In the three weeks since I have had my new SL, it has amazed me how HUGE vans, trucks and suburbans seek out my SL and park next to it. I will park my SL in the furthest "nether regions" of a parking lot, away from any other cars, in a completely empty section of a parking lot, and I will come out of the store to see one of those monstrosities parked next to my car. Do truck owners do this in spite, or do they consider Mercedes a "safe zone" against having their own cars damaged by other people's car doors?

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Sue's 2006 SL

 

The SL is so short compared to everything else

I know I park next to nice cars because that way I know one side of the car is safe.

At school I park most of my car in the yellow zone. That way I know no one can hit my car by swinging out their doors.

 

hahahaa, i actually go out of my way to park my SL right next to big vehicles that aren't entirely in their own spot (where they try to take up too much room for another car to fit), even if it means that i am way too close to their car.i think it's hilarious and i've actually not been dinged once... i do make sure to only park on the passenger side of them so they have the option of backing out to let someone in.

and yes, i do think they park way out by you out of spite. to them it's very obvious why you are parked way out there and they get a kick out of going out of their way to ruin your plan. i've been in a truck where someone did this and it seems to be some sort of passive-aggressive thing.

 

I remember on the ferrari forum, owners always complained about this.

Or maybe they are just drawn to the SL like a tractor beam....I've confronted people before though and they always say it was an accident...

I also seek high value cars to park next to as a rule, 'cuz I know the owners will be respectful.

 

well sometimes they want to check out the car and are too lazy to park far away and actually walk to see it, so they park close to it and check it out when they get out of their car... i've been spectacle to this on several high end vehicles..

 

I haven't noticed big trucks, vans, SUV's parking next to me when I'm in the parking lot netherlands - thank God! I usualy try and park in end spaces so that I can put about a quarter of my car in the striped area to leave the side I'm exposed on lots of room for door swing.

 

I always get bombs parking next to me no matter how far away in the parking lot I park. I too cannot understand why. I dont mind as long as they dont put dings in my car.

Have you guys noticed that the doors on most of these old cars just swings open. Then WHAM! right into the next car.

 

LOL. The SL doors are pretty big and beefy and could do a lot of damage themselves I am a woman and I have to really hold onto the door so it doesn't get away from me. I always put my hand between the door and wall/car (ouch!) whenever I open my car door in a tight space, just to protect MY car.

Parking my SL is usually the trickiest in our own garage. The SL doors swing open so wide and they are so heavy.
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Sue's 2006 SL

 

I'm pleased to see this happens to everyone else too. After many years of personal anguish - both real and imagined - I have many non-violable rules about parking which have paid off:

# Never park where I'm told to.
# Never park fully or partially in disabled bays, over no parking lines or on loading zones (the risk of 'status retaliation' is greater when you do that)
# Never park in angled spaces.
# Never park close to an event entrance. (It's a bit like the restaurant table next to the kitchen door)
# Never park in parking buildings (lack of security, awkward entry/exit)
# Never park in back alleys or low trafficked areas (big story in our city a while back when someone poured a tin of paint into an open XK8 while it was parked in a back alley)

# Always parallel-park (nose to tail).
# Always park at end of street/ bay/ event.
# Always park with an open option on one end or side of the car... like next to disabled bays, no parking lines or loading zones.
# Always park further than others need to walk. This stops anyone parking close as shown this thread.
# Always park with driver's door on the open side. Stops noobs blocking me getting in. (Once had that happen in a supermarket park, and the guy put on a great show of feigning ignorance at my predicament. My faith in the goodness of the human race dropped appreciably at that point!)

So after all these self-imposed restrictions you'd be surprised how many available parks there are anywhere... I always seem to find one that fits all my conditions without a problem, even in the city center.

Ken Silver
(I'm here because the R230 is to be my next car!)
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Lexus LX470 SUV, sand/ivory leather.
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5, Jaguar Daimler and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

 

That's a great synopsis, Ken. Those all run through my head when I pull into a parking lot. You summed up my most often used rule very well, "Always park further than others need to walk."

Today, I drove around a crowded parking lot twice, just looking for the right spot to park. It's time consuming, but my car is still very new and I am not ready to give it up to (potential) damage, yet. Will I ever get over this paranoia?? I break into a sweat while shopping, worrying about my car in the parking lot. This car is an awesome thrill to drive, though, and is worth every worry.

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Sue’s 2006 SL500

 

Sue,

Yes, I've done the sweat thing. but now avoid it by using the SL for pleasure only... the Lexus is better for a daily driver.

