Do you mind if your car gets scratched or bumped?

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I am one of those people that gets really upset at the slightest scratch or bump - I tedn to immediately make room in my list for a shop visit to repair my car ASAP.

My wife is the complete opposite - she doesn't give a damn and drives through everything, against everything - just today she scratched the front of her T-Roc, brand new, while parking. She doesn't care and I had goosebumps lol. She was like it's no big deal, it's her car and she paid for it so why do I care, but nonetheless I am always upset about those things. It's always a fresh bout of anxiety whenever I let her borrow one of my cars, but to her credit she's more careful with those.

What about you?

[AmandaYVR]

It bothers me, yes.

We bought our last care used (first ever), saved half the cost of buying it new, and are happy with the decision. But a stupid driver did a hit and run on me, and I still have a massively long scratch down one side. I balked at having to pay the $700 deductibe to get it repaired through insurance, and that was a biiiig mistake. I just didn't believe it would or should cost that much. But that was a steal compared to the $1200 I later got quoted everywhere else when I shopped around. I regret not fixing it. My car is marred and it detracts from it. It is cosmetic, but it matters to me. I never get in accidents, not since I was a teenager and first started out driving. I'm careful, and maybe lucky, I don't know.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I detest people who hit and run with a passion. I take care of my car, and I'm respectful of the property of others - I once bumped another person' car, I told them and naturally was ready to pay the damage.

I completely understand your frustration with what happened. I too was upset when I learned how much it can costs to cover scratches or Heaven forbid it, repaint a section.
In the end though, a car is just that a car - cars come and go.
I admit I had a small discussion with my wife over her car, and she rightly said "You scratch your car, and you don't sleep over it. If the car scratches you, it doesn't care a bit".

[AmandaYVR]

Cars can be beautiful objects of design and performance. If the car's really old or ugly, then who cares. But if it's tarnished with this one thing, it is understandable we feel incomplete, off.
Your wife is funny. Of course inanimate objects don't care. They have no pulse. You're not sad for your car, you're sad because your car is a part of you and it's no longer smooth. It's like an itchy sweater.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Exactly. Especially when it's a car you are particularly proud to have and maybe even show off.
I have an old Fiat Punto I use as a "beater car" when the weather is too bad or I know I will be driving in the woods or bad places. And I still get upset when that gets a little scratch lol.

I admit it's an ego thing too. I feel really complete when I roll up with my Audis and people stop to look at it, and maybe take a photo. My father was waaay worse than me on that lol.

Wife has a mentality that both irritates me and makes me admire her at the same time. She doesn't care about stuff, she says if she breaks something she buys another, and if she can't she does without. All that matters to her is that everyone is good, and that there's food in the table.
She says that I tend to let my things own me.

[AmandaYVR]

Oof, she and I would never be able to coexist. It's upsetting to me, the opposite, which is to devalue how much I love many of the things I own. I put an enormous amount of thought into all purchases, and how I live, and what surrounds me, matters to me greatly. I don't see it as materialism. I'm quite ruthless when it comes to what I keep, buy. Having aesthetic beauty in objects, and good, sensible design, makes me happy. Home needs to be a sanctuary for me. It's how I recharge. It isn't the nature walk that does that for me, it's home.

But cars are just cool, can be beautiful design and performance. Having that bubble around you, being able to navigate and weave through the world, with a buffer to keep others out... it's so great.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I understand, after all it's stuff you've worked to pay for, and the way I see it; a car, a home and all that comes with those it's one's little private kingdom.
If I can ask, does your husband feel the same as you?

My wife and I can be quite the opposites on some things. That makes for a lot of playful teasing and and butting around. Naturally we agree on the really important things and can compromise on what we can't agree 100%.

[AmandaYVR]

In terms of cosmetic damage to cars, he sort of feels that the first scratch is liberating. Then you can stop caring so much about it staying mint.

He likes the home I have created for us in choosing and designing. It's as comfortable for both of us. Sometimes when we're setting it up, I have to push him to do things for him (have his room or nook or whatever), as he's reluctant at first, and tends to want to play the martyr. But that bugs me because I don't think he'll be content, and he'll resent me for it, which is not fair. Once I push him into him getting more or privacy or whatever, he likes it.

We clash in major ways every time we move. And we've moved a lot. It's a major upheaval, and everyone goes through a lot of stress with this, but he and I do it very differently, and it always leads to blowups and some very disturbing conversations. Over and over, he repeats "We have too much stuff", and by that he means, anything more than what he and I could carry ourselves, or fit in a U-Haul small truck. Yeah right. We're 50. At this age, you have probably all you will ever have/need, but it's not like being a college kid, or a vagabond, or a world traveller with no home, so it really pisses me off that we have to go through this every. single. time. He doesn't like involving people, hiring anyone. I do all of that, always have. He sits quietly, doesn't say much to them, grits his teeth and waits for it to be over, but he is not that helpful to me. He defers to me, which I don't mind at all, it's my realm and expertise, but it gets very hairy at times. I have PTSD from this last one, it was by far the worst experience of all (in June), and I'm terrified of the next one. We aren't staying here. There's a massive build going on just a block away and the noise is hell. So, I'll be having a lot of nightmares about this. But for now, things are calm again. I kept telling him what the movers said, "You really don't have that much stuff. Uh huh. Tell that to my husband."

[ShellyB]

I do not care v. much if it is small or not noticeable unless you look for it, I do not want anything I own including my car to look like it is falling apart, but other than that I do not care. It makes no difference in how I use my car it drives the same it uses the same amount of gas it holds the same groceries.

[NathanDavis]

do I mind it? yes...

do I get upset about it? no...

I do have other things that are much more important for me to get upset about, materialistic issues like that are also an easy fix that do not land on my radar for "very upset"

I do consider one of 'my first world problems" that I should not really get upset about and not a real tragedy either

if one of my 6000 Legos were to break though...

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Unfortunately from time to time scratches do happen & it doesn’t make me happy.
On the other hand I have a black vehicle so I breakout a black marker & color it in.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Really?

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Yes sir I use a permanent market however over time it fades so I just color it in again.
Works on small scratches.

[OlderAndWiser]

Yes, I am more lke you on this issue.

[Fireguy17]

yes I do.
I go out of my way to park far away because other people couldn't care less about someone else's vee hickle.
I take pride in my vehicles, and like to keep them looking nice since they have to las me a long time.

[LazerBean]

I would if I had a new car, which is why I don't like the idea of buying a new car. I try to avoid unnecessary situations that I know will inevitably cause stress.

[Guy13]

Depends on the car...90s JAG then yeas and repair. 2012 325,000 mazda then hell no. old ass truck then no. I'm tight cheap/first tight first and "ocd" second.

[exitseven]

yes, I usually park far away from people and went into a parking garage last week and I took up two spaces.

[Flower7]

Yeah, it bothers me a lot. Especially if the scratch is very noticeable.

[Jamie05rhs]

Scratches happen. I like to drive up into the woods in the mountains. Where there are trees, there are bound to be scratches.

Having said that, I do try to avoid dents.

[TroyDT2]

It depends on whether it's the Escalade or my old beater F-150. For the former I'm like you. For the latter I might not even notice.

[TacosRAwesome]

Yes. But the door broke because of the bloody wind last year.

[Fuentes]

Nah idc but if you do it infront of me and it's on purpose I may be angry

[Nikki1989]

Yes, I don't like that.

[TrueConfection]

I care if it's a pretty car.

[EaterPeter]

Are you kidding me 🙂

[EaterPeter]

Thanks for like!

[Agape93]

Nope