I was riding up the 405 freeway yesterday when I heard a loud “BANG!” Someone had hit my brand new (to me), mint condition, Galvanic Gold, hyper-rare 2021 BMW i3S. I turned to see a motorcyclist splitting lanes ahead, wobbling from the impact. He continued riding; it was a hit and run. I drove to work, stepped out of the car, and surveyed the damage. “SON OF A BITCH!”
It was a scratch. Not a huge scratch, but a scratch. A white line on my mirror, and I was livid! Mostly because this biker had hit my car (possibly on purpose, since he was splitting lanes, and possibly punishing those who were maybe a bit off to the left) and just rode off with not a care in the world. That’s just unacceptable! It’s also possible it was an accident; either way, just stop if you hit someone else’s car — not cool.
Anyway, here’s the baby scratch on my mirror:
The impact had been loud, so I was surprised the damage was so minor. Luckily, though, it wasn’t on the mirror housing’s gloss black section, which is painted, but instead on that coarse black plastic section, which appears to be injection molded and black all the way through.
This is actually a great design choice by BMW, because it means you can bang that mirror on a parking garage entry-ticket machine and, while you’ll sustain a scratch, you won’t be able to tell because that scratch’s valley will be the same color as the rest of that part of the mirror. I know this because look at how my mirror looks now:
Looks pretty much all fixed! If you look closely, you can see some roughness from the motorcycle incident on the right half of this image:
But for the most part, it’s repaired, and I’m happy with how the car looks overall. But it got me thinking: First, if a little scratch like this has me all concerned, I need to get XPEL PPF as soon as possible. And second, when is this “phase” going to go away? Like, surely not every scratch is going to bum me out forever, right?
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My brother just bought a yellow Audi S3 recently, and he’s going through the same issue. He got a rock chip the other week, and it bummed him out. I used to have the same worry with my brother’s 1966 Ford Mustang and my 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee “Holy Grail.” They were all just so nice that adding even a scratch to them could ruin your afternoon. Surely you, dear readers, can relate? When will I be released from this prison?
Anyway, my partner, Elise (that’s not her real name), suggests that I keep my 2014 i3 and use that as my errands car. I won’t care if someone hits its mirror or if a rock chips its hood — it’s older, it has higher mileage, and it’s not in mint condition. But does it make sense to have two i3s? Does it matter if it makes sense?
Maybe it doesn’t matter if it makes sense, and I should just own the cars I like, and when I get tired of one, I get rid of it. Maybe I’ll get tired of having two i3s, or maybe I’ll remain in this drunken-love state in which I see the i3 as an engineering masterpiece the likes of which we may never see again. Who knows? All I know is: I may be holding onto that gray i3 for my daily commuting — at least for a while.
Why not keep the newer i3 and replace the other with an i8?
Or meld them both together and get an ii6!
Genius!
It’d be an i5.5 no?
Depends how much of the original cars survive, I guess. If it’s a “human centipede” (sorry for the reference) situation, then ii6 would be apt. But if one just extends the passenger cabin while leaving the drivetrain intact – maybe adding more batteries, because why not? – then something near a 4-5.5 would be accurate.
Much like merging black holes, you always lose a little mass by the end of it. Although, this time it would be knuckle skin, a little blood, and at least one 10mm socket that all get converted into energetic swearing.
“I need an excuse to hoard vehicles, so please enable me to hoard”?
Cars get damaged. They’re disposable appliances. Hopefully they don’t get so damaged to become unusable before you’re done with it for whatever reason. Enjoy your i3S, make some money off the fact the black one has a new battery. And get rid of more of your
derelictscollection. Imagine if Galpin had to repave all of their lots over the course of several months and you no longer had “free” storage, what would you do?you can keep both i3’s if you let loose of some other of your stock
They’re boring commuter cars. At least his Jeep collection could be used to make offroad adventure content.
Objectively, an i3 is more interesting than pretty much any Jeep.
But I love them all.
Engineering-wise I absolutely agree.
Driving wise…eh. Sell your other one and get a car with some enthusiast potential. Or do a rallycross at the fairgrounds in Landcaster with the i3
“I need an excuse to hoard vehicles, so please enable me to hoard”?
Cars get damaged. They’re disposable appliances. Hopefully they don’t get so damaged to become unusable before you’re done with it for whatever reason. Enjoy your i3S, make some money off the fact the black one has a new battery. And get rid of more of your
derelictscollection. Imagine if Galpin had to repave all of their lots over the course of several months and you no longer had “free” storage, what would you do?you can keep both i3’s if you let loose of some other of your stock
They’re boring commuter cars. At least his Jeep collection could be used to make offroad adventure content.
