multicolored car= sadness
November 9, 2008 2:54 PM Subscribe
A douchebag in an SUV backed into my Toyota. $1000 later I have a tan hood on a teal car. Help me decorate it so it looks less pathetic and sad.
I was thinking some sort of stencil and spraypaint, but I'm open to other options as long as they're not obscene and can be accomplished by someone with average artistic ability. The car is old and a weird color, so I'm not paying to have it painted nor am I likely to find matching paint anywhere. If you have inspirational pictures I'd love to see them.
**also, if anyone happens to have any advice for dealing with Douchebag and his insurance company, I would LOVE to hear it. this is in MA.**
I was thinking some sort of stencil and spraypaint, but I'm open to other options as long as they're not obscene and can be accomplished by someone with average artistic ability. The car is old and a weird color, so I'm not paying to have it painted nor am I likely to find matching paint anywhere. If you have inspirational pictures I'd love to see them.
**also, if anyone happens to have any advice for dealing with Douchebag and his insurance company, I would LOVE to hear it. this is in MA.**
If you weren't at fault your insurance company should be dealing with him, not you. That's what you pay them for.
posted by bizwank at 3:23 PM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by bizwank at 3:23 PM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Someone charged 1000$ for a hood they didn't paint? FOR AN OLD TOYOTA??
posted by IronLizard at 4:00 PM on November 9, 2008
posted by IronLizard at 4:00 PM on November 9, 2008
When I lived in Austin (a few years ago now) there was a rather well-known car that had toys attached all over its outside. Action figures, plastic gewgaws, that kind of thing. The dinosaurs are the ones I remember the most. Needless to say, it was awesome.
That was Austin, though. Your town/employer/SO might not be down with that.
I couldn't find the exact car, but here are some more ideas.
posted by orrnyereg at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2008
That was Austin, though. Your town/employer/SO might not be down with that.
I couldn't find the exact car, but here are some more ideas.
posted by orrnyereg at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2008
Turn it into an art car, a la Berkeley art cars! I just saw an awesomeified car yesterday while walking to the library- on its hood was a gigantic zebra-striped dragon mouth with tendrils. Three boys who looked way too cool to smile stopped in the crosswalk and came over to pet the car, grin, and lean in to tell the driver, "That is one wicked ride, man."
I think my favorites are the diorama cars- the ones with little dinosaurs and stuff super glued to the hood. They are a little incognito at a distance but up close, the wow factor is pretty great.
posted by arnicae at 4:18 PM on November 9, 2008
I think my favorites are the diorama cars- the ones with little dinosaurs and stuff super glued to the hood. They are a little incognito at a distance but up close, the wow factor is pretty great.
posted by arnicae at 4:18 PM on November 9, 2008
Response by poster: just a few clarifications: there was a ton of other stuff replaced besides the hood. i didn't have collision coverage, and Douchebag reported that I rear-ended him. but i could go on forever about insurance crap- I need more ideas about what I should paint on the thing!
posted by genmonster at 4:19 PM on November 9, 2008
posted by genmonster at 4:19 PM on November 9, 2008
Stenciling could work. There are tons of websites and books with patterns and designs that can be scaled up, combined, and altered to make a unique piece of art. Use a good sealant to protect the paint as much as possible.
I would make a design that allows you to paint the edges of the hood a contrasting color to the rest of the car, as a sort of frame for the rest of the work. Having a deliberately, noticeably different color on the edges of the hood as part of the design will help it look less like a mismatched hood, and more like intentional decision.
And, like others, I don't understand why the other driver's insurance isn't covering everything, but that's for another AskMe.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:43 PM on November 9, 2008
I would make a design that allows you to paint the edges of the hood a contrasting color to the rest of the car, as a sort of frame for the rest of the work. Having a deliberately, noticeably different color on the edges of the hood as part of the design will help it look less like a mismatched hood, and more like intentional decision.
And, like others, I don't understand why the other driver's insurance isn't covering everything, but that's for another AskMe.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:43 PM on November 9, 2008
"nor am I likely to find matching paint anywhere."
Body shop supply places can custom mix spray cans of paint. It's a pretty expensive way to buy paint, might cost you 20-30 dollars, but you should only need a single can for a little hood like that.
