# My car just got vandalized, what should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366 "2000-12-06T20:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/1 "2000-12-06T20:35:07Z")
I left work after lunch because my stomach wasn’t agreeing with the jambolia I had for lunch and stopped off to get something to settle my stomach. I come back out to my car and…my windshield has a big-ass scratch on it. Not really sure what it might be, I start trying to rub it away. Then I realize the scratch carries on up and over my car, and down the back window. Not continuous, but there all the same. And it’s not just one scratch, no no, it’s a number of them across the width of my car. I went ahead and called my insurance company, then the police to file a report, then the insurance co. again to see what could be done. And that leads me to the problem: I carry a $500 deductible. I know between the windshield, roof and rear window it’s going to be more than that, but probably not much more. So here’s the thing: do I go ahead and file a claim, or do I suck it up and pay it out myself, figuring that a claim on the record is a “bad thing” as far as insurance guys go? And yes, I am quite pissed, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![struuter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@struuter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/struuter)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/2 "2000-12-06T20:41:30Z")
Oh good gravy, thinks. I’m so sorry. And to not feel good on top of it. I’m afraid I don’t know what to tell you–except to maybe give your insurance another call and see just how ‘bad’ it would look on your record with them. I mean, if it’s not going to hurt you insurance-wise, I’d say file it. Your deductable would be out of the way…of course you only have, what?, the rest of this month to really take advantage of that aspect. Jeez. I’m no help at all. _shut up, struuter_ Can I just opt out of giving advice and instead give you some well-deserved positive energy and hugs? Sorry again. struuter ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/3 "2000-12-06T20:46:43Z")
Does the parking lot have a security camera? See if the bad guys are on Candid Camera. Have the estimate done, then you’ll know what you’re talking about. Betcha it’s considerably more than $500. Labor costs, you know. Windshield, back window, AND roof. Once you have the estimate, talk to your insurance guy about whether it’s going to bump your premiums. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/4 "2000-12-06T20:48:54Z")
And another thought: how bad is it? Can you maybe do the roof yourself? It’s on top of the car, nobody’s gonna see it. Just get it so it won’t rust. Can you live with the front and back windows the way they are? Think about living with it. I’ve seen lots worse driving down the road. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/5 "2000-12-06T20:52:03Z")
when my car was vandalized, I didn’t have to pay the deductable. (of course I live in MI, so your insurance laws may be different). and my bill didn’t go up, either. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/6 "2000-12-06T21:05:01Z")
Thanks **struuter** , I am starting to feel a little better, actually, so i’ll attribute that to you 🙂 **Duck Duck** , I checked right away, no cameras. Bummer. I do have some paint I picked up when I bought the car, for the inevitable pebble dings and stuff, I _might_ be able to take care of the stuff on the roof with that, though the paint is somewhat thick and the scratches are barely through. Just enough to show the primer. The windshield has about a 10" scrape about a third of the way in from the passenger side, and another smaller one right across the rear-view mirror area. The rear window has a 6" or so scratch running right down the drivers side, about a foot or so in. It looks like someone(s) dragged a cable or chain some sort of thing over my car, but there isn’t enough actual damage for that, I would think! As for glass costs, I might be okay: I used to work for one of the worlds largest glass companies (Pilkington, Libbey Owens Ford, or LOF) and I might be able to fanagle something. If not…I’ll probably just live with it. I don’t know, I suppose I’ll have to drive around with it for a day or three and see what it is like. \ She’s only 3-and-a-half, gosh-dernit! ---
**Author:** ![Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/7 "2000-12-06T21:10:25Z")
I’m a Product Manager for an Auto Insurance company so, I think that I may be able to shed a bit of light. Filing a claim for vandlization will fall on your Comprehensive coverage. You will probably have to pay the deductible. If it were me, I would file the claim and if the damage is less than $500, I’d have to take care of it myself. If it is over $500, that is why I have more than just liability coverage. Depending on your insurance carrier, this shouldn’t affect your rate. This applies unless you have non-standard insurance with a company out of Texas. My loss ratio doesn’t need anymore claims. That’s just my opinion, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/8 "2000-12-06T21:13:58Z")
Thanks, **TtC**. I think I’ll probably do just that. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/9 "2000-12-07T00:00:41Z")
Did you try a glass shop & see if they can buff those marks out? Also, you can get touch up paint for those marks on the finish & put it on really slow with a 000 (photographers retouch) brush. Cause its on the top of the car, liquid soaks right into the marks & levels itself. Then you’d use some rubbing compound to smooth it down. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/10 "2000-12-07T05:00:58Z")
Thanks, **handy** , I had wondered about possibly buffing the glass, I’ll look into that. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/11 "2000-12-07T05:27:29Z")
Were you parking in two spaces? It might have been me… ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/12 "2000-12-07T05:38:10Z")
Here’s my advice: 1. First, there is a new miracle process that windsheild repair guys use to invisibly fill in minor windshield dings; I think they charge about $100/ding. Maybe the process can be used for your scratches. Check it out. 2. I live in NYC and recently had a side window smashed on my auto. The cop who took the crime report gave me the following golden advice. He said: A. If you’ve got glass insurance, don’t use if unless you _really_ need it (presumably for multiple broken windows); after the insurance co. pays out the first time they’ll either raise the premiums or cancel the glass coverage outright. B. **Don’t** go to your regular mechanic or the local auto glass shop; they’ll charge you premium prices for new replacement glass. C. **Do** find an auto glass shop affiliated with a junk yard; they sell and install used glass (canibalized from the junked cars they take in) that is virtually indistinguishable from new glass… and they do it at bargain basement rates. Look in the yellow pages – see the shops that mention used glass. Following the cops advice I found a shop in Queens that replaced my smashed window in 45 minutes (no appointment needed – drive in, eat a sandwich, drive out). Cost: $65.00, installed (they even vacuumed the broken glass bits out of the interior for me). Another guy who was having his windshield replaced was charged $100. These jobs probably would have cost about 3 times that at my local Manhattan shop. If you live in the NYC area I can give you the name of the shop I used. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/13 "2000-12-07T16:58:06Z")
“1. First, there is a new miracle process that windsheild repair guys use to invisibly fill in minor windshield dings; I think they charge about $100/ding. Maybe the process can be used for your scratches. Check it out.” You can buy one of those from an auto store for $7 to $12.00 I did. Works great IF YOU DO IT SOON. Time is of the essence with this because of dirt. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/14 "2000-12-08T00:13:54Z")
Firstly, **Badtz Maru** , I never pull that 2-spaces crap…irritates me to no end. I’d rather park a ways out and walk a bit father if I’m unsure of the parking lot. Next, **Stuy** and **handy** , thanks, I’ll look into that tomorrow over lunch. Thanks again to everyone posting here, 'tis good info all around and I really appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-car-just-got-vandalized-what-should-i-do/44366/15 "2000-12-08T00:23:05Z")
Take photos of everything! Talk with the police and see if there were any vandals arrested that day carrying a scribe. You may be able to link the crime to the perpetrator with physical evidence like paint flakes on their clothes. Many states will not allow repair to scratches in windshields if the repair is in the driver’s field of vision. I advocate much harsher penalties for vandals that cause irreversible damage with scribes as opposed to paint. Strangely, the penalties for destruction of property are lighter than the ones for tagging. Go figure.