Of course that takes away some of the fun of owning one of these beauties, but it's a cruel, hard parker's world out there!

Ken Silver

 

Ken-

Ohhh, I am so not ready to go back to my Highlander, yet. I only pull it out when I HAVE TO take both of my kids somewhere at the same time. I've considered stuffing my 11-year-old behind the seats of the SL and strapping him in with the luggage straps, but that just isn't a good idea.

I am still in that stage where I am always searching for places to take the SL (I went to the bank TWICE today ). Just remember back when you (we all) got our driver's licenses the first time around. Hopefully, some day I will get my wits about me and be able to leave the SL in the garage for a few hours. For now, my SL is the coolest machine on the planet and I am having the time of my life!

Sue

 

Funny you should mention this. Last night I went to Whole Foods and parked my new E55 way out in the lot, the closest other cars were ten to twenty spaces away in any direction. When I came out of the store there was a huge blue pick-up truck parked in the space very close to me, since this person had so many other open spaces/areas to choose from it made me wonder too. Now if I can figure out a way to only have single hot women do this...

 

hahahah, come out to orange county and tons of hot women will do this... some of them might even be single... maybe 10%... hahaha

 

That's it exactly! It is the strangest thing. It is almost funny the way it happens. Sometimes I am only in the store for a few minutes and BINGO I walk out to a big truck parked next to my car. I think they are like gremlins that follow us around.

Today, though, I found my first dreaded scratches on my car. I found them when I washed my car (which I do about every three days) and it was a shopping cart imprint with fine scratches on the rear bumper of my car. I was actually quite calm about it because I have preparing myself for the worst. So, I got out the Meguirs and went to work on it. THANKFULLY it all buffed out. Now, I not only have to worry about other people's car doors, but shopping carts from hell, too!
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Sue’s 2006 SL500
European Delivery February 2006

 

you cant live in fear forever... i was like this when i got my C class... yea, a C class... then my dad was like "what, you will drive this car in fear? then you mind as well just not drive it." obv i still prefer to park far, but sometimes, if i find it too much of a hassle i wont... but then again its me... and flamesuit on (yes i kno its a "only" a C class)

 

How long have you had your car? Any dings or scratches, yet?

Yours is black like mine. Tough color to have, but beautiful!
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Sue’s 2006 SL500
European Delivery February 2006

 

I tend to park with everyone else. Whatever is most convenient. I don't want to spend my life looking for a parking space. Add up all those minutes when your on your death bed. Live for the moment! . If I have gotten any dings, I havent noticed them during washing.

 

God, you sound like me I wash very three days too and obsess with everything . When the dealer put on Pilot Sport 2's in place of the Conti Sport 2's the E55 came with I discovered scratches in all the rims some light some not; so lots and lots of buffing by me with a special blend of light compound/cleaner wax and scratch out, most are not visible now but others are if you look close enough. Dealer will pay for rim redo. I was very pleased during my first wash to find 0 scratches in the paint, even in the most revealing light.

 

All right!! I like to find a fellow "obsessor." I have my three (red) buckets and I line them up on my driveway, along with a huge stack of multiples sizes of microfiber towels, brushes, etc. I am sure the neighbors think I am nuts. I would wash my SL everyday, but that would give the neighbors too much "fuel" to talk about. It takes A LOT of restraint not to wash and wax it everyday, though.

Actually, my Mercedes saleswoman told me that she has a customer who washes his Mercedes everyday, before he pulls it into the garage. My kind of man!
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Sue’s 2006 SL500
European Delivery February 2006

 

Yes, but isn't it more driving time?

 

LOL. Yes!! That's what its all about! I take two or three passes around Home Depot's huge parking lot!

 

Touché... I just may have to reconsider my position on this subject!

 

My neighbors think I'm insane and after evey wash I do add a nice coat of Wax As U Dry to keep that buttery smooth feeling and restore the wax back to what the washing removes. You know we are not alone, there are others here, even on this very forum that obsess just like us, possibly even worse. I keep all my "things" in the best condition possible, why? Because I want them to look and work like new for as long as possible and I enjoy doing it and love looking at the final result. I have no idea how I got this way but I'm too set in my ways to change now. I used to make a joke about a mythical place called Shady Acres, a rest home in the Swiss countryside where all the obessive people will be put to rest, in a nice chair, under a big shady tree and hopefully with young sexy nurses to ease all our tensions .

 

LOL. I'll meet you there someday!