I was recently doored not too long ago, about two weeks ago, but it still seems like if it were yesterday. Anyway, the dent is on the dent-free driver side of the car, near the horizontal center, but right below the character line. Some paint rubbed off, but that doesn't really bother me much. I just hate the distortion that the dent creates in the reflection. When I have some time and find the right person, I will get it smoothed out. Does anyone know if they will (or can) remove a dent with a chipped paint spot?

I'm still ticked off. Even though it's not tooooo huge, nonetheless, the dent is an eyesore, and I hate it! Just from studying the dent, I think it was intentional. The fact that there was paint chip tells me there was some kind of passion involved. That pisses me off even more! All these years of babying my car, sometimes spending extra time just to find that "perfect and safe" parking space, and now this! You bet I'm mad! Sure it's just a car, but as Kuan had said, it's something that I've worked for. Why do people do this?

Sometimes, to find some kind of peace or solace, I try to find cars that are either like mine or better and see if they have any dents. Do any of you guys do that?

ABSOLUTLY!!!!When "shopping" for the right spot, I look around to the other cars. I usually try to find and curbed end spot, (and I don't care how far the walk is), or a spot where similar cares are parked. I also own a truck which I usually drive to questionable parking areas. I plan my trips to the shopping areas accordingly to the vehicle that I take that day. I also have left parking lots due to the poor facilities or lack of safe parking.......Yes, this is a pain, but fortunatly this does not happen too often IF I plan correctly. All this driving around REALLY DRIVES THE WIFE NUTS!!!

__________________
Dale, R129
W202

I'd rather walk the extra distance than park near the mall, store, or whatever. I also stay away from SUV's and Minivans...so you can tell that driving with me to a parking lot can be an adventure....but hey only one inconspicious ding since I got the car 2 years ago and I got that ding before I wised up.

I used to do the "parking out on the north forty" thing when I was single, but my wife and daughter now fuss about that so I had to stop. So now, I just take whatever spot is open, like every other joe. I do pay attention to what is parked next to me, how big the vehicle is, how they pulled in the lot (wheel orientation), how wide the doors are, etc., but that doesn't really matter. You find a spot you think is perfect, and park there, only to arrive later and find your parking neighbors replaced by two vehicles you wouldn't have considered to park nearby! So it's a losing battle.

Fortunately, I don't get tons of dings, so I guess I haven't lost much. What does bug me is when you go through the trouble to park in a secluded spot, miles away from the masses, only to have someone else park immediately next to you. I think they do that on purpose!

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Was in Palm Springs recently and lo and behold came out of the Marriott Desert Springs Resort and found a nice ding in the right rear door of my beautiful black W140 400SEL. While on this trip the odometer turned over to 100K. Got to go to the detail shop and get a detail and some dings removed. Had a nice visit with John and Bibi while we were in the area.

__________________
Richard Seaman
1982 300D Turbo 198k
1987 420SEL Sold
1993 400SEL 123k
MBCA Desert Stars

I have a dent prevention method that works quite well for me,I have two very large rottweilers that I take with me.and park it with the windows down just enough for them to stick there big ol heads out to welcome anyone thinking about parking next to my wagon you should see the result!!people park then open the door then shut the door and move to another parking spot heh heh its also a great car alarm and you can even leave the key in the car

[Edited by mark cummins on 07-27-2001 at 03:22 PM]

it seems more and more people only give a "sheet" about THEMSELVES and don't give a "rat's asset" about anyone else OR their property!

it SEEMS number 1 rules and screw YOU and the horse you road in on!!

this epidemic is everywhere! it almost seems to be "the new american way". a sad state indeed.

i park as far away as possible from hopefully the thoughtless and wreckless disregard of the jealous or just plain stupid!

my wife either gets dropped off [and retreived] or she walks along,

it's great exercise!!

just my opinion...

peter

__________________
*92 400e 124.034, SOLD

*92 300e 124.030, SOLD

Naturally, accidents and dents occur becuase we don't live in a perfect world....

And...more often than not, these occurances are not personal so I myself just do my best to avoid the risks and stress (make it more difficult for these events to play themselves out): pay for attended valet covered parking, park in lighted areas away from the highest traffic areas (vehicle and pedestrian), select parking that limits contact to only one side of the car (or only front/back) & park biased toward the protected side of the car (angled or physically closer).

Let me share a tale to deter occupying two spaces: entering a mall one day for a quick 5 minute errand, I admired a concours condition 328 GTSI Quad Ferrerri occupying two parking spaces directly in front of the department store....scurrying past it when leaving, it horridly wore deep key marks (down to the metal) over each glistening black body panel (except the hood).....since then, I've never put my machines at this risk.

