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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Dumpster diving can be more expensive than anticipated

June 15, 2010 11:03 a.m. Jay Dork

Just did $500 of damage rescuing a €25 boardroom chair out of the trash. NOT HAPPY. Never assume that you can make it over the same kerb backwards as you can forwards. :(

The bump and small berm that did the dirty deed... I was backing up the hill onto the "road". Yes, I should have known better.

Now I know the GRM solution would be to do it myself, but seeing as I have NO experience with fiberglass/urathane/whatever, and I don't even know where to get the stuff over here (it's not sold at auto parts stores or any hardware store that I can find - seriously this is another huge rant of mine, the stores in this area NEVER EVER stock anything I might want, I would kill for a Princess Auto over here), it's going to a body shop. Now I have to find one who aren't hopelessly incompotent, rediculously expensive, or both.

To top it off I've got like a gazillion things to do at work, my boss is breathing down my neck to get on a plane to Indonesia ASAP, my home telephone and internet got cut off for no reason, and I'm in the middle of a prolonged fight with the dingleberries in the budget office over a travel expense report I gave them TWO YEARS AGO that could end up in ME paying two grand to my own employer if they get their way. I'm totally stressed out and have been in a foul mood for like the last month. DIDN'T NEED THIS RIGHT NOW.

Just had to vent. Thanks for reading.
June 15, 2010 11:12 a.m. Carson Dork

Damn!

Read Tommy's write up in the last (or the one before the last) issue before taking it to the body shop. You should be able to take care of it without prior know-how.
June 15, 2010 11:14 a.m. nutherjrfan Reader

man, I really feel for you on that. I've learned to just go aw E36 M3 and take the pain if I mess up, so long as no-one else gets hurt. You do need to research small euro pick-up trucks for this kinda stuff and of course post the results with pixors. The Elan will forgive you in time.
June 15, 2010 12:23 p.m. pigeon HalfDork

Damn. Can you source a good used replacement and just bolt that on instead? I did that when the DPO's attempt at repairing the deer-caused front bumper damage on my old 328i failed to hold up - good used bumper in my car's color shipped to me ws under $100 and it bolted on in about an hour. With yours, even if you have to paint it you're going to be miles ahead, since any repair on that bumper will need paint anyway.
June 15, 2010 12:27 p.m. 2002maniac Reader

where were you planning on putting your loot anyway? I can't imagine an office chair fits in the trunk of an elan.
June 15, 2010 12:41 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

Paint the grilles black this time.
June 15, 2010 1:39 p.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Paint the grilles black this time.

lulz
June 16, 2010 4:38 a.m. Jay Dork

2002maniac wrote:

where were you planning on putting your loot anyway? I can't imagine an office chair fits in the trunk of an elan.

It fit just fine in the passenger seat, with the top down.
June 16, 2010 5:31 a.m. Jay Dork

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Paint the grilles black this time.

Yeah, that's been part of the plan for ages. I wish Lotus had made them out of something other than old chicken wire but what can you do?

I've actually found a couple used bumpers in the UK but I think shipping is going to kill it. Going to have to see what it looks like when it comes off before I decide to replace rather than restore... There are probably less than 200 of these cars in all of Germany so I'm not holding out much hope of sourcing one locally.

I can't even get under the car without taking it to a shop, my only jack doesn't lift it high enough to get my jackstands underneath. That's really annoying.
June 16, 2010 7:01 a.m. Woody SuperDork

No photos of the chair?
June 16, 2010 12:38 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

use your jack to raise the car... place wood/bricks/cinderblocks under the jacked up wheels.. then use several large bits of wood to raise your jack up enough to raise the car without worrying about the jack tipping... place on jackstands..

or buy a taller jack

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