[OmahaRumble]

I knew it was bound to happen. My wife and I are buying are first house, but of course a couple weeks before my Challenger sits in a garage at night, some stupid a$$ low life has to key my car right above the door handle on the drivers side. It appears to be about 2.5" and when I move my nail by the damage I can feel it dig a little, meaning that it's gone past the clear coat probably. I will have to fix this no doubt, however;

Other than buying a beater for work, or not driving my car, what is the best way to avoid people doing this. I thought about having a Viper 5901 installed so it lets people know the car is armed. Also it will have a flashing blue light and stickers. Also it will have proximity detectors so anyone who gets too close or touches anything, the alarm will go off.

Sound like a good solution? Just looking for some opinions from others. Thank you.

 

[BrUiRcNeR]

Unfortunately you cannot stop jealous toolbags from behaving accordingly. :bash:

Sucks that someone damaged your car, i just can't image doing that to anyone's car.

 

[Walaby]

I was going to say the same thing as Randy... Unfortunately, nothing you can do about jealous douchbags who do this crap.


Mike

 

[OmahaRumble]

I know I know, nothing I can do against ******bags. However, maybe if I got the Viper 5901 with the 508B proximity detector the alarm sound would scare them off. That's the system I have in mine, and actually I hear the remote start does work with the manual tranny.

 

[noz34me]

You know, I have no patience for the mindless ones that open their car doors and bang into you, but at least I can imagine it's not intentional.

Not so with someone keying your car though- - that's just criminal and I wish there was some way to catch them.

There, I've vented. Sorry I don't know anything about security systems.

 

[snowcat256]

Challenger

Sorry to hear about that..Contact you Doge dealer they have touch up (detail) people that come to there lots and do work like that.
Some of these guys can work magic on just your problem...I know I have had it done to a few of my cars.

They can wet sand and touch it up.

As far as alarms...Well that's your call. My Challenger never leaves my sight and stays in my garage when am not driving it.

Good luck on what ever you decide. :bigthumb:

 

[dun4791]

Guess Im in the minority here but just get it fixed, drive it and dont worry about it. It is after all just a machine and its insured. Enjoy the car, have some paint work done and dont let others ruin a positive outlook on life.

 

[LURCH]

It only takes a second to key a car by the time someone got there they would be gone and look at the money you just spent on the alarm. I guess I would just deal with it as bad as it is!!!

 

[kyoseki]

Sucks to hear about some ******* keying your ride man, that's something that really does concern me here, especially with the local hippy population.

If memory serves, there is an alarm out there that has cameras wired in to get a decent view all around the vehicle - I remember seeing footage of some guy keying an H2 taken by a camera in the wing mirror.

They ended up prosecuting him for the H2 as well as a number of other acts of vandalism against SUVs (extreme greeny enviro nut).

No idea what the name of the system was though, I'll have a google.

Here's an article;
http://www.hummerguy.net/hummer-new...ummers-supporting-sierra-club-and-green-peace

 

[340GTS]

I remember the H2 vandal video. A motion sensing alarm would be great if it too had a 360 deg. camera.

 

[blucheer]

Talk to your ins company see what you can work out ,or talk to a body shop tell them what happened and they might cut you a deal because of what happened..heres a tip should this happen in a civic or public parking lot to anybody contact the leasing company of the complex 9 out of 10 times it will be on security video..recently there was a rash of car vandals in Toronto because of video 3 days later these mindless numb skulls were caught and charged..sucks to be them!

 

[avconsumer2]

but of course a couple weeks before my Challenger sits in a garage at night,

Sounds like you've already fixed the problem there. I'd just get it touched up & be mindful of where you're parking in the future. It's an attention grabbing car. You knew this. Statistically though... you've gotten it over with! Who's car gets keyed twice!? Carry on! :bigthumb:

 

[Osprey37]

Guess Im in the minority here but just get it fixed, drive it and dont worry about it. It is after all just a machine and its insured. Enjoy the car, have some paint work done and dont let others ruin a positive outlook on life.

I have to agree with this, the money you invest in an alarm system will not prevent this from happening again. Get it fixed, and hopefully your new enviornment will not have the same lowlife class of people around your ride.

 

[OmahaRumble]

I have to agree with this, the money you invest in an alarm system will not prevent this from happening again. Get it fixed, and hopefully your new enviornment will not have the same lowlife class of people around your ride.

That's the problem, is that it will. I work for two different schools, one an alternative school. Lots of kids will notice the car.

Definitely going to get it fixed. I will speak to the insurance company, you never know, they may be able to fix it. Also, I guess getting keyed made me thinking of my car possibly being stolen, or at least the wheels. Security system makes sense, although I know it just a deterrant.

 

[Daddy Kool]

If you work at a school you need another dd.

 

[HemiFan]

If you work at a school you need another dd.

Indeed, this sort of thing can make you paranoid. I know how you feel - several years ago I had a sweet little 2-seat roadster all tricked out. Had it a month. Went to drop some videos I rented. In and out in 5 minutes. BAM!! - keyed all the way to the bare metal down my driver side quarter panel (I could see bare metal it was that bad). Paint strips were still hanging from the scratch. Looked around - nobody. It happens that fast. I assumed it was teenagers, since a lot of them hung around the strip mall where the video store was. All I could do was have the damage repaired and get over it. It taught me it can happen to anyone.

 

[cbass]

THAT SUCKS!! My car was keyed about a month ago. It was keyed from the RT decal on the fender to the rear quarter. It was really bad.

The best thing to do is call your insurance, pay the deductable and get it fixed. Show those phuckers that they can't keep you down and they can't win.

 

[Kean]

That's the problem, is that it will. I work for two different schools, one an alternative school. Lots of kids will notice the car.

Definitely going to get it fixed. I will speak to the insurance company, you never know, they may be able to fix it. Also, I guess getting keyed made me thinking of my car possibly being stolen, or at least the wheels. Security system makes sense, although I know it just a deterrant.

....can you snap a close-up picture of it? Sometimes scratches can appear worse than they are or even when they are relatively deep, they can be polished to the point where they are not very noticeable. In any case, I would check with a reputable detailer before taking it to a body shop and/or the dealer.

....there are exceptions but IMO/IME, body shops can have the tenancy to recommend body work/repainting regardless if its correctable and dealers will usually just have one of their Neanderthals in the back take a rotary to the panel. An experienced, reputable detailer will be able to identify whether it is correctable or not. You may even want to post pictures on a detailing-specific website like Autopia.org, DetailingBliss, etc. Forums like those have a mix of professionals and enthusiasts alike that may be local and willing to help. ....just another alternative.

 

[ClevelandChallenger]

Man, I feel your pain! Most likely some bastard teenagers. All you can do is try to keep your car out of sight while it's not being driven. I don't even like parking mine outside my house. All it takes is one jealous idiot. You'll be golden when you get that house w/ garage. Until then, I'd be praying a lot!

 

[FFchris]

that sucks!! honestly i wouldn't spend the $$$ on a new alarm, i believe someone will just try to test it's limitations just because that's what disrespectful a$$holes do. in canada even if you had a alarm or caught someone redhanded, with vid evidence had them arrested we still would have to go to small claims court and then after judgement its still your responsibility to try to collect it. get it fixed , be mad as hell over it for a little while and save your hard earned $$ for a beater maybe a motor bike??