So about 2 weeks ago, I took my kids to petsmart to get some fish. We weren't in the store but 20 mins, and during this time, some inconsiderate driver parked next to me and opened their door into my drivers side door. I found some lovely white paint and scratches on my brand new F56 in Thunder Grey. I was Well I washed my baby and tried to hand buff it out as much as I could initially. I got some of the paint off, but the scratches were still there. So I turned to Youtube to figure out how the heck to get rid of the rest of the paint and scratches, thankfully there were many great videos to help me. I was able to get all of the scratches and paint out and my baby is as good as new. But what I have learned from this experience is to park far away from anyone else. You would think with the small size of our vehicles that other people wouldn't have issues with hitting our doors, but it doesn't look like that's the case. Oh well. I am going to include two pics I took after the first time I tried to get the scratches and paint out. I will need to take after pics and get those posted as well.

 

Dam... You're the second casualty that i know of that has thunder grey too... I'm hoping i'm not the third...At least it buffed out!

 

Yeah I had to wet sand with 3000 grit sandpaper and buff like a mad woman afterwards lol.

 

Imo. Thunder Grey is like black. Looks good when clean and is a neutral base fire any highlights....but it's a nightmare as it shows every mark including water spots and chips.
I also own this colour bthw. :-)

 

This type of negligence makes me mad - it's not like our Mini's are Range Rovers! Our cars have a small footprint and sit well within any parking spot. It probably was an exuberant child high on sugar and oblivious to everything other than the score on their Nintendo DS :( Glad you were able to deal with the damage.

 

Sorry to hear of your casualty:-( I have a story that somewhat relates. I was walking up to my deep blue f56 recently and my heart literally jumped up into my throat as I began to realize my driver door had been keyed!!:( I raised my trembling hand to touch the scratch to see if it was just in the clearcoat, and the scratch fell off the door.... It was a hair!!!! Pheeewww!!!

 

That's what I am saying! Our cars are tiny, and people are so inconsiderate now a days!

 

Bwahahaha that is hilarious! But I know the feeling you are talking about, I had the same one when I saw what they had done to my door, too bad it didn't just wipe off lol.

 

I try to make a point to park in spots that only have one accessible side to them, like next to the cart return or next to a median/curb. I figure that gives me a 50% greater chance to avoid a door ding. Other than that, I park as far away as I can or by the newest nicest car in the parking lot, assuming the owner of that car is just as careful about opening his expensive door...

 

Everything about growing old isn't bad. My mirror hanging handicap tag usually gets me nice wide parking spots that are usually close to the entrance of where I'm going.

 

I feel your pain but sadly its the society we have become when it comes to considering others. Mine was keyed down to the undercoat just in front of the fuel cap aside from shopping trolley damage so its going to be a mobile paint repair for me.

 

I always park at the farthest end of the lot, uphill from the shopping cart corrals, and if I can, in a corner spot.

I've even been known to not eat/shop somewhere because the lot is full.

I hate parking lots.

 

You can't wrap them in a bubble but you can practice Safe Parking and avoid parking lot STD's (stupid, thoughtless drivers). Problem is, you park on the far side of the lot where there isn't anybody and when you come out of the shop, there's a dozen cars jammed up to yours. The average driver doesn't give a rip about their no-character appliance and can't imagine anyone else does either. I got one door ding a few years ago and now people often ask why I park so far away and I love the reaction when I 'splain it to 'em about the low opinion I have of the average American motor vehicle operator.