Flying rims on freeway?!

mark_amdg · 11-19-2005, 06:29 PM

So last night, I was driving on the 134 freeway at Pasadena/Glendale area, when the car in front of me hits a loose rim on the side of the freeway, making that rim fly over to the side of my car and SCRATCHING A BIG PORTION OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR!!!!!!!

Any suggestions on what to do to fix the scratch? There is also a small dent. Has anyone had this happen to you?? THIS SUCKS MAJORLY!! <_< WEAKSAUCE!!!!!!!

Brian K · 11-19-2005, 06:36 PM

I had something similar happen on I80 In Paterson NJ at 10:30 PM in the late '70s.

I was heading home at 65 mph when out of the darkness came this tractor trailer truck tire and rim. Hit my Nissan truck head on. Lots of truck damage, I was unhurt. The only grill guard I ever put on a vehicle I'd just put on that truck and the 1/4" steel it was made of was bent like a pretzle. The State Troopers told me it hit 11 other vehicles that night. One guy reported he'd been hit by a UFO. :-)

Can't help with your fix. I'd take it to a body shop. Good luck.

Jack 06 · 11-19-2005, 07:01 PM

There are compounds you can buy (and that all body shops use---if you know someone who works at a body shop, you could ask for a "squirt") that will "blend" out the scratch if it isn't too deep. Of course, it works by stripping a tiny amount of the surrounding paint (where you rub), making it a smidgen thinner. If you're careful with it, it might do it. If your scratch goes down to the primer, it won't.

You'll have to decide if you can live with the dent, even if you get the scratch out. You're probably not going to get out of having the whole door repainted, or a quarter panel or whatever.

After I've had to get body shop repainting I never trust that that paint will stay "fully adhered" to the car or the same shade as the rest of the car. So I avoid having whole doors or quarter panels re-painted if there's a small dent I can live with. That's just me.

heliotropehead · 11-19-2005, 07:11 PM

That does suck. So far I've been hit only with flying rocks. I have several dents and chips on my hood. I've used rubbing compound +2000 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface before applying touchup paint. It helps, but it's not perfect.

suemarnold · 11-20-2005, 05:37 AM

My condolences. Many years ago I was coming down a curvy 2-lane road when an old open milk truck (no door) came around a turn and a log flew out and hit the front of my '72 Datsun wagon. The driver stopped so his insurance paid for the damage.

MarinJohn · 11-20-2005, 01:03 PM

Once, in the dark, a truck dumped it's load of pre-fab concrete man holes and associated covers. Traffic went from a sleepy normal to bumper cars going every which way trying to avoid the load and all the other cars. Every vehicle had to be towed off the freeway, tho mine 'only' needed a new wheel and rim and new radiator and bumper. I was working for the CA Dept of Forestry being a firefighter and when my unit was dispatched to the scene, and my boss saw that I was involved in the mess he actually yelled at me as I was soon to be late for work!

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11-19-2005, 06:29 PM	#1
mark_amdg Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 10 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	So last night, I was driving on the 134 freeway at Pasadena/Glendale area, when the car in front of me hits a loose rim on the side of the freeway, making that rim fly over to the side of my car and SCRATCHING A BIG PORTION OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR!!!!!!! Any suggestions on what to do to fix the scratch? There is also a small dent. Has anyone had this happen to you?? THIS SUCKS MAJORLY!! <_< WEAKSAUCE!!!!!!!

11-19-2005, 06:36 PM	#2
Brian K Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 152 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I had something similar happen on I80 In Paterson NJ at 10:30 PM in the late '70s. I was heading home at 65 mph when out of the darkness came this tractor trailer truck tire and rim. Hit my Nissan truck head on. Lots of truck damage, I was unhurt. The only grill guard I ever put on a vehicle I'd just put on that truck and the 1/4" steel it was made of was bent like a pretzle. The State Troopers told me it hit 11 other vehicles that night. One guy reported he'd been hit by a UFO. :-) Can't help with your fix. I'd take it to a body shop. Good luck.

11-19-2005, 07:01 PM	#3
Jack 06 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winters, CA: Prius capital of US. 30 miles W of Sacramento Posts: 2,567 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	There are compounds you can buy (and that all body shops use---if you know someone who works at a body shop, you could ask for a "squirt") that will "blend" out the scratch if it isn't too deep. Of course, it works by stripping a tiny amount of the surrounding paint (where you rub), making it a smidgen thinner. If you're careful with it, it might do it. If your scratch goes down to the primer, it won't. You'll have to decide if you can live with the dent, even if you get the scratch out. You're probably not going to get out of having the whole door repainted, or a quarter panel or whatever. After I've had to get body shop repainting I never trust that that paint will stay "fully adhered" to the car or the same shade as the rest of the car. So I avoid having whole doors or quarter panels re-painted if there's a small dent I can live with. That's just me.

11-19-2005, 07:11 PM	#4
heliotropehead Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 701 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	That does suck. So far I've been hit only with flying rocks. I have several dents and chips on my hood. I've used rubbing compound +2000 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface before applying touchup paint. It helps, but it's not perfect.

11-20-2005, 05:37 AM	#5
suemarnold Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mendocino, CA Posts: 6 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My condolences. Many years ago I was coming down a curvy 2-lane road when an old open milk truck (no door) came around a turn and a log flew out and hit the front of my '72 Datsun wagon. The driver stopped so his insurance paid for the damage.

11-20-2005, 01:03 PM	#6
MarinJohn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,929 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Once, in the dark, a truck dumped it's load of pre-fab concrete man holes and associated covers. Traffic went from a sleepy normal to bumper cars going every which way trying to avoid the load and all the other cars. Every vehicle had to be towed off the freeway, tho mine 'only' needed a new wheel and rim and new radiator and bumper. I was working for the CA Dept of Forestry being a firefighter and when my unit was dispatched to the scene, and my boss saw that I was involved in the mess he actually yelled at me as I was soon to be late for work!