jkuniverse

Maybe it's just me...but everytime I take my baby(993) out to go to a mall, movies or something I have this paranoia about finding a parking space big enough so that my car doesn't receive door dings from those irresponsible people out there. In Southern California where I live, the parking spaces are getting smaller and smaller, it's become almost impossible to avoid these little collisions. I rather have the whole car stolen (I have good insurance) than live with those little eye sores (just kidding but you know what I mean). What precautions do you take when you park your car or what protections do you have to avoid those little dings? By the way, I'm very happy to be a rennlist member(just paid my membership today) and waiting for the membership logo update. Thanks to all of you folks for the invaluable information in this forum.

kdurg

Nice looking car JKUniverse....and welcome to the members lounge !!! You may need to email JohnD. as a friendly reminder to update your Avatar to Member/Addict status.

I normally park in a one sided space...where only one car is next to either side of mine. If I can find shaded space...even better. When I park at a distance from everyone else, it never ceases to amaze me the number of morons who will park right next to me. This thought process blows my mind, as they have SOOO MANY spaces available, but yet must park next to the Porsche.

BlackCar

At work, I angle park in two spots, since we have plenty of space in the parking lot. But when going out, the idea is to park at the far end of the lot and walk. Hell, I need the exercise.

The other thing I've done is to make magnetic door bumper strips. I purchased standard door edging from PepBoyz then glued on a magnetic strip glued to each. Cut it long enough to cover each door. When going into places where I could get someone openig their door onto mine (any Mall parking lot, movie theatre, or restaurant) , I attach the strips. They can't stay on all the time, or else you take a chance getting a paint line. Worked preety good so far.

Carreragal

"Far and Away" !

Rob 97 993c2

i had my shop put a little strip of 3m 'clear' (similar to the stoneguards) at the very edge of the doors .. so just in case in a garage/parking lot there is a little protection ..

993RS

I never park in tight spaces. Rather just move on till I find a roomy space. Of course, after some time other cars come and go and the space might become tight, specially because of the big space-hogging SUVs...

Bill P.

I like the exercise so have no problem parking away from the crowd. I usually park at an angle in the space to allow for door swings. I DO NOT take up two spaces. I'll bit my tongue and not say why....

I avoid parking next to Cameros/Firebirds or other
larger vehicles (two doors, mainly). This has worked well in keeping dings to a minimum.

Bill

TamiyaGuy

1) Park far away
2) Park in corner spots
3) Park next to cars that are more expensive than yours
4) Drive something else to the mall
5) Park on the street
6) Drive the car, don't park
7) Note the license plates of the two cars next to you. Make mental note of paint color.

These are the thoughts that go through my mind as I near the shopping mall.

Don C

All of the above. When that doesn't work, and I must park near someone, or where someone may park next to me, I carry these heavy plastic strips with magnetic backs that are about 3 ft long by about 6 inches wide, and about 1/2" deep of cushion. The apply nicely, and on my white car are barely visble. They easily stash in the trunk out of the way. I've only used them 3-4 times, but it has made me feel much better each time I have left my car. I got them from Performance Parts.

993Dave

At work, I've staked out a spot next to a post so that I only expose one side, and I snug right up to it to leave extra room on the other side. A guy with a very nicely kept IS300 always parks next to me, so I think we understand each other's concerns. Shopping means exercise.

BTW, welcome to the board. Maybe we will cross paths; I don't see too many Targas around town.

Watch My 6

Up here in the Bay Area parking can be quite a hassle, especially in San Francisco. Over the years, I've found having a 'beater' is worth every penny for those times when I don't want to stress out about parking situations; grocery runs, taking our dog out for a run at the park, going to the movies, dinner, etc.

I'll usually only take my C4S when I have a good idea of what the parking will be like and even then, I hunt for 'just the right spot'. Typically the perfect spot is wide, exposes only one side, and far away from any other cars. It drives my wife nuts, but she'll attest that all of my cars, with very few exceptions, have escaped the dreaded door dings and/or bumper scrapes.

However I'm not without stories. The VERY first day I picked up my X5, my wife and I took it to the beach and I did my usual routine and parked it as far away from everybody as possible in a corner spot. I'll be damned if I didn't come back no more than 30 minutes later and find a scrape in the rear bumper. And wouldn't you know it, there were no cars anywhere around me? Later in the year, we were visiting my folks down in Santa Barbara during one heck of a rainstorm with pretty high winds. We get up the next morning to go to breakfast and I find the X5 completely covered with big palm tree fronds and seeds. I cleaned everything off and initially, I thought it had come through unscathed. Unfortunately, I found a big, huge dent on the passengers side right on along a roof crease. Amazingly, it was fixed by a paintless, dent removal shop; I can't even tell where the dent used to be.

Long story short, as careful as you try to be, $hit still happens, and when it does, it can usually be repaired pretty easily.

WM6

jkuniverse

Thanks Keith for your comments! With the 'magnetic strip' idea, I came across this item in the web. Has anyone used something like this ever worked? or I guess I'll have to be creative in parking.

I like Dave's idea of parking next to nicely kept cars!!!...and also other ideas you folks provided.

Father of 3

If possible, I park in one sided spaces (where other side is end of row) where my door faces the car on the left. In this way, only cars with passengers will have chance to hit my car. If I park infringing upon the barrier on passenger side, who cares? No cars can park there.

Since in LA, it is very common for cars to have only a driver, this minimizes the opportunities for door dings. Believe it or not, I like to park next to minivans as well. God bless those sliding doors (or magic doors as my kids refer to them)!

I try to tell my Wife about this simple strategy but she has no interest! It kills me when people with nice cars park right next door to giant SUVs in tight spots!

911

Have you ever seen that VW commercial where it shows a driver park his car far, far away in the parking lot? Well, that's me. My friends know that when I drive my 993, they need to bring their walking shoes because I normally park very far away (i.e. last parking spot in an aisle).

BobbyB

I too park far away or the end spot where the car next to me will have the passanger door on my driver's door side. I've found this has helped to reduce the chances of door dings.

I used to wonder why of all the places someone could park, why would they park next to me when i park so far away from the building. Then one day as I was approaching my car I saw this hugh SUV parked next to me. I looked around at all the empty spaces and started thinking my "why me" thoughts. then I saw the owner of the SUV. When I was entering my car, he told me that his other car was a Porcsche and he hasn't dropped the habit of parking far away. And that when he sees another Porsche he trys to park next to it because he know he will not get a dent. Hmmmm, I hadn't thought of that one. Maybe not true in all cases but you never know.........