Parking the Porsche

This was a topic of good discussion on my home board - 67 posts - therefore for your enjoyment I offer it to the group!!!

Yesterday , after tucking the Porsche away in a great spot at the grocery store (double wide , angled ) my daughter and I walked down the street to the local CVS to pick up this years supply of candy for the local ghouls and goblins. While crossing at a major intersection I noticed a white 356 speedster stopped at the light across from us . We then went shopping and when we came out , to my horror , I noted the little white speedster, was parked in the narrow spots in a strip mall of the hardware/bakery/cleaners/deli etc. The average parking time in this spot is about 10-15 minutes and our family Benz has been violated there on more than one occassion(even with me sitting in it). I watched in horror as the cars around the speedster came in and out , with kids and seniors in cars and trucks swinging the doors far and wide, only missing the 356 by millimeters. I considered standing in front of the car until the owner came back. It looked pretty darn original, so it was particulary galling to witness this abandonment of a hallowed classic.
Any way to the question : Any good parking ideas out there to keep our cars protected from the rank and file no clue, average SUV/ luxury import owner/non enthusiast, best friends of a body shop, door dinging ,bumper scratching , mentally challenged drivers. I have seen these magnetic strips for when you dont have a choice, any experience with These devices? Any creative ideas for protection outside of all the normal things,like corner spots , far away spots etc.
Also if anyone knows this speedster owner in the Bethesda area , lets help him out or buy him out!!!!!!

That's good stuff! Anyway, I always try to find an curbed "end" spot, and park as close as possible to the inside. If those aren't available, I revert to the: find-a-far-away-spot-and-walk-you-lazy-bastard mode. With the holiday season approaching, parking lots will be battle zones. So, "let's be careful out there."

-EJ

Only two options here: Angle park an end spot taking up the entire spot, or park way out there in "hi-po row" as we call it. Always, and I mean ALWAYS, carry a tire iron for the idiot that dings you even after you go to these lengths to stay away from them. You may never get your ding removed but you will get something nearly as good - satisfaction.

I believe four war-surplus Claymore mines ... one for each door and bumper, wired to magnetic sensors would probably do the job, especially if re-stenciled in dayglo orange: 'FRONT TOWARD ENEMY.' That is the '60's technology solution ... Leland may have some more recent advancements to offer!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I have a great remedy. I shop in the Volvo wagon. Who cares? It's a tank!

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

I find that even when I park a long ways away there is still almost always someone parked next to me. I've given up getting to worried about it anymore since it got hailed on while I was on vacation. Nothing noticable to most people but I'll always know that it is there.

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'76 911S

'80 924 M471

What really pisses me off is the asswipe that sees your car out in the middle of nowhere and parks right next to you. Here in Florida I've seen seniors do it several times, I can't imagine why. And when I think of the AARP protocol for door opening- disengage mechinism and push as hard as you can, its almost more than I can take.

I've been tempted to get some bumpers like those for docking boats, but that seems a little much. I just pick an end spot, park as close to the curb and as far forward as possible and keep the tire iron handy.

Joe
'80 SC Targa

My solutions for preventing dings from dingbats are as follows:

1. If possible, park as far away as possible, away from any other cars. This works about 99% of the time. Unfortunately, in some cases, if you own a car that "the kids want to see" don't be surprised if a mini-van loaded with kids parks about a foot away from you. This happened to me once, and as the driver and the "team" were getting ready to bail out of their mini-van (and probably mark up the car) I gave the driver a glare....they moved! Parking far away gives you an opportunity to walk a little extra, so you'll get some exercise...good for the heart.

2. If you have no choice but to park in a crowded lot, try to park the car as diagonal as possible in a marked slot. Sort of like this:

|\| \=car orientation, |=parking marks

Why? I've noticed that a "certain" gender seems to like referencing the sides of other cars when parking...if they figure they're a foot away, it's OK...dings never hurt a car, right? By parking diagonally, as they pull into the space on your right they're immediately confronted with your tail end, so they try to avoid it and it forces them to look at the parking lines on the pavement. If they've pulled into the spot on your left, they will be referencing the car to THEIR left, so it won't really matter (NOTE: for countries with right hand drive, you will have to park like this: |/|). Parking diagonally within a marked spot will also increase the distance a bit between the sides of your car and theirs where the dings would most likely occur.

Bill Wagner

if they DO ding your car:

1) write a nasty note and stick it to their window.

2) check to see if the coast is clear.

3) beat the hell out of their door with your tire iron. then peel out and drive away laughing.

you can eliminate #s 2 and 3 if you think you will get caught

obinm

Obin, I swap #3 for just tipping a milk shake over their car.

Bill I like that idea and will try it.

I once parked my Carrera at the bottom of a sloped parking lot away from all other cars at a local mall thinking it was safe. Coming out of the mall I see a lady not accidently letting her cart go but actually giving it a push down the sloped parking lot! I started to chase the cart down but it was to late, tail light lense was smashed laying in a pile on the concrete. I turn around and look at the lady who did this and to my astonishment she jumped in her miny van and was going to make a quick gettaway. I just couldn't believe it! I see her starting to back out of her spot and I lose it, grab the buggy and run it into the side of her van with all my might. The lady stops dead in here tracks and I yell something like how the f*$k do you like that! She instantly burst into tears and spead off. Maybe my reactions were a little harsh but I think it was the fact she was trying to take off that really got me boiling!

In one hand, we're all trying to have the most " perfect " car for our own satisfaction ( at least in my case, honest ! ) and yet we all cry bloody murder if someone gets too close for a peak or simple attraction ?
Once damage has been done, I wonder if taking down the licence number and time and location can be grounds enough for an insurance claim. Getting carring away and if the guy next door was actually a true innocent bystander !!!
While we're at it : what about "spotting " from birds on a beautifull detailled car ?
Do you guys get the rifle out and start shooting ?

You guys play rough. Myself, I simply avoid parking lots like the plague. On the rare occasion I do park in a mall lot, I too am amazed that no matter how remote the area of the lot I park in, when I get back there's some old beater a mere six inches away. I suspect some people think there is added security in being so close to a high profile car.

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Emanuel Brown
1983 911 SC Targa
http://home.att.net/~epbrown01/91183.jpg

I am absolutely convinced that people deliberately park close to nice cars that have been parked out of harms way. It has happened to me too many times to be coincidence.Now I try to park between two cars that are already in the lot. That way I control how close my car is to the cars on either side. Then I pray that I get back to my car before they do. I also try to remind myself that it is only a car, even if it is a really nice car. Dings and stone chips are going to happen. Fortunately I can't see them when I'm driving.

I can tell you how do i avoid all those things.
1-Never ever ever,i park my car in a supermarket,mall or any other public parking lot,people dont consider those little digs a big deal,some of us will kill for that.
2-Never ever valet parking.
3-If you HAVE too park some were park as far as possible even if requires an extra 10 minute walk.
4-Never EVER go to a kids birthday party with your car you be sorry.
5-Dont park it on drive ways were bicycles can comute.
And the list goes on i keep my car in the garage under cover my wife and kids are not allow to be more than 4 feet close to the car
HE HE.
REGARDS JUAN
http://www.geocities.com/titos88911/MY911.html

As a car salesman I see a lot of used cars. I can tell you that A LOT OF THEM look like the Rocky Mountains down the sides due to doors that have been slammed into the car by careless people at supermarket parkinglots.

I hate to leave my 911 at a crowded and busy supermarket or mall parkinglot. I always try to park at the outer ends because I only get one "neighbor" that way. Still the risk of dents and paint scrapes is big. I guess that's one of the downsides of being a Porsche owner. For now I'm driving a battered old Nissan. That's really not that bad. It feels good not having to worry about dents, or anything else for that matter. Maybe I should go find a Porsche to park beside....

[This message has been edited by Mikkel (edited 12-11-2000).]

Why has'nt Porsche designed and applied the side molding protection strips in the 911! Heck, my 944 had them and they did the job fending off doors knocks quite well. I wonder how they would look on those smooth flowing surfaces? Probably not bad. They could make a difference for those jerks who do park next to you out in the mall parking lots. I too walk the extra football field length or two to preserve the car, but your all right about that @#$%&@* who has to park next to you for some unknown reason and dink the door or fender. Just don't get no respect!!!!!!!

BR

How about those temporary strips I've seen advertised in Pano . Anybody use them?

How about a nice piece of angle iron, 1"x1" maybe 1/8" thick or a T section almost the length of the door. Round off the ends so that errand pedestrians don't tear clothes and take a swipe at your car in retaliation. Glue some nice soft felt to the back and clamp it at the ends. (Don't open the door! or you will have more damage than two ton Tilly could do with her 200 lb. Eldorado door.) For those concerned about weight, aluminum extrusion would get the same message across. All a_ _ _ retentiveness aside, I have had great luck just making sure that I am not downhill to shopping carts and in an end slot where traffic isn't likely to be a little wide in a corner. I also look for other enthusiasts to park next to hoping that I get back to my car before someone not so considerate gets back to their car. If you have any nice car, it really doesn't cost anymore to fix the P car (other than 928 aluminum) than anything else. Black is great for an easy match. Over here, the problem isn't so much the parking, but kids climbing on your car, nannies parking toddlers on the fenders, and if you go into Oman, goats climbing on them. Stay away from overhanging trees! Stateside, you got it easy!