I went for the first real drive in my new Series I yesterday.
The engine revs up during gear changes (1-2, 2-3) so I will increase the pressure and hope it goes away. I can‘t think of anything that worked or felt better in the S3, maybe the heater but that did its job just fine.
It looked like rain, but it turned out to be a proper hailstorm. We have those every few years… fled into the forest hoping for some cover (hopeless) and threw on all the carpets we could find. Inside it was a nice place to wait. No damage. At the car wash we learned that other cars didn’t do so well.
I will go on driving it (of course I will!), it would have been a shame if it got dented but we were lucky. It’s not a trailer queen so no worries there. Also, the paint is not that great and I have three tiny rust areas to weld so I can absolutely enjoy it as it is. And we just missed the tennis ball size hail that was reported a few minutes away. No amount of carpeting would have helped
Transmission is fixed (I like the low stall and BW8). Not sure yet if it kicks down. The oil pressure gauge is reliable now. Only the radio with so-so reception and - gasp - the clock runs a little slow. Okay, the left tail pipe is a bit low.
Thank you Bertie, I did what I could… it’s been run out, snap a few pictures and run back as I was absolutely soaked and dressed for a damp 30°C day with no AC. I enjoyed it nevertheless
Rag top - leaves two thirds of the car, not to forget about the zebrazone windshield (toughened - it shatters but leaves a few areas transparent - don’t want to find out). The hail did leave some bumps, but on us, not on the paint!
Dent pullers, sure, but on hail? I do have insurance for hail but don’t know what sum they would pay.
Some tut dry ice to shrink. Others heat just short of paint burn to shrink! or even a day in the hot sun. Get them all, probably not.
Insurance will pay. Fix cost minus deductible. Some cars are constructive total losses. Cost to fix exceeds ACV. Even though the car is erfectly servicable.
We need to have insurance (damage to others). But we can choose the level of insurance for our own cars.
So, example, if I drive into something else my insurance pays the opponents damage, but not mine.
Unless I tick a box, if I do so I either have some or full coverage for my own mistakes too.
I always think that since I do most of my own repairs and my cars are never that expensive, I‘ll save some. But hail is included in my coverage (I pay up to a fixed sum and they pay for the rest). But most, even expensive new cars are written off when they have hail damage.
Off to YouTube for the pain(t)less dent removal videos…
blankets are nice, but talking of hail you typically face storm as well and fixing those blankets alone over a 5 metre car in a hail storm is a challenge …
Great job, David! Your wipers are awe-inspiring. Got to tackle mine now that I how how they can work even on SI!
Is that wood as beautiful as it appears in the flick? Great, if original, otherwise great job as well
These wipers did not help much just before the hail started, but otherwise they are very good.
I had to degrease the brushes, the low speed brush was sticking in low speed so the wiper would stop sometimes. I also cleaned the case and added some grease. Mind the ball bearing that locates the spindle in the end cap…
Now they work as intended and they should keep doing so for a while.
My S3 wipers worked just as well but without the parking feature (where they park lower than what the sweep covers).
Removing the motor and lining the clamp up has always been the worst part. Remove the wipers first and pull out and grease the cable too!
Hail hurts, but I had to save something important And yes, the lacquer has a few cracks but is in great shape and original. I‘ll be happy to let you have a look next semester.
You have even bigger hail than we do - the worst part is if you’re caught by the weather, by the time you’re off the road the hail will have done it’s thing! I was glad I had something on board.
I found some hail repair videos… lots of work. I will try to get a dent out of my Mercedes, see what I can do.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
18
Hail often seems to come as a surprise, doesn’t it? Like a really sudden storm on an otherwise lovely day.
Pretty much as here. I buy Bodily injury and property damage liabilty to others. Required here.
and Medical pay for me and passengers / Small limit.
I do not buy collision or comprehensive covers my cars with a deductible. My cars not worth it.
A past lister bemoaned hail damage to his Ford F250 truck. I think we convinced him it was a work vehicle and these were scars of experience. and, to be respected…