Alternately just spray paint the hood a flat black. This is commonly done in some circles to reduce glare off the hood.
posted by Mitheral at 5:58 PM on November 9, 2008
Body shop supply places can custom mix spray cans of paint. It's a pretty expensive way to buy paint, might cost you 20-30 dollars, but you should only need a single can for a little hood like that.
Alternately just spray paint the hood a flat black. This is commonly done in some circles to reduce glare off the hood.
posted by Mitheral at 5:58 PM on November 9, 2008
Quickie on why the other driver's insurance isn't covering everything: when someone backs into another car, and there are no witnesses, the police and the insurance companies assume the person in back rear-ended the person in front. It's because they have no other choice but he-said she-said at that point, and (let's face it) odds are significantly greater that the person in back was at fault.
Having said that: I've witnessed a cube truck backing into another car and claiming they were rear-ended (but I was a young kid and didn't speak up that I was a witness, which I still regret to this day), and my sister had someone back a pickup truck into the front of her Saturn and had to eat the cost of repairs to her car. So genmonster, I feel your pain, and agree that it's completely unfair - nothing like an idiot with a jacked-up car backing into -- and caving in -- your car's front end.
Finally, if you don't go for the thunderbird (which would be HILARIOUS), note that a lot of Kids These Days(tm) are painting their hoods flat black in a half-assed attempt to make it look like a carbon fiber hood. So if you would rather look clueless than broke, you could do that. If it were me, I'd do the flat black AND the sticker.
posted by davejay at 8:30 PM on November 9, 2008
Having said that: I've witnessed a cube truck backing into another car and claiming they were rear-ended (but I was a young kid and didn't speak up that I was a witness, which I still regret to this day), and my sister had someone back a pickup truck into the front of her Saturn and had to eat the cost of repairs to her car. So genmonster, I feel your pain, and agree that it's completely unfair - nothing like an idiot with a jacked-up car backing into -- and caving in -- your car's front end.
Finally, if you don't go for the thunderbird (which would be HILARIOUS), note that a lot of Kids These Days(tm) are painting their hoods flat black in a half-assed attempt to make it look like a carbon fiber hood. So if you would rather look clueless than broke, you could do that. If it were me, I'd do the flat black AND the sticker.
posted by davejay at 8:30 PM on November 9, 2008
Get 2 cans of spray paint that are close in colour to the rest of your car, but would be on opposite sides of your car's colour on a colour wheel - the car is teal, so one can would be blue, the other green. Paint the hood one colour, let that dry, then create an interesting design on the hood in masking tape - something simple and linear - stripes, a grid pattern, a sunburst, something absrtract, whatever. Re-paint the hood with the other colour and remove the masking tape. From a distance, it will seem to match, and from close up, look artistic and cool.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:00 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:00 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
I've seen cars covered with cds, bamboo, flamingos (stencil?). And there's always the gnome scene I photographed recently. I love art cars!
I've been backed into (at a stop light, completely level, no hill) and been stuck with the bill. I was driving a Celica and he was driving a pickup truck. Jerk didn't see me, and decided he wanted to go another direction. I feel your pain
posted by tejolote at 9:12 PM on November 9, 2008
I've been backed into (at a stop light, completely level, no hill) and been stuck with the bill. I was driving a Celica and he was driving a pickup truck. Jerk didn't see me, and decided he wanted to go another direction. I feel your pain
posted by tejolote at 9:12 PM on November 9, 2008
I'm sure 'Pimp my Ride' would have much in the way of inspiration?
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 10:52 PM on November 9, 2008
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 10:52 PM on November 9, 2008
That's a weird wavelength to share, but the first thing I thought of when I read this question was gnomes.
posted by carsonb at 11:04 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by carsonb at 11:04 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
If the DB reported it as you rear-ended him, you're going to get surcharged. I'd focus on fighting that as you'll be paying for that for years in MA. I speak from experience.
Good luck on what is certainly a sucky situation!
posted by jerseygirl at 8:14 AM on November 10, 2008
Good luck on what is certainly a sucky situation!
posted by jerseygirl at 8:14 AM on November 10, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by exogenous at 3:22 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite]