I’m pretty careful with my car. Every time I wash it, I usually spray on a coating product to give the paint a bit of extra protection. But somehow, the more attention I give it, the more it seems to get hurt.
Yesterday evening, the wind started picking up. Where I live in Guangdong, that usually means only one thing in winter: a temperature drop is coming. Then today, after heading out around noon and coming back, I noticed a small stone sitting at the base of the windshield.
The moment I saw it, I knew something was off. A stone doesn’t just end up in that spot for no reason, so I figured it must have hit part of the car first. I followed the edge of the windshield to check—and that’s when I saw it: several impact marks.
It wasn’t just the glass, either. The wiper arm and even the hood had been chipped, and in some places the damage had gone through to the metal. I honestly have no idea whether that’s going to lead to rust later.
The most annoying part is the mark on the windshield. I asked a seller who deals in glass repair liquid, and they said this kind of damage can’t really be fixed. I also checked with someone selling glass polishing products, and they said if there’s an actual dent in the surface, polishing won’t solve it either. So at this point I’ve basically given up on trying to repair it. Now I’m just hoping the hood won’t start rusting.
What makes it even more frustrating is that this isn’t the first time. My previous car had its front windshield cracked by a stone kicked up by a dump truck while I was driving. Moments like this really make me feel like my luck with windshields is terrible.
At this point all I can do is mutter, “Monsters and demons, go away. Monsters and demons, go away!”
If you’re the kind of person who fusses over car care too, I’m sure you’ll understand.