Has anyone experienced hail damage from spring storms yet? The other day at work, everyone had to evacuate to the basement due to a very powerful line of storms. On the way downstairs I saw and heard pea-sized hail pounding the windows and roof. I was so worried about my '8 unprotected in the parking lot. Fotunately, the hail didn't get any larger and my car was unscathed. I wasn't quite as lucky last year when my 3000GT get pelted with dime-sized hail, leaving dents all over the sheet metal. A good hail storm is probably one of the worst possible things (from a cosmetic standpoint) that can happen to a car, requiring extensive body work.

 

I was driving from Detroit back to Chicago friday afternoon when that wicked storm was on it's way. Luckily I needed gas and food, it was about 1:15pm I pulled into an Amoco under the roof to pump up.
The hail didn't get me, but it sure as hell scared the **** outta me!

 

What was the cost of removing all the hail dents? just curious, sounds bad. Did they end up repainting the whole car?

 

I've never seen hail damage but I imagine it dimpled all over like golf ball surface...

might help with aerodynamics! :D

 

God Columbus got nailed Friday evening by severe thunderstorms with some decent sized hail. I was sweating it bigtime but the RX-8 was no worse for the wear when it was all over. This is definately my #1 worry though having to park my baby outside all the time.

 

On a related note, be careful of what kind of trees you park under. I learned the hard way ala acorn-dents on my WRX's hood.

 

We had a severe dime-size hail storm last week; my 8 is currently parked outside because we are in the process of packing to move (piling boxes in the garage). I was a little concerned because of the 8's aluminum hood (aluminum dents easier than steel), but it came through OK.

 

Back in '88 I was stationed at Fort Hood, TX and got golf ball size hail. It destroyed my '84 RX7. Replaced glass, Side mirrors, hood. Total insurance claim was little over $5000.

 

A hail storm in 92 in Central Florida not only damaged any cars that were outside, many of the houses' roofs were destroyed too. The cars' hoods, trunks and roofs looked like someone went at them with a ball peen hammer. For the next year you could tell who had insurance or not. Either you drove a wrinkled wreck or you had a brand new paint job.

 

I am garageless, so I share your worries about hail. I've been thinking about putting a contingency plan into effect so that if severe thunderstorms are in the forecast, I can drive my 8 to a parking garage. Same goes for hurricanes. Aside from buying a thick car cover (i.e., Evolution IV) and crossing your fingers, I don't know what else can be done. Build a garage, I guess.

 

Ahh yes. You bring back fond memories of last year....

Rx8 acorn story here.

 

Although it didn't happen to my 8, back in 1988 I had just purchased a Olds Cutlass Calais with a 5 speed and the then new Quad-4 engine. One month after I bought the car there was a hail storm that winged its self thru Killeen, TX and caused $3200 in damage.....to a $10000 car!. They had to replace the hood and trunk lid and had $1000 worth of labor just to repair the roof. They also had to repaint the whole car. It took one week to repair.