Picked up Sherman from the dealer last night and today I had to make a quick trip to the grocery store. The parking lot was crowded with Saturday shoppers, but I found a spot near the door that normal cars wouldn't fit in since it was half taken by a cart return rack (carts entering on the side away from my car). Parked, shopped and left and as I was driving away, I saw a Hyundai try to take my vacated spot, then back out and continue looking for a parking place .

Now I'm thinking I should have taken a picture. Anyone else have any good parking stories of places you've left your MINI (preferably legal) where other cars would fear to tread? Pictures if possible!

 

I received a stencil from MINIUSA that says "MINI PARKING ONLY". So, I guess they intend for us to go around with a can of spray paint and mark such places.

 

I always park far, far away from other cars (and usually so another car can park on only one side of me) for fear of getting dinged by senseless non MINI owners.

 

Me too, park so far away people hate going anywhere with me, I don't care though don't want to get dinged up

 

Same here... And def not next to a shopping cart return...

 

no matter how far away I park , it seems someone is going to park right next to you

 

Same here! The MINI never gets parked anywhere near the store or a cart return area. When people ride with me, I just tell them "Sorry, you're gonna have to walk a mile to get inside, don't want any dents!"

 

That's one thing I love about my 2 Saturns. . .polymer sides and 0 dents for 12 years!

On the bright side, it seems like I'll be losing a bit of weight, parking at the end of the universe!

 

I'm going to really miss those polymer sides when I trade in/sell my Saturn. After nearly 10 years, my Saturn SC2 still look nearly new.

 

We ARE spoiled!
We bought our first SW2 12/95, and it just spent 6 weeks in the shop (hence, the order for Scoop!). But it came back w/new hoses, AC, you name it for about 1400 bucks. It already has 240K miles, and I think we can get another 50K out of it. We also have a matching 98 SW@ with 50K - I have a 1.5 mile commute to work - so Scoop is going to be the car in reserve so my husband can inherit the 98 when his 96 goes to polymer heaven someday.

If possible you may want to try to hang on to your Saturn as long as possible! Can you tell I don't lease my cars, and drive them FOREVER!!!!?

 

I park at the far end of the universe...except when I go to Lowes or Home Depot. Then, like the very naughty person I am, I park under the portable garage display they usually have set up in the parking lot...or in between their sheds. No room for anything other than a MINI or motorcycle! I'll have to get a photo next time!

 

If you get a Venture Shield (clear bra) installed, you can also have the material placed on the doors. Our installer charges about $20 a foot for the material (24" wide) plus installation. We had it installed on the doors of our R53 and R56 (the cost including installation and material on the doors was $175 per Mini). The material goes up to just below the door handle and mirrors so it does protect the majority of the doors. It does leave a very slight line (more or less of a line depending on the color of your Mini).

My wife parks her R53 in a mall parking lot for work. Having the Venture Shield product on her doors has saved countless dings from people opening their car doors and hitting the R53. She's been parking it there for about 18 months and she doesn't have a single ding in either door.

It's been well worth the expense and the slight line (hers is Jet Black and of course black shows the lines the most but even then it isn't that noticeable, I have pictures in my gallery of her R53 and you can't even see the lines in the pictures).

 

Amen to that, Carla99!!!

 

You guys "PARK" the MINI??? I just keeeeeeeep on drivin'!!!!

 

+1.

 

 

Every parking lot should have at least one space like this, and have it stencil painted "MINI PARKING ONLY"!

 

I used to have a spot like that where I lived, now I just have a crowded parking lot with a bunch of huge trucks in it and no one seems to care how close they are to running over my MINI

Smiley

 

Oooh... bad idea.. I've seen moms let their kids "return" carts to the rack - some giving them the ol' heave-ho from 20 yds away.. Sometimes they make the rack, sometimes they bounce off a car parked near it. :impatient

 

Unfortunately, this doesn't always work (if only it did!). Before my car was 3 weeks old, I had an actual dent put in my fender by someone and I always park as far away as possible, in a space with a curb on one side and push way up against the curb to make the space as big as possible.

Yet, someone still managed to ding me.

Fortunately, the paint wasn't marked even though there was a dent. Paintless dent repair to the rescue! 2 hours and $75 later it was good as new. Whew.

 

Same here when not in my beater. It's so funny to watch people sit in their cars and wait for a space close to the door (I see this a lot at Costco). Yet they are going to walk around and shop in a store that is larger than most of the parking lot.