I'm Baaaaack! Kind of interesting story.

The only item I would like to comment on is your Item No. 2. I, like most of us, hate body (car door) dings. I live in a Chicago suburb and trying to prevent them is a constant battle with me. When I go to Walmart, supermarket, etc. I park away as far as I can to try to prevent them. I have never had the side moldings that go alongside the car but if I parked in a garage at work like you do I think I would probably put them on. Probably they are not going to be 100 percent effective but they might help. I don't think I helped you much but I kinda tried. Good luck.

 

If you can find an old pic of your old Prius with the dings, it might help. Or if you just remember. If most of the dings are in the lower area, the clear coats will help. You will have to constantly reapply because it is basically a one-use shield per point. Once a rock hits it at a specific location, it likely won't survive another impact. Little grit and stuff is ok, but I am guessing we are talking road chunks.

Of course the best answer if possible is to leave more room. You get those chips because you are too close to the vehicle ahead and when the rock gets kicked up, it hits the body. Further back, it hits the windshield. Further back it either flies over or has such little momentum that it scrapes off to the side. Obviously not possible in heavy urban areas, but that is a solution to the root of the problem not just a coverup.

Nothing will protect like a true car bra, but they look horrible IMHO. I would rather have a few dings noticeable close up versus a big black bar of evil even the legally blind can see.

They do help. However they do not fix all. Like sized and shaped cars are protected by the coats. However, when our RX450h door opens the shape of it goes right around the mold and hits the body. Found this out twice! >.<

On more "sporty" cars with aggressive curves, usually the lines don't match either. So if you park in the "compact car only" type parking, you should be fine as all of those are usually the same type. If it is a free for all, then just park the furthest away possible. Or become the a-hole that does this!

Installing HID (Xenon) lights is a great idea IF DONE PROPERLY. If done with a kit, IT IS A HORRIBLE IDEA. No extra controls required for HID lights vs. halogens or LEDs. You have OFF, parking lights only, low beams only, and high beams. You will require some higher power relays inline with the standard control wires because you will be pulling substantially more current on startup. Just a good idea. Also with the toyota high beam signal, depending on if you go with a separate bulb or a electromechanical shield you may need a relay to reverse the polarity of the signal. Fog lights will most likely require a new control assuming you want manual control of them. However, you can just source a standard switch online and put it in one of the blank pods to make it look factory.

Of course you can do it yourself. It is super simple. Or if you value your time, it is usually pretty cheap in an auto audio shop.

 

I bought the side molding for a 2011 Prius from the priuschat shop, they seemed to help a great deal.

 

Is it just me or does anyone else have an urge to park next to this car - about 1 inch away so he couldn't get in?

Old taxi driver habits die hard

 

I manage our parking spaces at work, and would have a tow truck on the way to clear up this parking mess. Not to hijack the thread, I like the way a bra looks, even on a Prius.

 

Priuschat shop used to have them for 10's and 11's, I guess the install is not too hard if you are handy

 

Speaking of dings... I nearly popped a vessel the other day when I parked at the furthest spot at a grocery store, but remained in my car texting on my phone. Some jackass with Bulgarian plates pulled up to the spot next to me super close to my passenger side door! It's just amazing!@#$% I can't believe these idiots don't do it on purpose. Before he even had a chance to open his door and give me a ding, I had reversed out of there, and I ended up parking in front of a house next to the store. The moron gave me a puzzled look while I was shaking my head in disapproval.

 

I fully understand your experience. I live in a suburb of Chicago. Same thing happens here. I think some of them do it on purpose. In the parking lot of a supermarket I saw a person intentionally shove a shopping cart very hard into a parked car. I had a 2011 Prius that I had for 3 years and it did not have even one parking lot ding on it. I'm sure you can imagine how hard I had to work to prevent that.

 

One night in Washington DC I was waiting inside my 2014 GTR for my date, and out of nowhere someone run up to the car and kicked it HARD. Being inside I thought surely there is going to be major damage. I get out and the guy nearly had a heart attack, he did not expect I was in the car. He would not let me approach him, he was ready to run. His 3 friends were pleading "don't hurt him please". To make a long story short, the police came, but unbelievably, there was no damage. There is no smart law, the police would not do jack! I was unbelievably pissed. He is super lucky this didn't happen while I was out with my buddy. He is US national judo champion, and a car guy. He usually won't hurt a fly, but in this case he would had gone ballistic. A friend's car was nearly totaled in a parking garage. A car is 100% secure only when inside your own garage.

 

A car is only 100 percent secure when it is your garage is correct. If I am going to be in and out even during the day I do not even leave it on my driveway. I put it in my garage. In the 1960's it was different in this country. Now, people are nuts (most of them). They will damage your car just for "fun".

 

There is a clear film called "clear bra" made by 3M - it will protect the hood from stones. Can put it on doors too if you want to.
Have to be applied professionally though. Process is same as tinting the windows.

- Alex

 

Same thing in Greece, the 1960s was the golden age. People had respect, no illegal immigrants, little crime, and if something did happen there were police officers on foot patrol in every neighborhood. Now there are illegals everywhere; local thugs cause their fair share of problems, but I'd say 80% of crime is imported. The only places that are still "pure" are the islands, if someone is stupid enough to think they can get away with crime, they quickly find out that on an island you can not "blend in", there is nowhere to go, and they get caught quickly! Incidentally, the main reason for the meteoric rise of far-right (borderline "nazi") party "golden dawn" is their zero tolerance for illegals. A lot of citizens agree and have voted accordingly!

 

I had the same thing happen to me at the airport. Kicked the side of the Prius hard while I was waiting at the airport for my relatives to walk out of the arrivals in the pickup zone. Small regional airport, not busy at all. Guy just walked out with his luggage rolling and sleep pillow tucked under his arm and gives my car a huge kick in the passenger side door. Wth?! Of course, being an airport the cops are right there, he is arrested for causing damage, and after submitting repair forms to the county that was prosecuting him, full reimbursement plus statutory interest without me ever having to go to court. My only positive legal experience in the states...

But what causes someone to randomly vandalize someone's property, I have no idea. The fact I was there was lucky. My brand new leaf got a huge crease down the passenger side as well from the middle of the rear passenger door all the way to the rear tire (crossing into the large rear quarter panel that extends all the way to the front of the car over the doors, just like the Prius). I still had temp tags on it. $1800 in damage from a hit-n-run in a parking lot.

 

My son bought a new to him car, he was in college at the time so we let him park his "new car" in the garage for it's first night. To make a long story short, we had an earthquake that night and a piece of luggage stored above the car came loose and dinged the hood of the car. Even your garage really isn't safe!

 

I always try to find space next to a Roller or a Bentley for two reasons: 1) fewer dings, 2) less chance of potential thieves choosing my Prius over a Roller/Bentley/Bimmer/Merc...

 

It just almost makes a person physically ill when something like that happens to a new car.

 

Could be on the other side of the guy the car drove into, the car was parked too close and he had to move a little bit closer to your side to fit it.

I remember in my previous office our spots were narrow and people were too lazy to park straight or center their car properly. Since spots were not enough those of us with clunkers would willingly squeeze into those spots. We'd also make sure we park as close to the edge of the line as close to the other drivers door to teach them a lessson. Since we were on the 2nd floor, it was fun watching them coming back and realize they had to wiggle thru the passenger side to get in.