Mazda Repair: Rotor damage?, road grime, scissor jack

Question
Hi John,

I was lifting my car, 2003 protege lx, up the other day with the scissor jack in the trunk, to take off the wheels and clean the other side of the alloys.  I've done this with my other day many times and have not had a problem...I also made sure the e-brake was on and the tires were chocked. All of a sudden the car shifted and slammed on the front driver side rotor.  I now know this isn't the safest way to do this and will invest in a jack and stands before I do this next.  I had checked to see if there was any visible damage and it looks the pavement took the biggest hit.  I didn't see anything wrong and have been driving it for the past couple weeks with no problems.  Could there be any damage beyond what I see?  Thanks!

Phil

Answer
Just keep an eye on them you could have cracked a vane or two but I suspect that due to your driving style and maintenance schedule you will catch them if they become a problem. Falling off the jack is not a big deal considering they are designed to survive major wheel failure. I recommend that you buy some jack stands and a good aluminum floor jack "The $80-$100 variety". Then you can clean your wheels risk free. Also, try using Zymol on the back sides of your freshly cleaned alloys; it will make them easier to clean in the future. I use car-quest purple stuff or a product made by a local Maine company called ultra pink to clean rims and tires. They remove almost all road grime with minimal scrubbing and also purge the tar and crud out of the tires leaving a nice clean rubber look.

Regards,

John