Well, it's almost 11pm and to say I'm washed out after today is a bit of an understatement.

I'm not sure if any of you saw this thread http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...&postid=233627 but I was trading in my Jan'02 build PS/B Cooper today for a CR/W MCS.

I went to the dealers at 2'30pm today (as planned) and after a long'ish wait and some brief chit-chit my new dealer popped out to my car to log the current mileage. She came back in and looked at me funny. 'When did your car get scratched?' she finally said. I didn't have a clue what she was talking about and my head spun, thinking (a) confused, to (b) embarrassed (at not knowing this had happened and looking stupid in front of her), to finally, (c) sickness in the pit of my stomach.

I went out to look and these are the pictures... apologies for the quality, it was dark and I wasn't really thinking about composition when I took them.

cont.

[Grinder]

Aw man....that really stinks!! What did the dealer say/do?? I've got a few tiny scratches on my MINI, but nothing they'd notice. Does it look like someone keyed your car, or do you think it was an accident?

I've got a couple of other pictures but for some quirky reason I can't get them to upload. Weird.

Anyhoo, I suppose looking back on the day I have kept asking myself, 'how did I not notice them before?', 'When did it happen? Why?' etc etc.

It's definitely happened some time since Saturday (when I last washed the car) but it's most likely either last night or some time today. I leave very early each morning and am home after dark each night, so I don't see the car in daylight (especially here in Glasgow in the winter!) from one week to the next. Someone has went round the whole car and keyed it systematically. Both front wings, one door and across the rear left quarter.

Getting this kind of news at any time is clearly bad, but getting it when I was about to take the keys of an MCS from the dealer was a total nightmare. I didn't know whether to quit the deal, pay up or make claim on my insurance? My head was spinning. I started having second thoughts about the MCS - why go ahead and risk getting (the more vandal attractive?) MCS wrecked by some a*sehole? I was basically in pieces.

The dealer arranged for the workshop to look at my car, whilst I just sat blankly in the showroom, not knowing what to do. After about a quarter of an hour they came back and said it'll be about £800 to repair. After a bit of arguing (understatement) I packed my stuff and went home.

I took a shower, my wife try to calmed me down (eventually successfully) by just reminding me that sh*t happens and at the end of the day it's only a car... She said it's only money, it could get fixed and why should we spoil something we've worked hard for, just because some pr*ck is so pathetic that he can only wreck peoples cars for fun. My only comfort is knowing that ned (local slang for pikey, w*nker etc etc.) will probably have a sh*tty short life, with nothing decent in it, and probably wishes he could drive a car like mine - even for 5 minutes, but probably never will. I wish I could be Christian about it, and charitable, liberal and understanding, but I just can't. At the end of the day, some people are selfish, and that's all there is to it. It's not their upbringing, or society's fault - it's just selfishness, pure and simple.

(Soapbox moment there, sorry)

My dealer eventually called me at home, and they agreed to knock off a little discount, and later that evening my credit card got hit for £600 . I drove home in my MCS and it's parked outside.

I've done just 15 miles in it.

Tommorrow I'm gonna go for a blast (up to 4000 rpm, obviously ), and start again. It's been a real horrible day, when it should have been so good - but what can you do?

Ironically I'd been so careful these past few weeks - working in Insurance you can't help be a little 'risk averse', and I had worried loads about have an accident in the run up to my trade in.

Funny how things turn out.

DBK.

How the Cooper looked in better days...

[Grinder]

Well, i'm glad the dealer knocked the price down for you a bit, but it's still a shame about that dip*hit who decided to key your whole car!! Just imagine what you'd do to him if you caught him! I hope you enjoy your new MCS, as it's a great car. Mount a video camera at work and catch that a-hole in the act if he tries it again

[Harry Morant]

I must admit that the thought of leaving my car out at work scares the crap out of me. I've been looking at a few options to put my mind a little at rest for when my MCS turns up (April now grrrr).

Putting a car cover on at work to keep the dust off (most of Australia is in drought and its a bit gritty when the wind blows) or paying up to park in the covered car park. Not knowing how the criminal mind works do you think that putting a cover on would discourage them. If they can't see whats beneath maybe they wouldn't feel that the MCS is a threat to their manhood. Parking in the general carpark is free for me but out in the open as opposed to the covered parks which is A$1600 for the year. On the down side is the cost but on the up side is the fact that its full of Audi's, BMWs and other prestige cars and is close to the building so it presents less of a target.

[EBMCS03]

Oh Man I'm so sorry to hear that!! totally sucks...

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking
and later that evening my credit card got hit for £600 . I drove home in my MCS and it's parked outside.

I've done just 15 miles in it.

I felt so so sad reading your whole post until I got to this line. It made me smile a little. In the end its good. yes it defiently sucks those low lifes they dont deserve anything! Glad that your wife was able to cheer you up and convice you that "its just money." (WOW that was hard to say/type) and that you should definetly get the MCS and enjoy it.