Objectively, an i3 is more interesting than pretty much any Jeep.
But I love them all.
Engineering-wise I absolutely agree.
Driving wise…eh. Sell your other one and get a car with some enthusiast potential. Or do a rallycross at the fairgrounds in Landcaster with the i3
Talking about “the” 405 and motorcycling lane splitting (technically called lane sharing) tells me you’re full California now!
Filtering/Sharing is now legal in more states! It was the only thing I missed about California when I left for Colorado. Colorado just legalized it (for stoplight situations) after I left for Virginia.
Come on Virginia!
Talking about “the” 405 and motorcycling lane splitting (technically called lane sharing) tells me you’re full California now!
Filtering/Sharing is now legal in more states! It was the only thing I missed about California when I left for Colorado. Colorado just legalized it (for stoplight situations) after I left for Virginia.
Come on Virginia!
Might be time for you to take this quiz, DT :
https://thehardtimes.net/blog/do-you-drive-a-hybrid-car-for-the-environment-or-just-because-you-like-silently-creeping-around-parking-lots/
Might be time for you to take this quiz, DT :
https://thehardtimes.net/blog/do-you-drive-a-hybrid-car-for-the-environment-or-just-because-you-like-silently-creeping-around-parking-lots/
Nonsense. There is nothing more liberating than the first scratch on a shiny new object. Now you can stop fetishizing it and enjoy it for what it is and the purpose it was made for.
Nonsense. There is nothing more liberating than the first scratch on a shiny new object. Now you can stop fetishizing it and enjoy it for what it is and the purpose it was made for.
Same thing happened to my 2012 Ram a couple years ago. The biker wobbled but never looked back and took off before I could catch up with him at the next red light. It left a similar scuff on the black plastic mirror housing. I didn’t worry too much as it was a 10 year old truck at the time. However, a couple months later the mirror glass became loose and almost fell out. The plastic ball and socket that allows the mirror to adjust had cracked. I can’t prove if this failure was related to the impact from the motorcycle handlebar hit but you should keep an eye on that mirror to make sure there is no internal damage. I used silicon and a piece of scrap plastic to bond the glass back into place but I can no longer adjust the position of the mirror.
Does this have the part you’re looking for?
https://www.amazon.com/Youxmoto-Replacement-2009-68079363AA-68079362AA/dp/B0B3MZ6BWH/ref=sr_1_24?af=eyJ2ZWhpY2xlTmFtZSI6IjIwMTIgUmFtIDE1MDAiLCJ2ZWhpY2xlIjoiMjAxMi0xMTY4LTE2MjI3LS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tIn0%3D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9_LUALw_abiJNs1XxW3g2lYIlJSh0du37hOQ1anaY2TTYdz1XogePWQxFZqhBQUZKkaNYmfeWeW74dEbWM7YbRojHwJTaRZbK25xB5E75oAfQ5Uuv6EgsnyyDUXP7Xf6EEVcmfT9fVs-Ap363btfS4yTkvL-iOXsFT_TQVUyr8olq7cCWgcKLnQd7d1x7BhEeqSsC7kruqE6XZp9MjSxeSKM-HBZug2MlXawPI9K2MC3faT3OtAPDjfhBG8cLvewTKdI82y_F69OgY91NMZIHtcqyt2yD2qH-_8YFri_Kl0.9_tilllPREv2nh8d4IxOx3TY2WVeCjyj8IxwwZk8Azg&dib_tag=se&keywords=2012%2Bram%2B1500%2Bmirror&qid=1717544000&sr=8-24&vehicle=2012-1168-16227————&vehicleName=2012%2BRam%2B1500&th=1
Same thing happened to my 2012 Ram a couple years ago. The biker wobbled but never looked back and took off before I could catch up with him at the next red light. It left a similar scuff on the black plastic mirror housing. I didn’t worry too much as it was a 10 year old truck at the time. However, a couple months later the mirror glass became loose and almost fell out. The plastic ball and socket that allows the mirror to adjust had cracked. I can’t prove if this failure was related to the impact from the motorcycle handlebar hit but you should keep an eye on that mirror to make sure there is no internal damage. I used silicon and a piece of scrap plastic to bond the glass back into place but I can no longer adjust the position of the mirror.
