Well it happened.... I got the first door ding in Max, the one and only time i parked near other cars:impatient Its not to bad, little smaller than the size of a quarter, and I dont think it calls for me to bring it to some PDR guy. Does any compnay make a dentpuller for small dents that actually works?

 

Ugh... that sucks. All it takes is one careless person.

Sounds like a *perfect* candidate for PDR, actually. Probably run you about $75. Well worth it, IMO.

 

O well $75 is worth not having an imperfection on my car... I hate peope who feel the need to park next to me even tough I'm way out there or park right on the line since they figure my car is "small" and doesnt need any breathing room, ya right

 

Yeah, happened to me just yesterday... park out all by myself but not so far as to bring unwanted attention...

Come out of the restaurant and there's a big, ugly Jeep parked in the spot next to me and their drivers side was no more than 2 feet from my passengers side. Trust me, I looked long and hard for any evidence of a ding.

People suck.

Good luck getting that one fixed !

 

PDR is well worth the money. Most of the time if the paint is not damaged they can repair to the point you can't see anything was ever there.

Don't even mess with the 'dentpullers', they are mostly crap. Ding King was the one being sold for a while, maybe it still is, and I have never seen it work.

 

come to think of it, i haven't needed to PDR for a while... and ive
been parking my cars in the 'best spot' closest to the entrance.

 

I just talked to chris about parking this morning.

I hate people who mess with your car.. when will ppl know that SOME people actually do love their cars. All mini owners do!

 

problem is some mean people do it on purpose.

 

My parking plan is to look for a parking spot that is flanked by cars which are to the extremes away from the parking spot I will park in. That is to say, the car on the drivers side is parked to the left of center in his/her spot, and the car on the passenger side is parked right or center of his/her spot.

When I hit dead center on a spot like that, the car doors cannot reach Romi. So far, so good. Almost 5 months and not a ding. Just the keying on the bonnet from some schmuck who paid $200 for dinner that night. Yes, it was a nice restaurant. ARRRRRRRGGGHH!!!

 

True, sometimes things happen, nevermind how neurotic/careful you are. I got one, too...very slight. I hope to pay my PDR guy a visit tomorrow. It's well worth seeking out the best PDR folks in your town. You'll likely need then somehow, somewhere.

 

Oh know gokart! Was it because I could not get to Estella's yesterday to flank your Mini?

 

my civic (very thin panels) that i used daily last year has no dings.
and i parked it where ever there was a spot near the entrance to
the building at the mall, the supermarket, target, walmart, etc.

im not sure (quite doubtful) if technical parking styles
help that much. just park where convenient and hope for the best.

 

I will never park next to any SUV/Truck. That would be asking for a ding, busted windsheild, probably all four tires slashed as well.

It amazes me hoe many SUV/Truck drivers in our area detest the Mini. I cannot count how many times I have nearly been run off the road by them. How they cannot stand being behind Romi. On more than one occasion a truck has passed me using the embankment of the freeway, as the lanes were all blocked.

I get flipped off at least once a week. There are times when I will pull over into a parking lot just to let the long line of trucks/SUV's get passed me. Had one this morning lay on his horn until I moved out of the way. We were stopped at a stop light.

Nope. I will never park next to one of them.

 

It also helps if you can park at the right-hand end of a row. This allows you to park close to the right side of the space without infringing on anyone else's spot, and the odds are good that the car to your left isn't carrying a passenger, so the one door they could hit you with probably won't even be opened.

 

I just always try to park in the exact middle of the space and hopefully that's far enough away from the inconsiderate morons. I've only gotten one ding, from a shopping cart at Costco, when Squirt had 2475 miles, and I was parked way out in the middle of nowhere.

 

What do you expect when you are driving 10 MPH below the speed limit with your turn signal on in the fast lane for the last 10 miles??

 

My wife has picked up my parking habits, i.e. very far from others and with an eye for "end" spots. Nevertheless, there always seems to be that one person that needs to park right next to you, even though you have clearly avoided everyone. I think I might start letting some air out of tires that have made their way too close to me. Unfortunately I think being burned is the only way people learn these days.
TJM

 

people ARE very inconsiderate. I've had the bonnet of my ESMIE sat on, so her distinctive sccop bump is flattenrd. It's like the scene in Wonderboys, when the guy jumps on the hood of the car, and Tobey Maguire tells Mike Douglass "you have an *** print on your car."? Well that's me. Then, there are those who just HAVE to lean on her, because it's not only cute, but the best looking car on the street. Had a couple making out on my car last week. Must have been the best make-out session ever, because the rivits of her jeans made many paint scratches near my gas cap. I guess that's what happens when you take pride in something and want to kkep it nice. I should know better!

 

^

I can't even imagine how I'd react if I came out and saw someone leaning or sitting on my car.

Can't.

Even.

Imagine.

 

You just don't say anything because it would be WORSE the next day -- keying, slashed tires, smashed window. Hey, that's life in the big city. Parking lot isn't much better -- had the attendant smash into a concrete beam just a mere 72 hours after getting the car. What could be worse? I SAW the whole thing!!!!

 

People are horrible. My BMW 330CI got a dent in the door the one time I took it to a parking lot, in a handicapped spot with tons of room and they dented it. It upset me enough that I don't drive it anywhere I have to park it except my shop where it has its own lot and stays covered. I usually drive the Suburban with Rich's wheelchair or his truck since he can't drive anymore. I'm lucky to have other cars to choose from, but we had to have an SUV after he developed muscular dystrophy.
My convertible has only 5600 miles on it in nearly 6 years because of my paranoia about parking it. Plus I'm afraid someone will slash the top.
Now my dilemma is what color to get the Clubman in. I'm no. 1 on the list in Phoenix as I've had a deposit since Jan. 06 on it. I am afraid to get a bright color as it may draw unwanted attention, but with all the huge trucks and SUVs in Arizona I'm afraid they won't see the MINI if it is a darker color. I wanted to put the American flag on the roof, but am afraid it will be keyed or defaced. Really makes me angry as I work 60+ hours a week and no one gave is any of the cars.
With my husband's illness we can't travel, go to movies, go out, do anything, so my BMW and future Clubman are my passion.
I park way out, but it always draws a bad parker or a cart rammed into the side of the cars. I can assure you all that when I drive the Suburban or the truck I am sooooo careful of anyone I park near.
I am sorry that people give MINIS a hard time on the road as MINI people are the best out there. Sad state we are in. People won't work for the car they want, but they resent anyone who has one that they love and care for.

 

now all you know why there are hobby cars and dd (daily drivers).