So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
Really proud of our first Cadillac-a 2002 Seville STS with low miles and almost pristine conditon-so quite naturally I'm trying to figure a strategy for parking at the supermarket and shopping centers to keep door dings to a minimum.
For example we have a 1996 Lincoln Continental with low miles and about the same condition. When I gave it to my wife over two years ago it had NO door dings. Now it has 4!! 10 Years with no door dings; now on a 2 ding a year pace.
When i go to the supermarket I not only try to get 3 or 4 spaces away from the parking action I go for the following kinds of openings:
1. Right next to a handicapped parking space and right on the line next to it. This gives me a wide gap on one side, almost wide enough for some kid to kick a door open and not reach it, and the odds are that either the handicapped space won't be occupied before I get back OR if the driver really is handicapped, maybe he/she will move slowly(painfully :+) in getting out and won't be banging the door into my car.
2. I try to park closer to the left hand space than the right on the theory that most cars only have a driver so it's less likely that a door will swing open on that side. The other has a wide berth for the non compis mentis driver to work with.
The only problem with this strategy is that if it IS occupied, it's likely a 9 nine year kid that won't pay a bit of attention to what the damned door hits.
3. The empty space where the shopping cart rack slops over into is a good bet because no one will be parking in that space so I can edge closer to that space and leave more room for Mr or Mrs non compos mentis to work with.
The flaw in this plan is the NCM shopper that bangs a cart into it.
While some of these strategies might sound pretty good, the fact of the matter is that none of them are really even as much as 75% fool (literally) proof.
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
I park as far out as I can away from everybody. I'm a gym rat and I never mind walking an extra 25 - 50 yards. I also think my Caddy loves me more for doing it. She likes to be the only car for several parking spaces on all sides.
Then I take up two spots by parking in the middle of both of them.
It funny how most Americans are so darn fat and lazy that they will drive around the parking lot 25 times looking for that spot that is closest to the store entrance even if the spot is so tiny that in order to get out of there car they hit the car next to them with the door.
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
I do the same as redlite..my girl always yelling at me cause i park in the back of every lot. also if the lot is packed i put my car next to high end cars bmws merc lexus these people usually want the same for their cars. I heard the dings acn be removed for $100 a ding. I have one ding on my car above my right wheel well. I get ding from door... car that did it gets bat to door. further back in the lot safer the car.
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
Unfortunately, my rebellious childhood and a lot of years of football, motorcycle racing, submarine duty, diving duty, and other generally physically stupid stuff has caught up with me: I have one of those dreaded handicapped wheelchair hangy things, so I (when the legs aren't cooperating) park in the marked spots reserved for vans. PITA for the body I live in; OK for the car/truck.........
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
I try to always park on the end of the row which is hopefully next to a curb or when in a parking ramp, I'll try and park next to a support pillar. That way I've only gotta worry about getting dinged on one side of the car. I also like to park off somewhat distant, but not too far out, because then you'll draw attention to yourself.
__________________ -Chad
Those were the days...The Cadillac and The Benz.
Ladies and Gentleman. If I say I'm a car man, you will agree.
"Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith........"
2000 Seville STS Air Hog, Sirius Stiletto 100 bracketed by the radio. Looking to do exhaust and some visual custom work. Cadillacs in my family : 2004 CTS (brother's), 2002 Escalade (Dad's), 1989 Allante (Dad's),
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
Yep. Calling attention to your car might be a good way to get it keyed--which is much worse; or is that just a South Carolina thing?
Automobile manufacturers could help the "dinged" public you know.
First they could substitute a foam rubber strip for the metal on the door edge, making it fit precisely. Then they could use stronger steel in an area about 2 feet deep and running the length of car.
Finally they could maybe put an electric charge in that 2 foot area that would shock the living BeJesus out of the door dingers.
The problem is that everyone just takes this kind of non compis mentis vandalism for granted and rolls with the $100 a ding cost or runs around in a car that looks like some kind of old time wash board...
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings?
I'm not surprised your wife got all those dings in a short period. Women drive until it sounds expensive. They're oblivious to the qualities of fine machinery.
Like others here, I park away from everyone, on the end, stuff like that. I also often will park out where the Mercs and BMWs live - what's an extra 30 to 50 yards for crying out loud?
Re: So where do you park if you don't want door dings? 
