AMGAffalterbach

When I first got the car I thought wow I really need to be careful because I didn't think it was that sturdy... but it is, very very strong even accidentally hitting it with a buffing unit I didn't do a thing to it. So no, I don't worry. I did hear of a story though (from this forum I think) where a guy went though an automatic car wash and it got caught in a spinning brush and beat the hell out of his car up and down the hood and roof. Utterly decimated his paint job and left bad dents in his car.

I for one don't take mine to auto car washes but it seems unlikely to me. As for parking in public lots... wow. I am more paranoid than almost anyone here I can tell you that. I always park in an area where I can see my car if I am eating inside somewhere, hate going to public lots and might just find another area to park, and unless some place is pretty busy I ALWAYS take up two spots just so no one will park next to me.

Wal*Mart... oh god... the thing that worries me more than anything is my school parking lot but I decided they won't notice me parking in the teacher's lot next to the AP Euro teacher's M5 so I do that even though I bought a parking pass.

That's the problem. I live in such a nice area that unfortunately many people have the attitude that they can do whatever without consequence and even if they do something wrong, daddy or mommy will pay for it so they tend to be a**holes in parking lots and act like they can afford as many lawyers in the world as it would take to get out of a simple $200 damage situation - regardless of the validity of that statement.

AMGAffalterbach

No man, no. Even most Targets are too "hood," that's why I go to Super Target. That type of behavior isn't tolerated at Super Target.

samaritrey

What is this walmart or target you speak of? And who goes shopping don't you have a personal shopper for that?

lol I honestly never worry about my c class because everywhere I go in the area I live in I have the maids car there are so many nice cars that my car rarely gets a second look. Now when I go other places like Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, west Virginia, southern VA I do get looks and sometimes negative treatment but I just park away from everyone but still with lights and stuff near by just in case but honestly that does no good. if someone wants to hurt your car it is going to get damaged no matter where you park and that is why we have insurance.
Don't you hate it when you park way the heck away form everyone and you come out and some one has parked there dented junky car right next to yours even though there are 20 other open spaces all around you.

I also was lucky in HS to be assigned to the teachers lot so my car I knew was safe the problem is that since it was a teachers lot you had to follow all the rules like 5mph speed limit and no standing around talking in the parking lot. I still don't know why I got assigned to the teachers lot between two teachers when my last name is in the middle of the alphabet and the guys that was in front of me when I turned in my application for a spot ended up in the main lot. I also have a twin sister who was assigned to the teachers lot made no sense since only like 20 kids parked in that lot. and Yes my sister and I drove separately to school even though we lived together and got off at the same time and both would almost always go straight home after. Wow those were the good days

04mbc230

Super Target? Other than I am assuming it's bigger, it's probably open 24/7. So when you go there to shop at midnight, there won't be any cars to worry about. Also, people are much more slower and zombie like.

Acutally, I haven't seen a Super Target before. I seen a Super Kmart and that was when I was visiting Arizona, Yuma. Opens 24/7, can't believe I was shopping at 1 am. hahah werid and felt like a zombie.

04mbc230

Uh.. Not all of us are set for life like that.

Yea, I know what you are talking about when you go all lengths to get away from the crowd and then there is a junky car park right next to you. Worst part is, they park so close to your car on the driver side, which you know for sure they don't care and would dent your car. That pisses me off real bad. As a matter of a fact, it just happen 2 days ago..

samaritrey

I love going grocery shopping at like 1am that is when the characters come out and my local Safeway like 2 minutes from my house that is open 24/7 becomes so busy from around 11pm-2am that it is ridiculous to have to stand in line 5-10 minutes to get rung out with 2 or 3 lines open. I will say I always have some one with food stamps in front of me that apparently that takes a few minutes to process so that may be why it takes so long.

Peydidy

I just got back from safeway and its 1 in the morning right now .
I always shop late (usually because I leave the gym around midnight and stop at safeway on my way home) I think its the best time to shop because no ones there so you get the best parking spots, not crowded in the store and usually no lines. The worst is when 5 mins before midnight they close all the registers for 15 mins and there a fat line for days, I don't know if thats just my safeway or all are like that.

LILBENZ230

You guys actually have the W203 get noticed? No one pays any attention here. And the W203 is often one of the nicer cars in the lot.

AMGAffalterbach

The W211 gets noticed occasionally in my area but its nothing that is uncommon
The W203, however constitutes every other car in this city - saw 6 on the 3 mile drive to school this morning

LILBENZ230

There are only a handful of W203s I see in my area.. and no one seems to pay any attention to them.

Peydidy

When I first got the car it was noticided alot then not so much after the first few weeks, then once I started modding it people started to notice it again

AMGAffalterbach

Had a few interesting experiences as a young driver in a nice car... read about in on the W211 forums but it became a debate on how defined Mercedes-Benz vehicles really are.

In actuality, I can say for someone who appreciates luxury, comfort, and beautiful cars they will certainly notice even a C-Class.

samaritrey

They close the lines at my store too never figured out why.

Peydidy

I asked once and they said it was because they need to close the registers for a few mins so there registers can restart, I think it is to reset the pricing they have because prices change from day to day on some advertised things. Still not positive why though

Peydidy

I like how this went from a thread about worrying about getting your hood ornament pulled off to talking about why safeway closes there lines at middnight

AMGAffalterbach

Dear God... now what??

Peydidy

what?

kirax2

YOU GUYS ARE ALL TROLLING!!
PEYDIDDY, ever heard of De Anza College?





welcome to the Bay Area

Peydidy

hahah is that my car in the first pic? and are you talking about the college on Steven's creak in cupertino?

kirax2

lol hell ya, seriously stop by Cupertino Village, and Marina Food on Stevens Creek, drive around and let me know if anyone recognize the coupe

Peydidy

haha will do, that would be funny if they do. is there were you went to college?

kirax2

oh ya, good old days... what about you? what do you do there often?

LILBENZ230

My Benz has been almost exclusively washed in automatic washers with spinning brushes for the past 4 years I have owned it. At least once a week, maybe more. Not only does the paint still look great (ask Johnand), the star on the hood ends up cocked to one side or laying flat on the hood but it won't budge.

AMGAffalterbach

Yeah it is quite sturdy - that was an incident with a weakened or aftermarket ornament that was somehow damaged or improperly installed. I would never take my Mercedes to an automatic car wash. Realistically, I know it won't do anything bad too it - but I truly just can't get over the fear of something going wrong or dirt in the car wash apparatuses that causes scratching. Had it happen before to my dad's old car.

LILBENZ230

Has yet to happen to me in 4 years of regular automatic car washes. But silver doesn't show much either way. That being said, the black 135i also sees exclusive automatic car wash use and is fine as well.

My C230 is an $8000 car on its best day. I'm not sure why so many people still act like it's a rare, high value exotic that can't go to automatic washes or Wal-Marts.