Parking tips for car lovers

Todd · 08-19-01, 02:04

Does anyone have little parking tips to prevent those carless jerks from destroying your hard work.I always try to park far away from most cars,It is amazing the damage I have seen on paint jobs from people who have no respect for other peoples property.I took my 12 year old to a car show a while back the poor child got a 20 minute lecture on not touching the cars before we arrived, but I think this falls into the respect category for other peoples thing whats up with the jerks that open doors against our cars who raised these kids?

AdamM · 08-19-01, 02:31

I try and find spots that are less likely to get door dings without making it very obvious. I think there’s a chance of attracting malicious acts like keying to people that park diagonal across two parking lot spaces (one of my pet peeves, dunno why but it makes me mad when is see this) or even parking a hundred feet from the last car.

In parking lots I’ll always grab the last spot in a row if I can so there’s no exposure to a driver’s side door. If I have to park adjacent to two cars I’ll try finding ones that are expensive, in good condition and clean, the last two being in the forefront of my mind. Another thing I look for is the gap between spaces. If the driver door to the car on my right is right on the line I’ll pass. Same thing goes for Lincoln Navigators and Suburbans in a ‘compact’ space.

Far as parallel parking goes, I just look for good gaps but you’re often not in a positions to be too picky when you’re looking for these spots.

JasonC8301 · 08-19-01, 02:35

If I had a car, I'll tend to park at the end of the parking lot, or as Adam stated near nice expensive clean cars. The little walk is not much and is good exercise. For the ML320 I detail the owner parks this car all the way in the back of the company parking lot, while everyone else parks up front. He was telling me about a guy that was hired not too long ago that parked a S55 AMG with the regulars (corollas, camrys, civics, neon, no knocking them but the econo cars, I personally take care of 5 corollas and 1 camry.)

Dave N · 08-19-01, 02:43

My last car was a black Nissan 200SX -- not a high-end car by any means, but I always tried to keep it nicely detailed. Every time I would shine it up, though, I would see all of the door dings down the passenger side from parking lot idiots. Well, I recently bought a new truck that sits up high, and I put some steel side step bars on it. NOW let the idiots open their doors into me!! All they hit is a big metal bar that leaves a chip in their door! Yes, I'm getting a purile sense of satisfaction from this, and I don't have any door dings (yet). I'm sure another truck or SUV could door ding me, but I take many of the parking precautions the previous poster mentioned.

08-19-01, 03:32

I like the way you think!

84GTV6 · 08-19-01, 05:38

I agree with the end spot in a parking lot! I also look to park next to a "nice" car vs. someones "transportation. It's usually obvious which is which! If you must park between cars look for a couple of 4 door cars. The doors are generally shorter, thus they do not open as wide!!

Tom F · 08-19-01, 06:13

I like the end spots in a parking lot also, where one side is protected by a end island.

Whats better is if its on a incline and I am above, the vehicle next to me as it is a litle harder to open there door against mine,if its a uphill open.I never park on the down hill end of the lot,cause a door usually is just let go.

Don2000g · 08-19-01, 06:16

Another thing is to try to get spaces next to a curb. That way you only expose one side of your car. It shouldn't be too much of an issue if you park real close to the curb. Also, I like to park next to handicap spaces. Very, very rarely does anyone park in these spots here where I live. So far so good. Laters.

Jav · 08-19-01, 06:55

My wife gets pi$$ed because I always park in what she called "BFE" at the mall or Wal-Mart. She says it be faster to walk from home, i tell to make sure she has comfortable shoes on for the hike.

Don2000g · 08-19-01, 08:05

Ok, what is BFE? Is it something like Bumble F... Help a guy out here. Thanks

michaelb · 08-19-01, 08:25

Don, the interpretation of BFE will get the the messaage deleted.

B -- backside
F -- guess
E -- Egypt

08-19-01, 08:25

the "E" stands for Egypt