I just had all my door dings and dents removed and now I'm real paranoid about where I park or who I park by etc. Does anybody know of any products out there (i.e partial car cover that hangs on the side of the door) or something like that that I can put on my car
when I have to park it long term in a tight parking lot? Any suggestions or ideas would be great. Thanks!

 

you can try something like this...just make sure no one takes it.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=92327

 

And your answer is........don't drive the car in public places, lol.

 

There was that old thread on here a long time ago about the guy putting a mattress on his porsche doors when he went into the mall.

Search did not find it. I think it was eraqsed when all the OT stuff was.

SuDZ

 

Where did you go to remove the dings and how much does it cost?????

 

I always use the same spot at the lot where I park to hit the train. Always the corner spot at the end of the row. Then I park outside of the poundary to give myself and the car next to me room to open the door without touching anything. I swear sometimes people do it on purpose. I have a ding where paint was actually chipped off of the door guard. I wish I was there when it happened.

 

Yeah, I'm starting to accumulate a fair amount of dings too. How much did it cost to get them all removed?

 

the best way to avoid door dings is to park next to other four door cars. The doors are shorter, so provided you leave enough space, there is less chance of someone dinging your door.

 

And don't park next to any cars on windy days. I have seen 30 mph winds catch a door and put a huge door ding in another car in the parking lot. I am also paranoid about door dings.

 

Haha my dopey sister did that once in her minivan. The wind was so strong it bent the door off the frame and she had to hold it shut the entire way to the garage to get it fixed.

 

I usually park far away from other cars but if I have to park in crowded areas then I try to park next to nice cars like a mercedes or lexus and hoping they will be careful to not scratch or dent their cars too

 

i caught a draft and hit a civic with some lady sitting in it, she looked at me but i think she was afraid to say something.

 

Paintless dent removal.
Cheaper and better results than bondo and paint.

 

Look in the directory for a place that specializes in only dent removal, and they took care of the whole car (30+ dings, bends and folds from 2 years of parking in the city) for $200. The car looks brand new and all the marks that other people left were buffed out.

I guess the best technique is to park far and walk....


Thanks for all the info!

 

Sometimes rich people can be the most clueless people in the world. Thus I'm not so sure ur car is safe parking next to these cars.

I think i've seen my fair share of stupid bimmer and luxo car drivers on the road, which leads me to believe they would not be any more careful when it comes to parking and opening their door carefully.

ever seen that pic of the woman driving on the highway in bmw with the gas handle along with the pump hose dangling from the side? If you have then u know what i mean.

 

I agree. Also, any car door is opened carelessly and hit your door, if not so hard, will make a dent on your door, probably nothing left on their door since it's the edge of the door that hits your door. The edge is many times stronger than the flat door panel. In mechanical design, wherever a flat surface is bent it is reinforced in that area.

 

I have some advice that comes from years of parking in parking garages . . . but it comes with a warning: the more you try to avoid door dings, the more you will get.

Anyway, here are a few suggestions: It is all about minimizing risk.

1. Where possible - eliminate at least one side of risk by parking next to some place no one else can park (wall, fence, lane of traffic, etc).

2. In combo with #1, park next to the passenger side of another vehicle. You know that a driver is getting in, a passenger may or may not. Of course, it is possible for that car to leave and another take its place so the space should be one in which the passenger's door will normally be next to yours.

3. Park next to any car, whether luxury or not that is obviously well cared for and maintained. Avoid parking next to beaters.

4. Park next to 4 door cars - shorter doors (previously mentioned)

5. Park on a flat surface. Avoid parking on the downhill side of a drivers door if you can avoid it (they'll swing it open and it'll take off). Parking on the uphill side of the driver's door is only marginally better (they'll have to keep pushing it open).

6. Avoid parking where the wind can blow open a door into your car (previsouly mentioned).

7. Angle park where possible -that is, if you've found a decent size spot with one side clear, angle your car so that the front is away from next car's door. WARNING: Taking up more than one space increases your risk of being keyed!

8. Avoid parking where people walk - for instance right in front of an entrance or near an elevator. They'll scratch the hell out of your car walking by.

9.*** Don't explain these principles to others who park where you do. I have explained these principles to a couple of co-workers who recently purchased nice cars (BMW 528 / Saab Viggen) and they now take MY parking spots in the garage.

 

So far the above advice is the best that I have seen.

 

or park llike a ricer!!

 

I dunno. I have seen people try to park next to the manyway and usually end up dining them when they try to get out. I think the best way os to leave your max at home in the garage, covered, gaurded, and never take it out ever.

But that might be overboard.

SuDZ

 

i was just looking around for some good products for cleaning and waxing and i came across this product...i dont know much about it but it sound like it works and i think i might buy it
http://autosupermart.com/cgi-bin/aut...parksmart.html

 

you could rig those with thin hooks and hand them out yoru windows on each side, that would work if you were real paranoid.

 

Or get a pair of big step tube usually found on trucks and SUVs. Let them stick out far enough meanwhile high enough to stop the next car door swing too far out towards your car. J/K

 

or you could do the thing that the lady did in the ACCORD commercial. lol puttin these velvety stands around the car to protect it from anything.

 

i'm more worried about leaving my car in the parking lot at work b/c of shopping carts hitting it

 

i used to park far away at shoppping malls when i used to work. park next to the median and my friends car at work.

 

I used to think parking in the middle of nowhere would keep my car safe from dings. Well sort of.

One time I parked in the middle space of a vacant five space slot. Came out from the restaurant, and there was a dent on my passenger side rear fender near the bumper. So, parking apart from other cars doesn't prevent idiots who don't know how to turn from hitting your car!


Basically, dings are part of car ownership. If you want to eat the costs of paintless dent repair every two years, that's fine. But my car is riddled with dings now, and it's probably going to stay that way for some time. I can remember when each ding appeared, and it sort of gives the car a little bit of character.

 

 

that's all i do