audi ownership shattered by one drive on the motorway

[tj1978]

My car which i have had for one month and loved to bits has been destroyed by a gritting machine.. i drove past one last last night and my paintwork is totally ruined on my front bonnet...

I have lost all my enthusiasm and enjoyment from owning it and am totally devistated... I feel that the council should pay ....

can someone tell me what they use to grit the roads. is it a mixture of salt and sand or are they stone chips...

If anyone can help suggest a way of getting the paintwork back to a near perfect condition please let me know otherwise I am on the verge of selling my car and driving a moped for the rest of my life

Regards

Tim

 

[jcs356]

Sorry to hear what has happened. I detest gritting machines and I've been known to go a different way if I see one ahead or slow right down to ensure that I don't pass it.

Councils use either rock salt - which is basically the salt in it's raw, straight out of the ground form, or some have now started using a salt liquid solution which is sprayed rather than scattered. This is more expensive but I think it is more easily controlled and better working than rock salt. So yes, it is bits of rock with high salt content that have caused the stone chips.

I've not heard of anyone pursuing a council for repairs caused by gritting - but given they will pay up (eventually) for pothole damage, you might have a case? Worth contacting the highways department and see what they say? They will try to fob you off, but keep pressing. Otherwise I think a front end respray will be a few hundred.

Sorry once again and hope you cheer up.

 

[jojo]

Christ! what was you doing?, following the gritter directly behind it for a few miles?
I've overtook a gritter in my S3 on the motorway before, not had any damage to my paint work at all?

 

[SamDude]

My car which i have had for one month and loved to bits has been destroyed by a gritting machine.. i drove past one last last night and my paintwork is totally ruined on my front bonnet...

I have lost all my enthusiasm and enjoyment from owning it and am totally devistated... I feel that the council should pay ....

can someone tell me what they use to grit the roads. is it a mixture of salt and sand or are they stone chips...

If anyone can help suggest a way of getting the paintwork back to a near perfect condition please let me know otherwise I am on the verge of selling my car and driving a moped for the rest of my life

Regards

Tim

What were you thinking?

Sorry to sound harsh - but you sound like the kind of person that needs a "Caution - Very Hot" label on your tea/coffee.

You put your hand under boiling water, you get burned.
You drive directly behind an active gritting truck, you get.... gritted.



You should have held back and taken the chance to overtake at the widest opportunity.

 

[SamDude]

Having said that, any picture?

 

[rodenal]

Sounds strange, cant see how a bit of grit could cause that much damage - unless you were following right behind it for miles as said

 

[claudefrog]

not understand when you are getting the grit splattered up over your car to either back off.. or get past in an instant... i personally will not pass a gritter

 

[tj1978]

i held back first and then overtook at the earliest opportunity...

The sound of the salt on my car last for about 10 -15 seconds before i passed... So it wasnt a long period of time...

To the S3 owner... did you hear a noise on your bonnet of the grit salts hitting you car ?? and there was no damage ?!?

 

[rodenal]

im guessing you've tried washing it to take anything off the surface?

I honestly cant understand how a little bit of grit could cause alot of damage, are you sure you aint overreacting

 

[AndyMac]

Another reason you should always keep the front of your bonnet well waxed.
Whatever you do don't use a pressure washer on it as it'll strip off the lacquer and you won't even know it until it dries.
Can't really see what the all the fuss is about. If it's that bad get it resprayed. It'll cost £200 at a good bodyshop, hardly worth selling the car for.

 

[Jampublic]

I have gone past loads of gritters in my S3, and mine is black which shows every little scratch. I have never seen damage from a gritter, but i won't be surprised it could do some damage if you hung around to long!!

Rather behind a gritter in an Audi, than a moped! lol

 

[silver75]

are you sure you aint overreacting

.

 

[jonS3]

I got gritted properly in my black integra type r, sounded horrific due to it being made mainly from recycled tinned cans, i didnt notice any damage

 

[tj1978]

first thing i did was pour loads of water over the car to wash anything off the paint work, then I washed with auto glym shampoo and a wool mit...

Must admit that maybe I overreacted with pure Fury at the council, just because I am perhaps too attached to my possessions......

Car looks better washed BUT I think I do notice a lot more little white chips at the front grill under the Audi rings which is body colour Paint, but then I never looked really close when I bought the car, so they may have already been there....

It really sounded horrific, when I overtook, as though my entire bonnet was getting showered in it....

I still hate gritters and after calming down I have decided to remain calm and look at just figuring out a way to get parts of the paintwork restored....

Thanks for allowing me to vent my frustration and anger on the Forum :O)

Regards

Tim

 

[jojo]

i held back first and then overtook at the earliest opportunity...

The sound of the salt on my car last for about 10 -15 seconds before i passed... So it wasnt a long period of time...

To the S3 owner... did you hear a noise on your bonnet of the grit salts hitting you car ?? and there was no damage ?!?

Well, whilst doing a comfortable speed on the 3 lane motorway, Mr Gritter just has to hog the middle lane with a whole load of car keeping a good distance following it doing approx. 40mph. So I made a choice to pass it, as I had remapped power, so thought it would be quick and easy.
Like you say, it's a good 10-15 secs from a run up to actually passing the gritter, and sounds of salt hitting your bodywork is always gong to make you think of the worse! But I was much more comfortable after passing it and cruising back to speed on an almost empty road, than following at distance and still drive over the salt/grit.
I clean and wax my car regularly(despite what other members think on the forum ), so a quick blast with a jetwash the next day removed the tiny bits of grit, but no damage whatso ever... got a few stone chips now mind, but wouldn't have blamed the gritter experience for them.

 

[Jampublic]

Must admit that maybe I overreacted with pure Fury at the council, just because I am perhaps too attached to my possessions......

Ah no worries! You have had your car a month, so of course your going to be over protective!

Had my car nearly 2 years and still over protective! lol

 

[tj1978]

i still have the front colour bumper now with like sprinkles of small white chips, which really upsets me...

Is there anything apart from a re-spray I can do ?

 

[ChriS3]

You could have the car detailed....

 

[tj1978]

yeah ? would that get the chips on the bumper sorted ?

can you reccomend a good person/company who would do that for me :O)

Tim