pudding1978

For me, I'll usually try to park next to a median or curb. That reduces my chances by 50% (though I'm careful not to hit the curb). Also, I park abnormally far away from the building and never park next to a beater (any car that the owner obviously doesn't care about).

P.S. and off topic, what does that little arrow button in the cupholder do?

lfranklin

The arrow locks/unlocks the cupholder - so you can take it out. Re: parking - when I bought my first mbz - I was warned about the (Benz***** syndrome) some people, perhaps enviously, deliberately will dink your car, etc. Parking in the middle of nowhere could just draw attention to your car, and to the fact that you are concerned about your car and that they can really stick it to you. Try and park next to another MB, a Porsche, a BMW etc, they may admire your car but aren't envious, and are probably going to be as careful as you are. Parking next to ANY new car helps. If you go to park at WalMart, etc., buy some touchup paint. They are going to happen! The best advice is to ignore dinks and enjoy your car more. If you can't see it from 30 feet away it doesn't exist!

BudC

I've had my 1991 300E for 20 years. It has one small ding in a rear door and I know exactly where it happened. It was in a parking ramp in Vancouver, BC and I was parked next to a Porsche. Go figure.

On the other hand, we've had two Mercedes damaged by hail in Wyoming and Montana.

K-A

Lol, I like that.

I do the same things as O/P stated, as I'm INSANE about parking my car. I've driven lots for minutes just trying to find the "Perfect Spot". I never park in between two cars if I can help it. Always take a spot that has at least one side that's a wall/curb/etc. (if I can find a spot that is a solo spot, then it's like finding a pot of gold), makes sure to park it a slight ways away only if need be. Also, if you know that you're going to a congested or damage prone area for a quick trip, and have another car you care less about, it wouldn't hurt to take that one.

Also, touch up paint, dent doctors, etc. are all your friend.

jagata

Reasons for me to park further from the entrance of any store or mall:

1: Less traffic
2: less door dings
3: less people walking behind your car, in and out parking lot fast
4: love looking at the car from a distance as I approach
5: extra exercise for my fat ***

pudding1978

A lot of good points and ideas, thanks guys. I agree with jta00r1 regarding parking at a distance. I mean, if someone is going to purposefully vandalize your car, I'm sure they have their reasons. I just can't imagine someone saying, "Hey! Look at that prissy **** who parked away from the other cars. Let drive up next to him use our car to dent his, get out and key it, and drive away! That'll show him he's not better den me!" It's more likely going to be the girl you didn't call the next day.

Thanks lfranklin for solving that mystery for me. Now I can take it out to wash after I spill vegan smoothie in it.

As far as not obsessing about dings, I just can't help it. It ruins the look IMHO. If I did get one, I would make an appointment the next day to get it fixed.

Arrie

One more trick: Don't park next to Coupes, i.e. 2-door cars. In almost all 2-door cars the doors are much longer than normal 4-door front doors. This is because there needs to be room to access back seat. To open the door enough to get on the front seat means the back edge of the door is way more out than with normal 4-door front door.

K-A

Yes, I HATE parking next to Coupes with those huge barn doors!

petee1997

I will walk long distances in order to park my car in a less hazardous spot. On the other hand, my wife will park as close to the door of any place she goes to. Her car reflects her sorry *** parking. By the time she traded her BMW we had spent $900.00 on parking lot incidents of which one cost $650.00 to repair and repaint the front bumper cover. You would think that would change her behavior, unfortunately it hasn't.

hyperion667

doesn't always work, but I also try to go out and do my crap during 'slow' times of the day......in my area....when (hopefully) fewer people are out and about.....
parking further away: always do it.....don't usually do the "two space" thing, that pisses me off like hell when people do that.......
the median or curb is always a good place; yes....but you gotta watch out for that wheel bite business.....I never do it, but laugh at those who do....can't help it....
also I try and scan for a spot that will give me a good exo-scape, and usually try to park facing forwards....

EmE247

Is it just me or is our paranoia about our cars somewhat retarded?

I am the same. Park in spaces with a lot of room between the cars for people to get in and out of. Park in a different spot if there is a beater next to me. Street park it even if there is a parking lot when possible. Only valet park when they let me self park it which I tip double for. And even still doing all of these, dings are sometimes inevitable.

I had a leased BMW 550 that i didnt care much for. I had a Mustang GT that i didnt care at all for. I had a Jeep Cherokee that welcomed car dings. My wife has a new Honda Pilot that is ding free, but that is the car of choice when it comes to going to the market/mall/places I would rather not park my ride. The freedom that comes with driving cars that you could care less about is pretty nice.

Same retardness goes for my slalom driving around potholes.

El Cid

Don't park near pick-up trucks for same reason as avoiding coupes - and lots of pick-ups are old and used for work so owners don't care.
I park a good distance from entrances, but not way out by itself. Try to be cautious at places where parking lanes are really small.
Also, park away from shopping cart return locations. Lots and lots of lazy people just push carts toward the return locations, if they bother to do that.

