Three weeks into the ownership and arrgghh......got my first door ding just now while picking up my son at school. One of the older kids leaned over on their bike to say, 'cool car' just as his handle bar smacked the middle of the door, a dent and chipping the paint. Yikes, what can you do, he was only 9. :impatient

Have you guys been able to delay the inevitable?

 

only 9? So he probably doesn't weigh too much. The Darth Vader throat lift would have been a good response.


At least he did it with the best of intentions - to compliment your MINI. That would have been his saving grace for me =)

Accidents happen eventually. At least now the next dent won't be quite as painful.

 

I park way out there.... any threaten to injure people that get too close.

 

my father gave my car its first and only ding. Its my dad, what can i say after i added scratches to his rims and denied it.

 

I got my first ding in less than a month also. I still don't know who did it, because I always park in the boondocks. Someone had to go out of their way to park next to me.

I believe it happened on a super windy day I remember, I suspect their door got away from them.

Anyway, it marked the fender flair and dinged the fender itself. Luckily, no paint damage and the PDR guy got it out. It is impossible to see where it was. So, all's well, except I'm $75 poorer.

 

In 3 years of ownership I have parked where ever I wanted by big cars & little cars & not worried about it at all. I only have 1 door ding that's so tiny I have a hard time finding it

 

Thanks....he was a good kid about it, apologizing afterwards. But joining The Dark Side did cross my mind...but I resisted.

 

It is the one really great thing about buying a pre-owned car. My MCS already had a few whoppers (the way I see 'em) so I don't worry quite as much!

 

I noticed in Europe...the cars there are beat to HELL, in terms of dings. There are dings,dents, all scrapes all over them. Doors, bumpers, fenders. They all park crammed close together. It's obviously not such a big deal there. If it was, they'd all be spending their life savings on touch-ups and painless dent repair...

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

True. Their parking garages are *really* cramped, not only in terms of parking space, but space to back out and maneuver. A lady hit my rental car while backing out in a parking garage, and left me her name and address (really nice - I wasn't around, so she could have easily just blown it off). The rental company didn't notice, so I tore up her contact info.

 

I bought the Door Defender magnetic pads (they look like oversized nunchucks) for peace of mind. They are easy to plunk on the doors and stick out about 3". $95 for both doors.

 

How old does a person have to be before they should take care of "their" accident??? If this was an adult on a bike - would it be any different - If I were to lean in and dent your car - I would expect to have to have it fixed - I would have at least talked to his parents about the matter - Its your car - sorry, I see it different - I have made mistakes in the past and felt bad about them - still it cost me... Sorry only goes so far - Now if you are OK with the ding, then that changes everything...

 

If one door ding costs $75 to repair and your comprehensive deductible is $100 then if you have two or more door dings, can you claim them at the same time and pay only $100 deductible and get them all fixed?

 

Kirkland =

I bought the Door Defender magnetic pads (they look like oversized nunchucks) for peace of mind. They are easy to plunk on the doors and stick out about 3". $95 for both doors




is this what you are talking about?? http://www.eurobumperguard.com/car_door_protector.html

Nice idea - except I believe they would be stolen the first time I put them on... assuming you just pull to take off??? in like .2 seconds and they are gone??

 

No.

 

Good and valid points.

IMO, forgiveness is a rare commodity these days. It was unintentional, he apologized, I forgave. So he's off the hook. I vented (here and with my wife) and now I'm ok too .

I think my deductible is $200, so I may just get it repaired directly. So my greater concern is whether a competent paint shop can match the Lightning Blue without having to spray the whole door.

 

My wife had her new Toyota Avalon and we went out to dinner - I parked up close and she wanted me to park futher out - yep - we came out and a small dent/chip from the car next to us - that was now gone - a very good friend owned a paint shop and said the "best" way to fix it and make it look right was to paint and clear the entire door - he said he could try to "blend" it but could not guarantee it to match - guess what I had him do - I did not like the dog house for the day I was in it - paid to have it done the right way - we still have that Avalon - 11 years and almost 300K and other than that ding, she had taken GREAT care of it... I pitty the kid who would dented her car...lol

Take yours to a body shop that you trust and do what needs to be done... It may be 'just a car" but its your new Mini... I do feel your pain...

 

I thought the same, but looking closely at the pictures, there is a cable that you close in the door. I presume it has some kind of **** on the end that traps it in the door.

It would be just my luck to take the moment to put them on, but not get them at the right height.

 

15 months into ownership of our Coopers, 0 door dings still. Of course, it helps that we have huge parking spaces where I work (and I still am very picky about my spot) and my fiance has parallel parking where she works.

Our 2005 Convertible that we just bought has 3 very small door dings that will be getting PDR'd pronto !

Ps. Just a general question and not directed only at this thread's author: Why do general questions like this one get posted in the Second Gen forums when it really applies to all owners ? :impatient Works the other way around, of course, too. There is a general MINI talk forum for posing such topics, right ?

 

Much cheaper version right in my shed...

Take a couple of those pool float things called Noodles I think, run some bungee cords through them and attach to your car where needed. Sorry couldn't resist. Our Dollar Stores carry them. For under $5 you could arm your Mini rather well. They come in those bright neon like colors also.

Okay, I have to admit that after I receive my first ding I may be putting this idea to work. Just to prove a point if nothing else. I guess I'll start thinking about where to attached the bungee cords without causing any damage. I'll post pics if I have to resort to this. Actually other local Mini owners will surely be posting pics to make fun of me.

 

I drive a 66 Vette for fun - when parking in lots, I park OUT and just walk a little... Same thing with my Sivlerado and my wifes Avalon (I learned) - we park OUT and just walk

BTW - I was at the Toyota Dealer today - the wife wants a new Highlander - while cruising the back lot, looking for new arrivals - I saw way off in the corner = Two guys under a tent like set up = called "Touch-EM UP Paint Systems" and about 6 new Toyotas lined up = I stopped and walked over and had a nice lesson and talk.... These guys go to all the dealers in town and touch up scratches - they mix the paint right there in the lot and do the touch up. I watched for a few min and was quite surprise at how well they would turn out - small touch up and the customers NEVER know... Now all they do is scratches NOT dings with dents - that is taken care of by "Ding Busters" We talked about a problem like the one this Poster started.... if the dent can not be taken out by "Ding Busters" then a body shop has to sand/fill and then repaint... So, touch up may be a possible...??? Just got off the phone, this is not cheap - if it is a NOT matalic or pearl paint - and the scratch is into the color - NOT DENT - paint and clear the entire door $200/$250.... just an idea of what that bike dent/scratch will cost to repair...

 

Romi will be 4 months old in a few days. No door dings yet.

Just the keyed bonnet mess. I think I would have rather had door dings than knowing someone consciously and maliciously decided to damage the bonnet.

 

Romi got keyed? When was this?

 

X2!

 

I remember that. You should be able to find the post with search.