gave some thought to unloading it for similar reasons you discussed. In the end, I like the car and enjoy driving it, so I decided I wasn't going to let some knuckle dragger change the way I live my life.
I guess paying for a show quality paint job sort of changes the equation though. That has a "doubling down" aspect to it.
I worked at a gym while my DD was a Samurai with no doors, no tailgate, no Targa bar and a fold down windshield, chopped up fenders and the Super Swampers were always covered in mud.
I left my wallet (by mistake) on the seat for 10 hours the summer that we had repeated car break ins.
The idiots never even bothered to look to see my wallet just sitting there.
Lesson? Daily a piece of E36 M3. Keeps the scumbags away!
mndsm wrote: Because without dudes like carbon trying to rescue these kids and teach em, we end up with Ferguson. And keyed up cars. berkeley that noise. Carbon deserves a beer.
Absolutely. Maybe two beers.
I don't drive the Cadillac anywhere that I'll be forced to park next to people. No school events, no restaurants, none of that. It's a pain, but it allows me to have nice things. I can't even count the dings my truck has collected over the years, I'll park it anywhere now.
mndsm wrote: Carbon deserves a beer.
I'll chip in for that.
pimpm3 wrote: How about getting a new job, one where your hard work is appreciated.
This coming from a cop? LoL
Seriously though, most people would say get a new job, but most of these kids just need someone to give a E36 M3. From talking to people that do similar work, you might have more bad apples than good in the bushel. But, when you find that one kid that gets it, it makes up for all the crap the other 90% put you through.
Buy a P71 to drive to work. Nobody messes with P71s.
I'd buy a cool car you've always wanted, but that's somewhat lacking cosmetically. Perfect example imo, a good friend of mine just bought a Porsche 928....great runner, but crappy paint and some dents/dings. That is exactly the type of car I'd be driving if in your situation.
unevolved wrote:mndsm wrote: Carbon deserves a beer.I'll chip in for that.
Agreed. Don't know what kind of work you do, but if it is similar to what my wife did, oh my. My wife worked in Milwaukee, teaching emotionally and behaviorally disabled students in the most restrictive placement at the high school level. Basically two daily mantras: "If I can dodge a chair I can dodge a ball." and "I'm not allergic to stab wounds." Her kids were only allowed crayons (no pens or pencils) and she was instructed to count the staples she used to attach things to the classroom walls.
She ended up helping one kid get into college and another got a real job.
This kind of work is underpaid, under appreciated, under recognized, and extremely necessary and valuable to our society. To all those doing this kind of thankless work, thank you for what you do.
Write down your stories.
Sorry to hear about your car - the sad irony is the work you do likely does the most to prevent our cars from getting keyed (and many other more important things), yet yours is the one affected. Send me your address and I'll send you a six pack. Seriously.
I'd say keep driving the car. Unfortunately you have to go in with the expectation that it will not stay perfect, maybe not even for long. But if you love the car, rock it.
Cotton wrote: I'd buy a cool car you've always wanted, but that's somewhat lacking cosmetically. Perfect example imo, a good friend of mine just bought a Porsche 928....great runner, but crappy paint and some dents/dings. That is exactly the type of car I'd be driving if in your situation.
I've been scoping out C10s lately... Now THAT would be a good car to not give a E36 M3 about the exterior, and stuff a $10K motor (and alarm system) into. Let the kids key it all they want, only enhances the sleeper status.
Guys thanks so much for the kind words, I'm trying really hard to be a good person, and to help people. I've found that not too many people care and it doesn't pay worth a e36m3, but most of these kids are really good people and just want to learn how to fish. I think our society needs more of fishermen and less people asking for free fish.
I've been building an fj40 restomod crawler/apocalypse vehicle with the intent of having a battle hardened rig that can laugh off the worst parking damage, but A) it's not vandal proof and B) it's not done yet.
The_Jed wrote: Set up a video camera and have the little E36 M3s arrested. They apparently need to learn that there are consequences for dumbass actions. Why should you have to bend and adapt when they are the ones destroying your property?
So unrealistic its hilarious. Newsflash, kids like this can't be taught "that there are consequences to their actions." Not going to happen. They have nothing to lose. Going to jail for example, in the unlikely case it happens, isn't a big deal for them.
I feel the OP pain in a different way, I had a house that I spent years restoring, put all kinds of time and money into it only to have one of the biggest criminals in town moved in next door. They had dogs chained up to their porch that barked all day and night, their friends were convicted criminals, I even ended up getting assaulted from behind (while working on the house!) by one of their buddies and spent the night in a hospital. I tried fighting all of this by working with my local police department and frankly, they didn't care, not one bit. So, there comes a time when you just have to give up. I put the house up for sale, no one bought it which was no surprise to me and the wife. So we ended up renting it out, and we rent another, smaller in a nicer neighborhood. Instead of people stealing things from my yard, instead of getting hit from behind while minding my own business, I now have relative peace and quiet and a much better school system. Analogously, your car is going to be a target just like I was. If you drive that thing to school, then you didn't learn your lesson. I guarantee you that there will be a contest amongst the kids to see who can fup your car first.
In reply to carbon:Thanks for teaching the low income kids, someone has to do it without complaining too much. If you think that future kids won't screw up the paint, you may be able to keep your car without too much worry.
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