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#1
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For those of us with "Nice" Diesels,or Nice Cars whats your Parking Lot Parking strategy?
For me its obvious. Never sidle up to a Miniavan or 4 wheel Pick up. Thats because loading will be going on, and a 4x6 or some teenager with a metal belt is gonna swipe your car. Minivans always have multiple passengers and they don't always get out gracefully. I always stay away from the trucks. I always avoid junkers and teenager cars because the drivers and riders don't care about other people's cars usually. Likewise never take your car to Home Depot. Everyone buys something big, like a snowblower and then tries to jam it into their backseat often at the expense of your new paint job. I always stay away from economy and minicar parking. I also dont park near where they collect the shopping carts because you are asking for a 22 car shopping cart train driven by a teenager to smash your door in, I always look for the Peach Spot. Thats the one where you got a 2004 Corvette on one side and a 2006 BMW on the other side. Their owners dont want their doors dinged and won't ding yours. The other peach spot is the one where one of the sides of you car is protected by a curb... SORRY for this inane post, but I had my car dinged at the mall the other day! |
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#5
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I try to park at far ends of the lot and under trees so the inside temps stay down a little bit. If that doesn't work I just avoid narrow spots. We have so many nice cars here on lease that no one really cares, so you really aren't safe anywhere but away from the others.
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-Zack K. http://www.maj.com/gallery/Boardmong...-Drive/si2.jpg 1983 300d Turbo (Daily Drive) -- 243,000 miles 1979 280ce AMG (Beginning extreme restoration) -- 141,410 miles 1979 Yamaha Chappy LB50 (Awating new points) -- 1411.6 miles 1981 300d Euro 4 speed -- 188,421 km -- SOLD ![]() 1979 300d Euro 4 speed (Sold to Brother) -- 257,000 miles A Collection of w123 AMG Cars and Parts |
#6
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It depends. For example the SDL just doesn't go to New Haven. Chances are to big for an accident or a door ding. SCSU parking lot, hah, thats why I bought the SD.
At the marina I have my own spot, that is on the end of a row. Either no one is next to me, or cars that will be sitting their for a few weeks. When I take it to a store I either park it all by itself, or if I see another nice older car pretty far out in the lot I will park close to them. I figure they are after the same thing that I am. I think you are nuts for parking a car you care about close to a store. Most people just swing those doors right open they couldn't care less.
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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#7
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I was just talking to some friends about this last night. With a new car or a car with new/nice paint we go to great lengths to protect the finish. When the first scratch or ding happens, it hurts! After a few of these, it's a "used" car and subsequent scratches and dings are no big deal...
I try to take care of my cars and avoid scratches and dents without going overboard about it. Part of the reason I repainted my old Benz with a Maaco paint job. It looks fine and still turns heads, but if I had shelled out for a really nice paint job, I'd be too afraid to take my car anywhere except car shows! Oh, and why is it that so many parking lots have mostly "Compact" spaces? How many people in the U.S. drive a compact car these days? Try opening your door without hitting something when someone pulls a GMC Suburban into a "compact" spot. Even a VW New Beetle doesn't fit well in one of those spaces.... And finally, is anyone else scared to use valet parking? I don't want them touching my car. I have observed too many horrors: Backing into objects, rubbing tires on the curb, grinding gears, riding the clutch, driving with the parking brake on, starting diesels without the glow plugs and running down the battery, revving a cold engine, bending outside mirrors and of course, the mysterious scratches you can never prove were their fault. And you're supposed to tip the valet for this? -AC '76 240D "Katja" |
#8
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once with my friend we walked back out to his freshly painted truck and this jerk with a bmw left a nice ding on the door.. so he kindly took out his mallet which was in the tool box in the bed and left a nice dent in his door.. eye for an eye
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#9
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High school is the worst. I get their early and get a front row spot. But I park at the end of the row in the last spot (extra foot wider for some reason) and park RIGHT NEXT to the curb so I have 2 almost 3 feet to the next door.
If im in a shopping center its the back spot for me.
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Adam Lumsden (83) 300D Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section |
#10
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At school I try to park very near (as in inches from) the concrete posts that hold the parking structure up. Since it's a 5 story structure, I usually park at the 4th or 3rd, that way not a lot of people want to walk up or ride the elevator.
Since it's also covered, that saves my dash from cracking. And parking in an open lot, I usually face against the sun that way the dash won't get any sunlight, even with the dashmat on it. And park exactly in the middle of the lines. That way if the other two cars park askew, you've got (hopefully) enough room to avoid a ding or two. However, my car already has some dings (I think the constellation Cancer can be seen in bright midday sunlight). So another ding wouldn't do much damage since PDR (paintless dent removal) is per panel, not per ding. On the other hand, when the other car (wagon) is good enough for daily use, I'll bring that along and keep my sedan back home. The wagon's more of a beater.
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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg |
#11
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I like the end spot snuggled right up against the median, I back in with my tires 1 or 2 inches from the curb.
When I had my beater 83 F-250 Supercab diesel I would sometimes squeeze in next to the jerk who parked halfway into the next spot with a shiny new POS with only inches to spare! Ah those were the days! Hey gtmotor, how come I've never seen your Lotus on the streets of Tucson???
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Brian 87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017 02 F350 Powerstroke 180K 05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K 08 Infiniti FX-35 40K 15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K 10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K |
#12
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#13
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I have owned several nice cars through the years and have come to the conclusion that if nothing you do will prevent dings and such from other people. I used to go food shopping at 2 am (I'm a night owl) and park far away from everyone only to come back and see a car parked right next to mine. So, I bought a 23 year old car and honestly don't care enough to check anymore. It already has dings and scratches.
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#14
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where ever i park i always for some reason seem to get a mercedes on each side of me
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#15
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You should probably clarify what a "nice diesel" is =)
personally, I think that a W123 300D 2.5t is a nice car, but it doesnt (in my mind) need good paint to be a nice diesel =) Sorry I cant contribute, but my paint is 24 years old and looking it. Its always been a debate in my mind with the wife's 2005 Subaru - park it remote and stack the odds in my favor or park close and risk dings- normally I just park close, having a 1mo old son lends itself to this anyway... -John
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2009 Kia Sedona 2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L 12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse (insert Mercedes here) Husband, Father, sometimes friend =) |
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