Similarly, after someone innocently poured a soft drink (with ice) on to my leather seats in my convertable, I never left it parked exposed with the top down (it was a scorching day, and gum was also placed on the dash; the car was legally parked after a otherwise perfect all day touring session).

-fad

There are some twisted people out there that would get pissed at you just because you drive a nice car and for no other reason. And parking in two place would just provoke them some more.

So that is my concern in parking in two spaces.

The things is if there are room to park in two spaces you could park away from everybody else and there are not reason to park in two spaces. If there are not enough room to park away from everyone else you certainly would not want to park in two spaces. You would be jsut asking for it.
If you are parking in two spaces make sure you are so fare away people can't even tell you are parking in two spaces without a telescope.

Mercedes should just invent self-deploying armor curtains when the car is parked that is my volt

blau.

__________________
Silver Honda Accord, 2006
Silver G500, 2003
Silver SLK-320, 2002
Black ML-320, 2000
Bule Porsche 993 Targa , 1997
Silver Merkur XR4Ti, 1987

I wouldn't take up to car stalls. That's a good way to provoke someone to key your car. Instead, just park far away from everyone. I do this even in my ugly old blazer. It's got a straight body and I aim to keep it that way! Same with the the Benz. Way far away!!!! Way WAY far away!!!
Walking is good excersise too!

I don't think there is anyone who gets crazier than me when someone does the door ding deed. I have searching for a good parking space which gives the least chance of being dinged, down to a fine art. I have even taught my kids the art. Here are some of my parking space parameters:

Don't park next to a two door, the doors are longer and reach further.

Always be willing to walk a long distance to park where there are no cars, the exercise is good for you anyway. This one is hard when someone such as a client is with you.

Worst case, in a crowded parking lot, try to find a spot at the end so that you can protect one side and then get as close to that curb as you can get without scrubbing tires and wheels on the curb.

If you take up two parking spaces, make sure it is way out where no one parks. I don't even like someone taking two parking places next to the door, but if you do, someone may ding you because they feel the same about that as I do.(It upsets me when someone does this, but I can promise I won't ding this one for meanness). Taking two spaces close to the door where everyone parks is very rude.

When you actually do personally observe someone dinging, politely point out the damage that they caused, so maybe they will think a little more about it next time. If we all do this, maybe we can, together, raise the consciousness of these people. Most of them don't do it maliciously, they're just one of those people who walk around in a daze.

If you have any other tips to add, I'm all eyes, and will appreciate them all.

Have a great day,

I follow the same techniques when parking, Larry. Maybe we went to the same parking schools!

I prefer parking lots where the spaces are aligned diagonally rather than parallel. For some reason, the risk of dings is greatly reduced.

I will park next to mini-vans on the right side, since it has the sliding door on that side. Usually, its kids that cause the dings, and I can attest to that!

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

My black 190e is originally from Manhatten and had healthy pre-dinging so new dings won't be the first, won't bother me as much, and I may not notice.

As far as parking in two spaces, that's what my motorcycle is for.

What about car alarms? Don't dings set car alarms off? I thing an air horn on a car alarm would be nice.

Do we wonder why Americans are considered arrogent and ignorant around the world? But GENEROUS!!!

Although I don't have to much to add that hasn't been said already, I choose to share what I have.

My parents own a 1992 250D Turbo which they bought in July 1998, myself I own a 1984 190D which I bought in September 1998. Their car has one tiny ding on the right side underneath the mirror. It's barely noticeable, but we know it's there and it's been there since they bought the car. My car is peppered up with dings on the entire right side (looks as though someone has shot on it..), the left side is fairly good.

Now; The W124 (My parents car) hasn't gotten one single ding since they bought it! Mine however seems to grow them! After an accident I had a little while after I bought the car, the entire left side was repainted and hence had no dings. One week after that the first one appeared, a little while after the second one, etc. It now has four dings, all of them are placed on strange places.

Noone (at least not where I live it seems) is more careful than me when it come to parking my car; I always consider the cars parked next to a free spot, etc. So why does these dings appear? And why doesn't the W124 get any? Do the use thicker metal on the W124s contra the W201s?

This is when my parents started to think that perhaps my car was beeing tampered with. A broken star didn't exactly help on that theory I, however, cannot for the world understand why someone would do this, and feel that it's close to paranoia to even consider this. But what can one do? I've had lots of strange reactions considering that I'm only 20 and drive a fairly good-looking Benz, but it is (in my opinion) a long way from beeing sour to damage other peoples property!

It's worth to mention that our first MB, a 1978 280SE didn't have a single ding, nor did it get any during the 6 years we owned it.


Just had to share my story/experience

Regards

__________________
::: Sven :::

http://home.no.net/shvoldum/Sigpic.jpg