subject: Protecting A Major Investment: Our Cars [print this page] In our society, cars play a prominent roleIn our society, cars play a prominent role. The car we drive says something about who we are, what we do, what are tastes are, and in many cases how we live. Do we take care of our car? Do we baby it, love it, and treat it with kid gloves? Is it just an appliance like a stove or a blender? Do we trash it? Ignore it?
Next to a home, a car is the single biggest purchase most of us will make in our lifetime. For those who don't ever buy a home, the car is the biggest purchase made in their lifetime. For those who only buy new cars, it is possible that the purchase of multiple vehicles may actually add up to more than the money spent on a home.
Cars cost considerable money to maintain, insure and feed. With gasoline prices between $2.50 and $3.00 most places in the country (and subject to the vagaries of the free enterprise market system, a vehicle represents an important commitment in our life.
A recent television advertisement shows a woman, that obviously loves her car, driving to the top level of a parking garage which was totally empty of vehicles to park her car, in an obvious attempt to eliminate the risk of "parking lot chatter" ( The dings and scratches accrued by careless drivers and passengers who open their vehicle doors into the car next to them.) She is visibly upset when someone parks in the spot right next to her car.
Thankfully, vehicle manufactures today are trying to design cars to be resistant to this kind of damage. Body moldings are strategically placed and rubberized to absorb the impact of carelessly opened car doors. These body side moldings are carefully designed to be aesthetically pleasing in addition to providing the much needed impact absorption to protect sensitive paint, thus helping to preserve the original beauty of your car and helping your car to maintain its intrinsic value.
Sadly, some people are simply more careless than even superb design can handle. Larger vehicles like pickup trucks, especially those that have had lift kits tend to hit above the body side moldings and can cause dents, scratches, and scrapes. For those, well just be glad you paid that insurance bill.
