can you match a sealant or wax to a particular

If you have to park near people, one of the thicker car covers (Evolution 4 or Noah) can help minimize damage. Of course, if you are just running into a store, this is a hassle and I don't use it.



But, for any longer parking, I use the cover. With experience and experimentation, you can get the sucker on and off in a very short time.
 
masses! My girl was complaining just yesterday when I made her park far from the mall. Don't know

why I did this, force of habit even though we were

driving her car! (I guess I care about her car also!) This is the only answer.
 
Darbh, I would love to have the inner strength to use a car cover at work. I simply don't do it because of fear of scrutiny. I truly wish I didn't care though. Laters.
 
Yes, the image situation can be a problem. Putting the cover on and off can make you look, uhh . . . a little out there.

But, can you imagine the self-image and public image issues I went through when I started to <em class='bbc'>blow dry[/i] my car :eek: ? LOL

I got to tell you: there are all these things I do to keep up the appearance of the car. Having a surface coating on the paint (Z or Klasse, or whatever), periodic washing and using the cover are the top three items. Everything else, and there are a lot of other good things to do, is junior.

<em class='bbc'>And[/i] , cover use dramatically decreases the need to wash frequently and the need to apply surface protectants as frequently. It has the single most dramatic effect on the work I need to do to keep the car up. Imagine the benefit from the reduction of UV. My 1990 Lexus has extensive plastic fading, due to UV. Yes, you can monthly apply treatments designed to reduce the UV. Better just to block it to begin with.

Sun tsu said that the most skillful general will win the battle without fighting a war. The use of the cover is designed to accomplish that objective. (OK, I will go to bed - or soon I will be posting that we should write a book, "Zen and the Art of Auto Detailing." ;)
 
If the lot is full to the point where I have to resort to parking next to another car, one thing I often do is look for a space next to a car with clean wheels. I figure these folks aren't the type that would be careless with anyone else's car either.



Similarly, no way do I park next to a vehicle with horrendously filthy feet.





hb

******

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time for no good reason.

---Jack Handy
 
Some times I will park in a lot across the street from where I am going, if the lot is crowded. If I come out and your parked next to me and it looks like you dinged me,....oh boy!!



I would of course have to be absolutely sure your vehicle, did damage to mine. Like your paint on my vehicle, I would imagine where your door would strike my vehicle, if it were in the open position.



When you go to K-Mart and see that car parked way out on the other end of the lot thats me.
 
I always park in an end spot. I used to try and park next to the most expensive, cleanest car but they invariably left before I did. On too many occasions I returned to find an oversized truck or suv wedged next to me, usually parked across the line. One has to understand that I live in a rural western PA town and trucks and suvs are pretty much the norm.



If I have the wife and kids I usually drop them off and park myself. I have not received a single door ding since I started this. Of course since I live in a rural area finding an end spot is not very difficult. Btw I avoid parallel parking like the plague, I've seen too many people use the "bump technique" to determine when they have backed up far enough into a space. Another thing I avoid is valet parking, if you tip them more than the parking costs they will let you park your own car.
 
I always park in an end spot. I used to try and park next to the most expensive, cleanest car but they invariably left before I did. On too many occasions I returned to find an oversized truck or suv wedged next to me, usually parked across the line. One has to understand that I live in a rural western PA town and trucks and suvs are pretty much the norm. If I have the wife and kids I usually drop them off and park myself. I have not received a single door ding since I started this. Of course since I live in a rural area finding an end spot is not very difficult. Btw I avoid parallel parking like the plague, I've seen too many people use the "bump technique" to determine when they have backed up far enough into a space. Another thing I avoid is valet parking; if you tip them more than the parking costs they will usually let you park your own car.



AdamM, parking diagonally in two spots is also a pet peeve of mine. I have always wondered if those that park in this fashion ever receive any damage. On one occasion I saw someone park like this and a beater car parked diagonally next to him/her and left a gap of a few inches. I would have loved to have seen the expression on the owner's face when they came out from shopping.
 
Sunstar:



With valet parking, I usually just tip enough that no one drives my car. It stays right up front and never moves. Most often by the second trip to an establishment, I don't even get a claim ticket. That way the valets are pocketing the parking charge also.



Moral of the story -- act like you don't need a ticket. They'll get the message.



;)
 
My brother went to the store with his 7-year-old son a few weeks ago. He pulled next to a large, nice car and was getting out when his son (not of his genes, thank goodness) kicked his door open very hard. Of course it slammed into the very nice car (can't recall but I think it was a new Lincoln.) Hard. Made a huge noise. Then he noticed there was someone in the car. He got out. All 6'-8", 300 lbs of him. The guy walked over and was about to crush my brother when he saw that it was the kid that did it. He simple laughed it off and got back into his car and left. To this day my brother says he is now living on borrowed time! He had a long talk with his son and hopefully that won't be happening again soon.



So my advice is: If it looks like there may be a kid in the car, avoid it like the plague. By definition that means stay away from suv's, mini-vans, and any cars that have child seats or toys in the window. I drive an Expedition and am very careful. But nobody else is, apparently, because I have my share of dings and try to park as inconspicuously as possible.



I have been in my car when people have bumped their door into me, and they always seem to look at you as it's YOUR fault. Then they jump into their car and book off.



The other day I was leaving Office Depot when I noticed that my drivers side mirror was pointing 90 degrees from normal. Some idiot had manage to hit it so hard it almost broke it off. I have no idea how they did it, but to my amazement it snapped back into place.
 
Very good tip. Stay away from vehicles that you can see have kids in them. In addition to just throwing open doors without thinking twice, they often don't think very much about playing or running around your car either. I always seem to get kid fingerprints all over my car when I go to the mall or grocery store.
 
I see this all the time in NJ shopping malls. A person will park their shiny new sports car diagonally across (2) parking spots! When I see this, I know that this person is just begging for trouble. Too tempting for an adolescent teen to resist!!





:eek:
 
Let's see, two sure ways.



1. a pair of hungry Pit Bulls chained to each end of the vehicle

2. Some of those little anti-personel mines we had in Nam posistioned carefully around the perimeter.



Works everytime!!



:bounce
 
someone parks diagnally in a parking space! Especially when the next closest space is in the back of the lot! Where is a cop when you need one? Or a tow-truck for that matter! :D
 
We are, Autopian's Car Protection firm (ACP) operated and owned by JasonC8301.



Provides car protection from keying, dings, dents, kids, teens, adults, jealous people, bird bombs, disgruntled ex's, you name it, we can protect it!



Shop with confidence that your car will be protected!



We are serving the NY/NJ area, please call 1-800-AUTO-ACP, thats 1-800-AUTO-ACP.



We are uniformed/armed/ready to take a bullet for your car and we are fully insured.



LOL! Just Kidding, you know how much that would cost?????

:D



It would be good if we could have a family member or friend do this while we shop.



LAter,

JAson
 
forgot to mention you lock the car and we stand next to it. Along with a Lincoln Navigator/really big car parked on either side of your car to protect it.
 
I must confess........



When I was "much" younger a bunch of us went to the mall, we all had crappy cars and just seeing the boneheads stock corvette parked sideways was an open invitation.......



Yep, we parked our cars about 1" in front and behind the 'vette, left em there for the rest of the evening, about 6 hours. Luckily when we went back the guy was alone and real pissed.....but there was about 7 of us guys and he didn't say much.



This was before people started packin' guns and stuff too.........:(
 
Been me, as I walked up and saw a bunch of kids doing that, would have the phone on 911 and watched the fun start.



Think your folks would have made bail??:D
 
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