[Damo]

I'd like to make a comment on here about the people that did this but as its not in the off topic and banter forum I won't. Probably couldn't in there either.

At least you've got your S thats the main thing. Don't know what I'd do in the situation. I'd of probably got them to add the cost to my finance, but if your doing finance that won't work anyway.

I feel sick and its not even my car!

Glad your wife was able to calm you down.

[lightbody]

I have a friend who also lives in East Kilbride, who also drives a silver/black cooper, and who also had his car vandalised in a very similar manner! They scratched his bonnet though... Don't think it was ridiculously expensive to get fixed - 200 or so I believe - and looks as new again now...

[dietcokeplease]

Holy crap dbk!

I know exactly how you feel. I've had cars vandalised in the past and you just want to get your hands on the miscreants. Funny thing is, these morons who vandalise your car will be the first to seek protection from the law if you so much as touch them.

£6-800 is cheap for a near all round respray. The most precious time in your cars life is not when its new but at trade in time. You have to treat it with kid gloves in car parks in case an accident or incident like this scuppers the deal on your new car.

Chill, have a diet Irn-Bru, accept what has happened, but make yourself feel better by plotting revenge in your mind if you caught the bugger!

[AidenL]

Yeah, Ive been on the receiving end of vandalism myself too, it is heartbreaking to see your pride and joy defaced, especially just as you were to trade it in........

Still, onwards and upwards, hope the new motor eases the pain !

[LMB]

They're sad individuals.

Good luck with your S and look forward to seeing you around the Cooper S forum.

[Bad Manners]

I'm sorry to hear your bad news, dbk. I know very well the feeling of wanting to keep MINI in pristine condition leading up to trade-in time. There's definitely a worry that something nasty might happen to it. I managed to move mine on early, so that's three weeks less worry. No more having to keep an eye out for what's going on outside my window!

Congratulations on your new S

[Linda M]

That was shocking news dbk

Hope you're having a much better day today with your new 'S'

Hopefully we'll see you on the 29th.

Linda M

[Mini Beemer]

DBK - what a totally horrible thing to have happened

Glad that you resolved the situation and now have the 'S' - which is the important thing.

I thought £600 seemed a bit steep though - if the dealer has their own bodyshop and respray facilities, the only cost to them should be the paint and materials, i.e. there should be no labour costs involved. Will/can you reclaim this back from your insurance?

MB

[CurtP]

There's still labor costs involved -- they have to pay the painter his wage!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply since last night. I really appreciate the comments, if anybody's going to understand how gutted I was, it'll be the MINI2 folk, that's for sure. As Rich says (in another similar thread) "It gnaws at you, but somehow you've just got to rise above it". . Similarly, my dad quoted me his only bit of "latin"...

"illegitimi non carborundum"

(don't let the b*stards grind you down)

People, these vandals are beneath contempt. They mean nothing to me, and I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of getting any more upset by them. I've got the MCS to enjoy, plus an amazing wife who loves me enough to put up with my stupid MINI obsession

What have they got? Nothing.

(these soapbox moments are coming far too frequently!, maybe I should go into politics?)

Anyhoo, upsetting as yesterday was, it hasn't stopped me zipping another 75 miles on my CR/W! and not wanting to turn this into another 'my first day with an MCS' type thread but...

(a) steering, clutch and gearbox are all noticably heavier - which isn't a bad thing.

(b) the sounds from the charger/exhaust create a real sense of occassion - I absolutely love that.

(c) keeping to 4000 rpm will be a nightmare

Only went round our town twice this evening on the way home from the gym. Well, it was a bit wet and our roadabouts were temptingly quiet. . In fact, those detours I took were compulsory in the circumstances

The weird thing is, it's a load of fun, but so was my Cooper, and so was the One I had as a loaner for a week. There must be something into the cars gene's???

DBK.

[Damo]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking
Only went round our town twice this evening on the way home from the gym. Well, it was a bit wet and our roadabouts were temptingly quiet. . In fact, those detours I took were compulsory in the circumstances

The weird thing is, it's a load of fun, but so was my Cooper, and so was the One I had as a loaner for a week. There must be something into the cars gene's???

DBK.

I swear to god if I'd of bought a bog standard car (Clio, Fiesta or summat) then I wouldn't of done half the miles I'e done now. The car just makes you go the long twisty way round to any destination, yet you get there in the same time, funny that

[Bad Manners]

Quote:

Originally posted by Damo
I swear to god if I'd of bought a bog standard car (Clio, Fiesta or summat) then I wouldn't of done half the miles I'e done now. The car just makes you got the long twisty way round to any destination, yet you get there in the same time, funny that

Yeah what he said

[IMIN]

DBK,
Your vandalism story horrified me. Like you, and others I've been the victim of b*stards like this and it leaves you feeling sick.
However, reading your last post, you seem happier and beginning to enjoy the "S" in the way you should have been from day 1 at the dealers.
Although you'll never forget the bad experience, I'm sure it'll fade with all the good times to come with your new MINI.
Have FUN -
ANT