Parking Lot Perils

Park in the far corners of the lot away from other cars. Or an end of the row with no cars to your right (every car has a driver but not all have passengers). Or next to a wide handicap space. Or at the end of a row with the painted no park area, and crowd into that area, making your space wider.

 

I second everything jb said.
It seems people who want to park close to the front door, in general, don’t give as much of a hoot about there cars as those who park farther away.

 

IMO, this is your best strategy. Even then, I've still had others park right next to me, and even closely after parking this way. However, this should minimize your chances of incurring body damage in parking areas. Good luck...

 

Like everyone else said, I try to park at the farthest away from other cars to minimize physical contact with other cars. But that't not always possible and small dents and scratches are inevitable no matter what I try. If I want to keep the car clean and dent and scratch free, I will have to garage it and not drive. So, I try not to worry too much about the NEW CAR appearance and treat it like any other cars (i.e. 10+ years old beaters) as soon as my initial newly wed period is over, which usually lasts about 3 months for me. lol

 

I was at my dealer years ago and another person was taking delivery of her car. Her car had keys and she took one, reached under the wheel well, and put a scratch in it. She said she did that to get that “first scratch” over with and not worry about it so much. Not sure that would work for me but it is one strategy for minimizing the anxiety.

 

LOL. I like her attitude. But, I didn't even have to do that myself. All I had to do was to let my wife drive for a few times right after the purchase. I got over with the worry very quick.

 

put some rubber bumpers on the doors, i think you can get stick ons

 

Pay attention to the level of the parking lot and the wind direction.

The worst dings we ever got were on days when the wind was strong enough to pull a half-open door away from somebody's hand while exiting a car.

High winds are also great at turning shopping carts into ballistic missiles.

 

You don't stand a chance. You're going to get dinged, no matter what you do. All you can do is reduce the risk. JB mentioned everything I do.

I remember my 2nd car. A crappy 1985 Dodge "Charger". The 2-door hatchback Omni. Horrible car. But I bought it new when I was in Grad School. I picked it up at the dealer, drove it to school to get a parking sticker, and before I even got out of the car a bimbo opens her door right into my passenger door and dented it. It was no big deal she said and walked away. Yup, a dent in my door and it wasn't even 2 miles old yet.

 

Our car was pre-dinged when we picked it up brand new at the dealer. Two small dings in each of the four doors.

At first this was a huge disappointment, but I got them to knock enough off the final price that it worked out, and it turned the first "wild ding" into a total non-event.

The money saved was enough that I can buy out a PDR guy for a full day of working over the car.

It definitely soured me on the dealer experience. First new car ever, possibly the last. Definitely the last time we buy at a dealership- just too many attractive alternatives now.

 

I have had mine for two years and have no parking lot dings. I wonder if drivers are more civil in my state?

 

The big busy parking garages are the worst, medical clinics being prime. Often you have little to no choice. Spaces have gotten smaller, cars have gotten bigger, WAY bigger. I have compacts and feel like I'm squeezing in, then can barely get out and I'm small.

 

Holy hell; the hospital parking structure where I often park is crammed full of full sized SUVs (think GMC Yukon XLs and Escalades) in the "compact" spots. I'm almost parked on the roof half the time.

 

Welcome. As stated above, I also don't try to park real close to the door but I also don't part out in the south 40 either. That invites attention as well. I tend to look at how well the person that I'm pulling next to parked. I also don't park next to "beaters" because they don't care if they hit you.

+1,000 Are you sure you don't live in OK? The wind is a huge deal here. On the day's it's really cranking, I watch what direction I'm parking so the doors next to me don't hit me when the wind grabs them. Just like landing a plane. Aim it into the wind.

 

One idea I've been toying with is getting my car exterior deliberately dirty. If it doesn't look nice and shiny, people might not think its new. The downside is that, of course, now you have a dirty car.

 

A few years ago my brother was waiting in his car for his wife who doesn’t drive to finish shopping. He’s out in the boondocks when a guy in a beater on the other end of the lot comes tooling along and hits a pothole hard enough to dislodge his hub cap. The hubcap made a long 180 turn and to my brother’s amazement eventually and t-boned him as he watched transfixed thinking it couldn’t happen. It did. Not his day to buy a lottery ticket.

 

This is what I do most of the time, try to find end corner spot and always back in (easier to leave).

I have parked (based on many practices and years of experience), never scratch my wheels/rims close to the curb or at a small angle so the other car should not come close to the line but anything can happen.

If no corner spot then park further away and take a chance. We will get ding eventually but at least that is what I do when getting into a parking lot as a habit.

But I do have dent protection/fixes bought from the dealer (unlimited use as well) so I have a peace of mind regardless

This is what I bought and I think worth it Titan Protection - Protect Your Vehicle from Hazards | Weins Canada