ImInPA

After nearly 40 years of driving I have found only one fool-proof way of avoiding door dings. Leave it in your garage. Don't drive it, and, whatever you do, never park it anywhere. Of course this is not very practical unless your cars are purchased for a museum. Now, if you are dead set on driving the car you purchased, the best thing you can do is pray. In the US, we breed a lot of disrespectful and inconsiderate idiots. As mentioned in other threads above, it doesn't matter how far out in the "no dent zone" you park. If one of America's finest is going to ding your car, there is little you can do about it. I would love to see car manufacturers that are implementing the "360 degree" cameras provide a "surveillance" mode that can record while you are away.

K-A

Tell me about it, that's exactly how I am with my Chevy. The thing barely ever gets washed. Guess what? I don't think it even has a door ding either! And I'll park it wherever.

If I could only be that way about my Benz, my life would be much simpler. However, I'm OCD, and can't. At the same time, I get a massive amount of happiness when I look at my car, and see it looking as pristine as it could get.

Arrie

Well,

some cars or rather pick-ups or SUVs have those plastic trims runnig at sides. Those are good in keeping door dings away but not practical for cars like ours.

But yet one more trick. The other day I parked my car next to another E350 while going to a market. When got out from the store there was another E350 parked on the other side of mine. I was sandwiched in! Did not mind this at all. Beautiful scene. And no door dings.

fingroupb

Same. The other advantage to this approach is that it's often faster to park in the distance and walk! I can't believe the number of people that circle a parking lot, passing up spaces that are farther away while they search for the absolutely closest spot so they can drag their fat asses the minimum distance. Or worse, those that wait right in the middle of a lane for someone to pull out, when there's plenty of parking 10 spaces down.

I'm so **** about dings that I bit on my dealership's "ding insurance" -- the only extra I added when I signed on the dotted line. $500 gets me all the dings I can eat -- it's either for 5 years or lifetime, can't remember. But two trips will pay for it. And they will happen, despite how careful I am. I use all the same tricks, park next to a curb when possible, park next to another German car, parallel park if available, etc etc.

lyjw88

I use this when I have to park in a tight spot.

ImInPA

Nice device. Where I live, the idiots would only find that to be a challenge...a minor hurdle to overcome. Where I live now is the only place I have ever lived where you see door dings much higher than the doors (e.g. in the middle of a C pillar). Usually some jacked up SUV or other Truck-a-sauraus looking vehicle.

danlnyc

I have ding protection warranty, but just to be on the safe side, I try to park next to friends cars (if I with them) or try to park next to a curb.

It also depends on what city I'm in. If I am in Los Angeles, I don't even take my car out. People here literally dont give a f*ck about other people's cars. They will swing the door wide open, damage your car, and drive off like nothing happened since 70% of the cars here are trash and falling apart. Matters to you, doesn't matter to them.

However, in Orange County I found that people are much more respectful, and will try not to hit your car when they swing the door open. I've actually observed people doing this even in tight spots...makes me pretty appreciative.

RNBRAD

I'm like the rest of you, always overly careful. Even as careful as I am I have had 2 dings though one was my wife, she accidentally bumped her knee when she was getting into the car and hit the inside lip of the back door. The other one I have no clu but was minor. My suggestion to those that get dings without any paint damage is find a reputable paintless dent repair guy. I've had it done twice and the results are amazing and you could never tell I had a ding. 100% restore.

hanjaya1

I am not worry about the ding:

1. I try to park the most right side of the parking lot. Why? Because nobody park on your right side. On the left side, if the driver park nose first, most likely he will come from the left side. Only when he has passennger or park back first, then the probability to get ding is there. But you are reducing the chance to get ding.

2. If you can fully open the door, then chance is the other car can open the door too.

3. If you still get ding, in Michigan, it is not at fault rule (part of board collision rule). Bring to the body shop and Insurance will pay free eventhough you have collision deductible. It will not increase your Insurace premium.

My car always ding free.

golfster

Several years ago I found myself leaving an airport after unsuccessfully seeking that "just right spot." The problem is, I elected to miss my flight versus park and leave the car where I knew it was at risk. I realized I needed help at that point...

I started taking car services to the airport after that.

K-A

LOL! Sounds exactly like me. Just today, I was going to visit my Girlfriend at her job. I probably wasted a gallon of Gas, circling the neighborhood to find that "right spot" (I also refuse to Valet when I have the choice). Not too bad, as every minute in this car is pleasurable.

The problem with those is how it will attract more attention than it will possibly help. Also, I'd be worried about it scratching up the paint, lol.

HAHA! So true, and this annoys me to no end (on the other hand, makes my life easier). People can be such lazy slobs. I've seen people cram their cars in between two others to just get a slightly better spot.

Someone said above that they love walking up to and seeing their car, I second that as well.

That's terrible. I hate those moronically lifted Trucks. They're such a safety hazard to others, they should be regulated against/illegal. BTW, a dent on a C-Pillar is a much bigger problem than on a door.

lyjw88

yea, some of the neighbors in my apartment garage think I'm crazy haha

hyperion667

are those magnetic? how to they stay on?