Does this have the part you’re looking for?
https://www.amazon.com/Youxmoto-Replacement-2009-68079363AA-68079362AA/dp/B0B3MZ6BWH/ref=sr_1_24?af=eyJ2ZWhpY2xlTmFtZSI6IjIwMTIgUmFtIDE1MDAiLCJ2ZWhpY2xlIjoiMjAxMi0xMTY4LTE2MjI3LS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tIn0%3D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9_LUALw_abiJNs1XxW3g2lYIlJSh0du37hOQ1anaY2TTYdz1XogePWQxFZqhBQUZKkaNYmfeWeW74dEbWM7YbRojHwJTaRZbK25xB5E75oAfQ5Uuv6EgsnyyDUXP7Xf6EEVcmfT9fVs-Ap363btfS4yTkvL-iOXsFT_TQVUyr8olq7cCWgcKLnQd7d1x7BhEeqSsC7kruqE6XZp9MjSxeSKM-HBZug2MlXawPI9K2MC3faT3OtAPDjfhBG8cLvewTKdI82y_F69OgY91NMZIHtcqyt2yD2qH-_8YFri_Kl0.9_tilllPREv2nh8d4IxOx3TY2WVeCjyj8IxwwZk8Azg&dib_tag=se&keywords=2012%2Bram%2B1500%2Bmirror&qid=1717544000&sr=8-24&vehicle=2012-1168-16227————&vehicleName=2012%2BRam%2B1500&th=1
If you have an i3 for commuting, having ANOTHER i3 for non-commuting (presumably longer drives, as I can’t see it being used as a fun canyon carver?) seems, erm, silly? To put it nicely…
Keep one. If you want two cars to serve two purposes, get two DIFFERENT cars, not a variant of the one you already have. If the point of the new i3 is that it’s the perfect car for everything normal person would need – prove it.
If you have an i3 for commuting, having ANOTHER i3 for non-commuting (presumably longer drives, as I can’t see it being used as a fun canyon carver?) seems, erm, silly? To put it nicely…
Keep one. If you want two cars to serve two purposes, get two DIFFERENT cars, not a variant of the one you already have. If the point of the new i3 is that it’s the perfect car for everything normal person would need – prove it.
Usually I’m precious about it for the first year or until someone scratches my car or I get a chip on the windshield. Whichever comes first. I try to keep my vehicles for a decade or more so it will have a few blemishes by the time I’m done with it.
Usually I’m precious about it for the first year or until someone scratches my car or I get a chip on the windshield. Whichever comes first. I try to keep my vehicles for a decade or more so it will have a few blemishes by the time I’m done with it.
Goof Off can work wonders on paint transfer, but I’ve not tried it on plastic trim and probably wouldn’t – works really well on painted panels when you can’t get it off with Goo Gone or elbow grease. You just have to be super fast and careful with it because it is a solvent that smells a hell of a lot like paint thinner. I had to employ such tactics when an a-hole sideswiped me in a hit and run on stolen plates.
Goof Off can work wonders on paint transfer, but I’ve not tried it on plastic trim and probably wouldn’t – works really well on painted panels when you can’t get it off with Goo Gone or elbow grease. You just have to be super fast and careful with it because it is a solvent that smells a hell of a lot like paint thinner. I had to employ such tactics when an a-hole sideswiped me in a hit and run on stolen plates.
Keep both cars for as long as you want, and proudly feel free to be OCD whenever you please!
I always buy used in part so the cars come somewhat pre-scratched. And still, I can’t get over even the smallest damage that happens on my watch.
Maybe it is because I have a long history of cars getting damaged right away. My current i3 got the windshield chipped as I was driving home from the dealer (get glass insurance!). A previous car was scratched the very first day I drove it. I left it parked and came back to find a guy, casually chatting on the phone inside his car, as his bumper was still fully sitting on mine.
Keep both cars for as long as you want, and proudly feel free to be OCD whenever you please!
I always buy used in part so the cars come somewhat pre-scratched. And still, I can’t get over even the smallest damage that happens on my watch.
Maybe it is because I have a long history of cars getting damaged right away. My current i3 got the windshield chipped as I was driving home from the dealer (get glass insurance!). A previous car was scratched the very first day I drove it. I left it parked and came back to find a guy, casually chatting on the phone inside his car, as his bumper was still fully sitting on mine.
Some jackhole side swiped my parked Niro about 3 months after I bought it during alternate side parking, I didn’t have a dash cam yet, I would have loved to get them for hit and run. Get a dashcam asap! After that the bloom was off the rose, nicks don’t bug my much now.
Some jackhole side swiped my parked Niro about 3 months after I bought it during alternate side parking, I didn’t have a dash cam yet, I would have loved to get them for hit and run. Get a dashcam asap! After that the bloom was off the rose, nicks don’t bug my much now.
From frozen tundra rust wrangler to enlarge to see little nick in plastic, where’s my fainting couch.
From frozen tundra rust wrangler to enlarge to see little nick in plastic, where’s my fainting couch.