Please help me!

[Tstar]

Hi all!

Ive just passed my driving test and have brought a Mercedes C180 Elegance.

However, having left my car in the drive, someone (i suspect the nasty groups of kids who loiter in the area) has attempted to rip off the back mercedes sign on the boot of the car. Its beyond repair - they ve taken the parts they ve mananged to rip off.

Having just brought the car, it is not yet insured. It is also the first car ive owned. I dont know how, where and how much it might cost to fix this problem. I live in Hertsfordshire.

If anyone could advise me on this it would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks.

[veedweeb]

If it's just the badge that's damaged, it won't cost much at all to repair.

There's one on ebay at the moment: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MERCEDES-CAR-BADGE_W0QQitemZ6639130428QQihZ012QQcategoryZ72185Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

If there's damage to the paint, however, it could be more expensive.

Good luck :)

[littlebrooklyn]

Welcome to the forum Tstar and congratulations on passing your driving test.

I think it’s awful that someone has damaged your car already, sadly there do seem to be a number of people out there than can’t abide someone owning a prestige car and have to damage it like that. I would imagine that even if you were insured, by the time you took into account your policy excess, it would be cheaper to pay for a new badge yourself.

I’m sure someone else on here will be able to give you advice on the best place to get a new one and to fix any damage these people have done to your car.

[jberks]

If it's any help I broke the one off the back of my E class. It cost £5 from the dealer so not really an insurance issue.
A C180 as a first car after a driving test is quite a leap. I started with a Lada! You don't say how old you are. I assume not 17, as a friend's son is paying over £1500 for insurance on a 3 cylinder corsa! Even then I imagine the premiums are going to be rather heavy and you certainly aren't going to want to make any claims.

[kevinororke]

Hi Tstar,

My advice is to leave the Merc badge off the back of the car until the kids are all ASBOed or finally grow up. If you put a new one on it will become a bit of a game with them to see if they can nick it.

Regards, Kevin

[tom7035]

Insulate the badge from the car then run a live wire to it from the nearest streetlamp! A bit like the electric shock collars used for animal training!! :-)

[Tstar]

Thank you for all your comments, i do appreciate them.

I will buy a new badge - hopefully off ebay - and stick it on with Adhesive...!?

Valid comments tho about the little s**ts doing it again. Just have to hope they don't i suppose. I like the idea of rigging it up to a streetlamp, lol, its either that or rehousing Mr Tiddles, our dog, to the front of the house where he can keep an eye on things - possibly act as a deterrent?........ Having said that..... with Mr Tiddles being a poodle....... and not a rottweiler, it might not work!

Thanks again for your help :)

[stu99]

its either that or rehousing Mr Tiddles, our dog, to the front of the house where he can keep an eye on things - possibly act as a deterrent


As long as it's either or - Mr Tiddles might otherwise get a nasty shock if he answered the call of nature against one of your wheels!

[jberks]

I will buy a new badge - hopefully off ebay - and stick it on with Adhesive...!?


By the time you pay p&p, ebay is more expensive and potentially lower quality than the dealer for one off bits like badges. Ebay is great for the expensive stuff but the cheap bits are often best from the parts counter. Quicker too!