Currently I always try and find a spot that is open on both sides and a good distance away from other cars. Just wondering how well the door strips protect against idiots who could care less about my car. Do the strips ding or chip if another car door hits it? Has anyone had the door strip not do it's job and end up with a ding on the body of the car?

 

I always park far away from anyone else, so I don't have any dings nor have I experienced any on the G. However, before buying my G I looked around at other G's on the road and didn't see many dings on Gs. Maybe it's something with the contour or thickness of the metal, but I don't see many Gs with dings.

Then again, maybe it's just that most G owners take care of their cars.

 

I think the door strips dont do their job if they are suppose to protect the car from dings -- how can they protect the doors if an SUV door opens and hits the top of the body

 

It's funny that you mention the door thickness and contour as possible reasons for the lack of door dings, because I've been wondering about that for a while now. My reason for thinking this way comes from the fact that I've been the unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it) recipient of two possible dings in the year that I've owned my car - both of which failed to damage the sheet metal and only left residual paint from the offending vehicle. Nothing that I couldn't polish out with my Porter cable.

Of course, having said this, I'll probably find two huge dings in my driver's door later today.

 

I try to park strategically to prevent door dings, but you can't catch every neer-do-well out there. I have two dings in the pax side of my 04, both of which permanently deformed the sheet metal.

 

That's exactly what happen to me! I got a door ding way above the strip. In fact, I don't see any contact marks on the strip at all. Damn SUV! BTW, I did not park next to an SUV. When I parked, there was no cars on either side of me. Only thing I can think of is, the SUV parked next to me and dinged my door and then took off.

 

My philosophy is this:

I don't park my car if I am not 99.9% certain that I can't get a door ding. If it is possible for the door on the adjacent car to hit my G35, then I will not park there... period.

 

It will save many door dings but not all. I personally would get the side moulding to help save the doors.
C.

 

Hun, where do you live? I know for me I wouldn't be able to drive to work if I tried to be this way. LOL! I try to take extra care but goodness where would you be able to park if you did this everywhere.

 

whatever you do don't double park...hasn't happened to me but I have heard many stories of people phukin up cars just because they double park