How about making the edges, just the edges, of all car doors out of thick pliable rubber and not one of those stick-on things. It doesn't even have to look gawdy and black, afterall we are painting yellow thread patterns into tires these days.

Or even better make spring hinges worth a damn on some of these doors.

Or even better hydraulically controlled car doors. There is a heavy door at my job that I cannot slam no matter how hard I try and all it has is simple little piston valve on the top. Then if you really want to get technical add a proximity sensor to the door that controls the hydraulic pressure and stops the door when it gets too close to an object.

This will all probably never happen but no harm in dreaming:D:D

the REAL solution.
 

The only real solution here is to KEEP YOUR BENZ SAFELY PARKED AT HOME!!!!!

Everyone needs to get themselves a BEATER to drive to these ghetto parking lots...

You can always get in your Benz IN THE GARAGE and PRETEND to drive it...

IMAGINE how perfect your Benz would stay and how LOW the milage would be on it!

You could STILL DRIVE your Benz to safe places, like Grandma's house (IF she has a driveway).

This is the REAL SOLUTION.....:D

~Christy

Here's a vote for adopting the daily driver vehicle strategy (aka beater's)- - reverses the position altogether by placing us 'on the other side' (with those whom appear not to care or whom appear careless). A MBZ beater?

Here's another vote for protecting beloved showpieces in a secure gallery, museum, vault, or bubble. And when they are taken out,,,may they never leave your guard...for at worst they may be stolen.

This topic is a closed equation where there are no unknowns. Only way to realistically avoid the natural outcome of dings, dents, etc. is to alter the equation (keep doors, fender, bumpers+++ at home,,,,,("no head= no headache")- - or eliminate participation in the equation altogether.

Otherwise, we live with it and deal with the consequences, hot under the collar or not.

-fad

I got dinged and followed the SOB home with my digital camera.











http://209.15.12.10/Trailer/images/janitershouse.jpg

In response to Christy's post from the 7th:
http://www.cse.fau.edu/~ncarter/240d/bumper1.jpg
http://www.cse.fau.edu/~ncarter/240d/bumper2.jpg

These are from the latest IMPCO/Performance Products catalog. Yes, I know it's sacrilege to post them here, but I don't think PartsShop/FastLane carry these.

Also, the W123 body style (and probably others of that era) have a nice rubber & chrome trim strip that runs along the entire length of the side of the car. My 18-year-old 240D has NO dings along the sides, and only one paint chip that was probably caused by something other than a door, as it is only about 18" off the ground. My wife's 1-year-old Beetle has four or five minor dings on the passenger side, no paint damage thankfully.

And, to the previous post: ROFLMAO

- Nathan
'83 240D "Steiner"
'00 New Beetle TDI

What a great idea! So whenever we get out of the car we attach these to the car next to ours? ;)

Kuan

They are magnetic, idiots will steal them to protect their precious Camaro.

Good point about the Camaros!

This brings up a question in my mind. I wonder how often the Camaro drivers must re sharpen the pointed edge of those doors to maintain their dent making capability. I mean they must go blunt after a certain number of successful dings.

Have a great day

Nah! Camaro doors are carbide tipped, so they never need sharpening!

I think the 125 ft/lb hydraulic opener plays a role as well with the hammer forged mini anvil welded to it.

So the real lesson here is to perform a pre-emptive strike and bring a welding device with you and just weld the doors of the vehicles next to you shut. That way they can’t ding yer car, and they aren’t going anywhere soon… ;)

There would be a lot of "General Lee's" around here!

In all honesty GM cars (not sure about ford) have the roller door stop mechanism which causes it's fair share of problems. When that baby is on the back stroke of the roller it fly's open I have had to catch many doors of my own that got away. Without monthly lubrication they get harder to push so as you are pushing harder and roller hit's the downstroke that sucker heads to your door like a aluminum recycler to an abandoned mobile home. Then your door see's the punishment of good ol american know how.

i drive a 3ooE now and i dont think people most people do it on purpose i used to drive a older chevy nova that was pretty clean and i had the same problem with that car so i dont think it has anything to do with fancy cars i just think people are careless

Dings
 

Gentlemen and ladies,

My son and I have a theory. There are an infinite number of people in the world and a finite amount of intelligence, consequentally many appear to have arrived at the front of the line after all the intelligence was already doled out. I guess after reading this thread and having similar experiences, we'll have to alter our theory to include civility, too. Barbarians apparently multiply exponentially.

Ben