How to Avoid Door Dings or Damage in Parking Lots
We all have that dreaded feeling of parking somewhere and returning to our vehicle with a fresh door ding. No note or a phone number left, just a transaction between two car doors saying hello. In today’s post, I will go over some of my techniques that have helped keep my car from getting beat up in parking lots. Here we go!
Find the Right Spot
One way to avoid door dings is to pick the best spot for your vehicle. My favorite spot when entering a parking lot is the end spot. I like end spots because I can hug the curb or line as much as I can giving the most space available between my car and others. Be careful parking though because you do not want to scratch your wheels on the curb. Then you would have another issue to fix.
Another spot I look for is one that is further away from the destination. I know that means I have to walk a little farther, but I can shop or leave my car in peace knowing that it’ll be safe while I’m away.
One thing I absolutely won’t compromise on is parking in a ‘Compact’ spot. I’ll walk 5 extra minutes before parking in a compact spot. Unless you drive a Smart Car or Mini Cooper, you are almost guaranteeing that you’ll be greeted with a happy new friend on the side of your car.
The next type of spots I avoid is high foot traffic spots. These spots are the ones where a lot of people walk through to get to their destination quicker. For example, cars who park in spots right in front of business entrances are prone to get damaged. These do not necessarily door dings, but scratches from people walking by. These scratches could be from purses or handbags, bracelets, watches, or even buttons from people trying to squeeze between your car to get to their destination. Even though it may seem like a blessing that you got the closest spot to the store, that blessing could come with an unforeseen cost.
Who’s your neighbor?
Besides considering the different types of spots or locations, one variable I take note of is the type of car I am parking next to. I ask myself these two questions: ‘Is this a tourist car? Or is this car a 2 door?’ The reason these questions are important is that Maui has a high volume of tourists cars at any time of year and these tourists might not be focused on taking care of their rental as much as they would their personal car. Also one of the most popular rental cars on Maui are Ford Mustang convertibles. These cars have two large opening doors. These large doors easily reach across the parking stalls and can easily nick or ding your car. I intentionally avoid parking next to all Mustangs, in general, to be safe.
As you can see, there are many ways to help keep your ride ding free and keeping your paint job fresh. If you need any paint restoration please don’t hesitate to contact us 808.244.5339.
One final variable that I consider when I look for a safe parking spot in the direction of the wind. With Maui’s north shore being deemed the Windsurf Capital of the World, the wind on Maui is quite gusty. So when I look for a spot, I determine which direction the wind is blowing and look for a barrier from the wind. This is important because the wind could swiftly push loose shopping carts around the parking lot and they could go straight into your ride. Instead, I make sure there’s at least a curb or another vehicle between my car and the direction of the wind.
Thank you for reading!
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