I live in apts in Aliso. I used to worry about parking my car and getting dings but I just make sure I park next to nicer cars.

Fooboy, they are alot more expensive out here. I used to live in Dallas before moving out here so I know first hand. Cali doesn't have 93...the highest is 91 and around my place its going for $2.75. damn...almost $50 a full tank.

 

I park my car outside in a covered carport.

I live in a decent apt complex in fremont, ca. At first I was a little worried, but then I saw that there are three other g coupes in the complex that are doing the same thing. I figured if they're comfortable enough parking their cars outside, it should be ok. Luckily, I also have a wall on one side, so I try to get as close to that as possible to avoid dings.

 

I live in a condo complex. Just park next to people you know. They will go out of their way not to ding your car. Observe people. Try not to park next to someone who is.. well, extremely overweight. Or has kids. Nothing against being overweight. Its just physics.. need more space to open the door.

 

After hearing of other's issues, and knowing how jealous and disrespectful people can be these days, I wouldn't leave my ride out in the open under any circumstances. It's a sad, but very real circumstance that exists these days.

I wouldn't rent an apartment without an enclosed and private garage. I'm very **** about that.
G/L with your and your ride's digs.
C.

 

I park my G in a driveway 90% of the time outside. Yes, it will get dirtier but whatever. Even if you park your car in the garage it still has a pretty good chance of getting damaged when you drive around. All it takes is that one unlucky incident.
For Example, I have a friend who bought a '05 E46 Bmw 330i ZHP which he has been babying to death from day 1. He would NEVER drive it (After 6 months he had about 2500 miles on it). He also kept it in a garage 99% of the time. One stormy night a branch went through his roof and smashed the rear end of his car (Also trashed his interior due to the rainwater.)

Stuff happens. I park my G which is only 3 months old on the streets of NYC on friday/sat nights when I go out to bars/clubs. Am I paranoid something might happen? A little. However, in the end it IS just a car. So just enjoy, we really shouldn't let our cars effect life decisions (Such as what apartment to live in). Just my $0.02

 

man i'm having the same problem, i've got my car in a garage in the house my girlfriend owns...now she's selling it and we're getting an apartment in manayunk (trendy city-like area), lots of cars, narrow streets, i'm scared shi*less!

 

I live in Costa Mesa area, near Laguna, and Irvine. I don't have a garage, just a carport. The girl that parks nex to me has a Mercedes tho, so I think she is really careful. I would just see what kind of car the person your going to be parking next to drives.

 

I lived in an apartment with only carports for more than a year with my G. I never had any issues with the neighbors dinging my car. We had assigned parking in the carports, so I knew which car would be parked next to mine. I still would always keep an eye on them if I saw them getting into/out of the car near mine though
But, since it was outside all the time, I did have to clean it more often, and wax it earlier than if it was garaged.

And as far as vandalism, the only things I ever saw in my complex was someone stole all the personalized plates off people's cars. Luckily I don't have a vanity plate...

I guess it all depends on your area

 

I'm sort of insane about garages. I lived in San Francisco for 10 years and for 9 of those I didn't even own a car. The last year I went out and bought myself a shiny new (don't laugh) Jetta GTI. I swear to you on everything holy that by the end of the first year of that cars life it looked like total and utter trash. It did not get vandalized (except for the antenna getting nabbed) but street parking in a busy city is like death for a car. Both my bumpers were a mess, my grill and fenders had multiple deep dents, my rear hatch was mangled, and nevermind my paint. Tree sap, bird crap, road grunge...

When we finally moved I was firmly entrenched in the "No garage no house" camp, so when we got a house in sunny El Cerrito we got one with a garage. In the 3 years we lived there I never once put the car in the garage because it was a quiet neighborhood with little crime and no voilence. I parked my 03 black g35 coupe in front of my house every day and when I sold it two years later it was in mint condition.

Now here in downtown Toronto I have underground parking. I've owned my G35 sedan about one month and I've parked it outside maybe 4 times (street parking or lots), I've been mostly ok so far as long as I park away from people. In packed lots you're bound to get dings.

Moral of the story - it's more about the place your parking it than how it is parked. You might get a garage and it might stay in perfect shape, but eventually you're going to drive it somewhere. Would I ever street park in an even moderatly busy area? No - but I would driveway or carport park for sure. I think it's more about playing it safe (parking far from others in lots, don't park under trees, don't park in areas you feel are unsafe) in the end.

 

I went looking at real estate around the beach with my friend one night and it surprised me how many Gs I saw parked outside, as well as other more or less high-end vehicles. I noticed a lot of people use car covers. Of course that was in an area where a hole in the wall starts at $300k, so I wouldn't be too worried about it if like you say it's a good neighborhood. It's just a car after all, it won't melt outside.

 

not at all

 

I agree...stuff just happens sometimes. I wouldn't live my life around the car although I do prefer certain things like garage parking. Will I not live in a place because of it? Probably not.

The main thing is don't be stupid. I know alot of people with nice cars that park in suburbia and think the factory locks will protect their cars...I can't think of a easier target. Keep the car locked down...
Case in point - I used to leave my mkiv Supra TT, modded, had Volks etc, in Brooklyn overnight for sometimes months at a time. I had a steering wheel lock, brake lock, and a mul-t-lock (transmission lock)...didn't even have a aftermarket alarm (I honestly don't think they do crap except maybe with a pager) and no one touched the car. All this while the car is on the street mind you. I did get scuffed from cars trying to back into a spot ahead of him but that's the worst of it.

 

I live in aprtment and this is my G inside the garage

 

sorry man... i park my car in a garage every night. I wouldnt trust it.

 

Kind of reiterating what everyone has said, I wouldn't be as worried about the entire car getting stolen. Just about getting it broken into, although I don't think it would be any more likely to be broken into than any other car in your particular complex/area. If you have visible mods, that's a different story. I would be most concerned with careless people who might back into your car, walk by and scratch it with their purse or bookbag, lean against it, kids accidentally hitting it with various toys, door dings, or vandalized...