skinzy

Getting my new 991 Cab at the end of next week (hopefully). My biggest fear is taking my first Porsche into public parking lots. Are these cars vandal magnets? Have a friend who just got his new honda "keyed". Are our cars more prone to this and what safety tips work?

rijowysock

never been keyed, dont **** people off and you should be fine

aamersa

Yes, it's just one of the down sides of owning a brand new car, the realistic fear of getting it dinged, scratch, rock chips etc., vandalism is more rare though. Not much can be done about it. The more paranoid you are, the more it happens. So best to be just carefree about it and use your common sense about where not to park it.

fbroen

After my first hood chip on my 997, I felt very liberated.

Mike in CA

It makes sense not to park your car in places where you personally wouldn't feel safe. Don't take up two spots in parking lots, and don't do things to **** people off that might encourage them to go after your car in retribution. Common sense goes a long way, but of course there are no guarantees and no way to counteract the actions of the random AH.

SteveFromMN

Park far away at the far end of parking lots. The exercise wil do you good. As Mike in LA said don't take up two spots or park at an angle. Using these simple rules I got no vandalism on my 996 for 12 years. My theory bad stupid people don't like to walk far to do their stupid deeds.

SSST

Life's too short to spend time worrying about stuff like this. In 36 years of driving, I've never had a car vandalized.

I know it happens but it is rare. Just use common sense when parking. Rock chips, door dings and curb rash are a much bigger threat than keying.

CayS

I totally agree. Never did these obviously stupid things and never got any of my cars vandalized.
My single biggest concern are people leaving their shopping carts wherever their car is parked. Add some wind or a sloped parking lot...
Ergo, you will find my car at the far ends of the parking lot or on the highest spots. This also led to some great chats with car afficionados who parked beside me just to be in the "safe zone" too.

skinzy

I think thats it. Drive and enjoy. Still that first ding has got to hurt!

Le Chef

Never had it in US with 3 911's, but in England they seem to hate other people's success, particularly ASBO's; so I've seen nice cars with a brick through the windshield, flambéd, and keyed.

Ironically the only place I've ever experienced real road aggression was driving through Knoxville when some redneck short of a fully illuminated lightbulb, driving a SuperRam pick up truck with a Confederate flag on the door, tried to forcibly move me out of my lane.

street

Our local club newsletter had a piece on avoiding parking lot problems including vandalism.

Many of the tips covered in the above posts. I'd add one more to the above. When in doubt, leave the good car at home.

clutchplate

Every dark metallic car I've had over the past 15 years has been keyed. May have just been a coincidence, but now I buy light color cars if the model may in any way suggest affluence. Seems to be less of a temptation as the key marks don't show as well.

Franklin229

Buy a cheap beater car for parking in public lots-

fbroen

Nah. That would defeat the all-aroundness usability and one of the great features of the 911, IMO. But I am a minimalist a heart, and don't want an extra car, so I may be a bit extreme there.

speed21

Can't say ive had much success parking an expensive Porsche amongst mainstream cars in a public car park. Only when i absolutely have no alternative and even then i will park it at the other end far away.... Street parking is the better bet. That way they can only bump the bars....which they will always find a way to do no matter how much room you give. Having a door swung into the side usually means panel and paint....owch!