Protecting your car from dings?!
Discussion
Just wondering if any of you guys have used/bought something to pop on the side of your car to help protect from other car doors?
I might be going from my car being parked in my garage 99% of the time [as I WFH] to using a supermarket carpark for 7ish hours a day, a few times a week. This fills me with dread! I'm sure I could always find an end spot so it's kind of only the other side I'd need to protect.
I'm guessing the answer is no, there isn't really anything 'perfect' on the market. I wouldn't want something bulky and I know nothing would protect the car 100%, but is something better than nothing? I also wouldn't want the product itself causing damage, which I imagine a magnetic strip could do on a dirty car?
I'm trying to ignore the potential for trolly damage. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
I will be seeking alternative parking but can't find anything yet - unless I want to pay the business centre over £60 a month for the privilege of one of their spots
Ta.
I might be going from my car being parked in my garage 99% of the time [as I WFH] to using a supermarket carpark for 7ish hours a day, a few times a week. This fills me with dread! I'm sure I could always find an end spot so it's kind of only the other side I'd need to protect.
I'm guessing the answer is no, there isn't really anything 'perfect' on the market. I wouldn't want something bulky and I know nothing would protect the car 100%, but is something better than nothing? I also wouldn't want the product itself causing damage, which I imagine a magnetic strip could do on a dirty car?
I'm trying to ignore the potential for trolly damage. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
I will be seeking alternative parking but can't find anything yet - unless I want to pay the business centre over £60 a month for the privilege of one of their spots
Ta.
Terminator X said:
Park at the back and walk. Health benefits too.
Or find a space that no one else can park next to. I have one at my usual car park, will pop it on here as an example.
TX.
I always park at the back/up the top of any carpark I visit, as I guess most of us do. This carpark is a bit strange though, it kind of surrounds the shop so there isn't a back as such. I was there yesterday and found a spot that meant I could hug my Mini up against the curb and leave quite a large gap to the next bay...but knowing a large number of people will be in that next spot, it'll only be a matter of time!!Or find a space that no one else can park next to. I have one at my usual car park, will pop it on here as an example.
TX.
samoht said:
Check that the supermarket doesn't have notices saying 'Customer Parking Only. Max 3 hrs stay' as so many of them now do.
It does...but also offer long-stay for a decent price. Much cheaper than the business centre. There's a cinema up the road that have a huge carpark, which would hardly be used during the working day, but unfortunately I don't think they offer the same long-stay as the supermarket.Davie said:
The PH answer is to run a shed / station car / dog car / parking in a supermarket cafe park for 7hrs a day car / tip run car or whatever other scenarios there are that warrants a specific vehicle.
Paying the £65 a month to business centre [not that that would mean a dent-free life] would be cheaper than buying and running a second car. My Mini ins't worth much, but it's in great condition and it would be a shame if it got 'covered' in dents. You never know, it might not, I might always be lucky 
Terminator X said:
Park at the back and walk. Health benefits too.
Or find a space that no one else can park next to. I have one at my usual car park, will pop it on here as an example.
TX.
This. I do this everywhere. Lucikly my office has a great lot, as well as security cameras. For everything else, risk minimization is the name of the game. Or find a space that no one else can park next to. I have one at my usual car park, will pop it on here as an example.
TX.
My experience is that its rear doors that do the damage due to the shape round the wheelarch, exacerbated by it being the door the kids normally fling open, or the parent needs to open wide to get nipper in the child seat. 4X4s are even worse as they are higher up and wide.
Because its high up there is not a lot you can do about it with a rubbing-strip.
Park in a space on the end of a row if you can, and park right over to one side.
Because its high up there is not a lot you can do about it with a rubbing-strip.
Park in a space on the end of a row if you can, and park right over to one side.
ChocolateFrog said:
Park far away on an end and leave the open side to your right. Most people park nose in and visit supermarkets solo so less likely to be getting out on the passenger side.
Even then I still get the odd ding.
That's a good shout [and is the reason I tend to look for empty spaces next to other cars passenger door]. At least I don't still own my Jaguar STR - that barely fit into a parking space. The Mini is a much better bet for this kind of thing! Even then I still get the odd ding.
BUG4LIFE said:
Davie said:
The PH answer is to run a shed / station car / dog car / parking in a supermarket cafe park for 7hrs a day car / tip run car or whatever other scenarios there are that warrants a specific vehicle.
Paying the £65 a month to business centre [not that that would mean a dent-free life] would be cheaper than buying and running a second car. My Mini ins't worth much, but it's in great condition and it would be a shame if it got 'covered' in dents. You never know, it might not, I might always be lucky I haven't taken anything I care about to a supermarket since about 25 years ago when I watched some upstanding citizen take the corner off a chaps XJS, waddle round for a look at the damage, and then waddle back in to her car to move it 8 spaces up. More than 8 spaces was probably too much further to get to the scratch cards and microwave curries.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Friday 24th October 13:05
I litterally made a piston heads account just to respond to this.
I street park and there are absolute animals that live around me who don't care about their cars or others.
I bought some hollow pool noodles and bungie cord off ebay.
Thread the cord through the pool noodles
Big knot at each end
Close them in the front door jams
Close it in the boot jam
Im covered from wing mirror to boot lid on either side
Sorted
I would rather mange any potential micro scratches from dirt/rubbing that door dings.
Won't let me post images or maybe I'm thick
Let me know if you want links to the ebay products and/or images
I street park and there are absolute animals that live around me who don't care about their cars or others.
I bought some hollow pool noodles and bungie cord off ebay.
Thread the cord through the pool noodles
Big knot at each end
Close them in the front door jams
Close it in the boot jam
Im covered from wing mirror to boot lid on either side
Sorted
I would rather mange any potential micro scratches from dirt/rubbing that door dings.
Won't let me post images or maybe I'm thick
Let me know if you want links to the ebay products and/or images
Edited by GrannyShiftingNotDoubleClutching on Friday 24th October 13:04
BUG4LIFE said:
Yeah, I know what you mean...would hope for something in bit more inconspicuous, but there isn't likely to be such a product!
How about the bump strips like the ones on the car I posted a picture of half an hour ago?Best Deals on E-TECH BLACK Car Body and Bumper Guard Bodywork Protector Mo https://share.google/XZl5jAckAg9hbr44e
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