Being a Worrywart
 

So I have owned my 370z for almost two weeks now. I recently moved to an apartment complex that has an underground parking lot with assigned spots.

I am glad I get to park the Z out of the weather.. but the fact that it is always sitting in an open lot makes me nervous. I know how dumb and idiotic people can be. I am not in a bad neighborhood or anything so I know it won't be vandalized (Well I guess it still could be vandalized) ..but I keep worrying about door dings and things.

I know it's just a car..and it is not perfect and will eventually get dings anyway..

Am I being over paranoid? Or does anyone else get these same feelings?

crime has no address.

and door dings bother the f*ck out of me, which is why i always opt for a garage at an apartment.

I would say most of us, if not all, worry about dings.

I was thinking of buying some Door Shox, but the only concern I have is that someone might steal them as they're magnetic.

Magnetic Car Door Protection, Car Door Protectors, Car Door Guards, Prevent Car Door Dings and Dents

I don't have much faith in their security cable, but they have pretty decent reviews.

Buy and drive a junker, park the junker in the apartment complex lot, store Z in an off-site garage.

mine sits in the garage most of the time. When I do drive it I park out in bfe stategically. I have stayed at a couple hotels with it and have to have it in eyesight from my room. Yes I'm odly paranoid right there with you

Our doors are aluminum so forget anything magnetic.

I'd actually argue you are safer in the underground lot of your apartment complex rather than outside. I would be willing to bet people who you may see on occasion would be more cautious about dinging doors and such. Plus you generally won't have drunken rando's wandering around targeting your Z as much as if it were in an open lot somewhere.

Best bet is to pick a corner spot and park the passengers side door close to the wall/pole. If you have enough space between the line next to you and a door length you should be fine.


I think most of us feel your paranoia on parking regardless

Additional point - Some big underground facilities have cameras, or you can buy a dash cam that runs continuously or something to that effect.

One more point - It's a car, ***** going to happen regardless. I have an assigned spot in Boston, which is pretty much gold in a city where street parking will get your bumpers banged to ****. However, it rained the other day and the run off left hard water spots on the car, possibly due to the coating on the deck I park under. Sometimes you just can't win. Enjoy the car, there will always be another one in your future. Use precaution when you can but if **** happens no use stressing if you did everything you could within reason.

i fought those demons by getting PDR training and owning a garage and dd.

Great points.. I like this. Unfortunately though in the underground lot it is assigned spots! I wish I could just grab a corner one :) But yeah.. in the end.. it's just a car.. things will end up happening to it no matter what I guess

Any chance negotiating your spot in exchange for the farthest corner spot? That what i would do :stirthepot:

Ahhh gotcha. Actually in all respects it may be better. It mean you only have to worry about potentially two people in the whole garage. Get to know the people parking on either side of you. You'll also probably notice how they park (One may back in vs pull in forwards. See where the lowest chance of danger is.) If a dent does happen you and they are going to know who did it. And if you get to know them chances are they will have courtesy around your car.

Of course there is always the chance of "crazy" but I think from your neighbors point of view, they are going to run into you a lot, so they are probably not going to want to be the ******** denting the nice sports car in the garage.

long time ago i lived in an apartment where they had the secured, assigned garage parking. problem was they would only give me 2 spaces max. :icon08: the f- am i going to do with only 2 spaces? :mad:

photoshop less cars in your garage...? :ugh2:

Buy a house with a 2 car garage ! you won't have ANY issues, it is what I did...lol

FAK! I hadn't even thought of that! :shakes head:

Thanks for the heads up.

You think YOU are paranoid? Whenever I let my gf into the car I'll remind her "Raise your feet!" So she doesn't scratch the door sill with her heels lol


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Rather than drive my Z while my wife's Rouge is in the shop she is renting a car. She is afraid some thing will happen to the Z left in a parking lot while at work. It's going to be my DD she is more paranoid than I am.

I rent the stall beside my underground stall and then park in the middle of them both. Problem solved.

Outside in the real world, I have a handicap permit so the spaces are always wider. It is a small benefit for being a gimp.

^ +1000000 i do that to my fiance too! You also have to watch out for the pocketbook swing on the way in and out as well because they always smack it right off the side of the car :icon14:

The best spot is next to a handicap spot where I live. Primary because (I assume) Mass law requires you to have a 1/4 of your spaces dedicated to handicap parking because there are a TON of them.

I just park next to the furthest away handicap spot because very rarely does it ever get used and it usually has additional stripped line room on both sides. I just park right up against the line but not on it.

last time i parked towards the handicapped side of the end parking spot, a taffyapple was trying to get out the side of their handicap minivan. not a good idea. :eekdance:

^ Yup, that would not be good. I'm playing the odds. When I see 5 handicap spots open I park next to the furthest away one.

i've had different circumstances of parking during road trips from grass fields, covered garage, cramped garages and so on.

i was always concerned at hotel parking garages and always try to 'protect' one side by parking next to a pillar or wall if possible.

one 'technique' i do is park beside cars that are taken care of aesthetically. those owners generally tend to respect other's belongings (especially if you keep your car clean too)

Excellent idea. :tiphat:

What irritates me is I'll park in BFE on purpose away from every car in the parking lot when I'm going into a store, but when I come back out there'll be a car parked next to me. I'm like wtf


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I currently have a 2.5 car garage which I thought was great when I bought the house. After 5 years I hate that my DD is outside (wife will always get a spot). oversized 3 car garages are the way to go. I'm looking to move in the near future and will have nothing smaller. I'd recommend the same to any prospective homeowner that is a car enthusiast and married

To the OP, I wouldn't stress too much about it, there's not much you can do unless you move.

On the bright side of that, no one can stick an embarrassing magnet on the car while you aren't looking; a buddy of mine tried putting a flamboyant "YOLO" magnet on my car (my circle knows how much I hate that stupid, stupid acronym) and couldn't.

Back to the point, don't stress it man; its a car, **** is gonna happen. Be proactive in being cautious, but there isn't too much you can do in your current situation.

Great advice! I guess even if you are at a movie theater/restaurant etc. There will always be chances something could happen. My Z isn't perfect right now anyway.. it is a race car :) I guess it should have a few dings along the way haha

yep, i do not understand. out of all the spots (esp. the ones up front near the entrance) they could have parked at, they just happened to park next to you? depending on my mood, i'll just lift up their windshield wipers.

Haha, don't worry my man. I still have a mini heart attack every time I find a new rock chip, ding, or just about any defect.

yah, ive had that happen too. just place your shopping cart in front of their car when u leave.

:icon18:

These made me laugh and I might just pick up these tricks.

one of my buddies has an 09 GTR and we literally parked in the last spot in the back. we came back about 15 minutes later only for him to find another car parked next to him. he got so annoyed that he took all the shopping carts in the outside cart station and formed a circle around their car lol.

lol whatever you do, don't do anything illegal, and most importantly, don't get caught :rofl2:

Yea I'm not one to do illegal stuff ... um ... :ugh:

No damage to personal property is my motto.

Car parking next to me out at the end of the local doesn't bug me as long as they aren't too close. I've Ben known to park next to a nice Z before in my other cars or truck just to shield them, but not at the end of a lot.