How do you protect your Boxster when you park it? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

kavlono · 10-18-2005, 10:15 PM

Ok I have more questions to help me make my decision on a Boxster: How do you protect your car when you park it? Do you avoid crowded lots? Do you Valet park them? Do you cover it when you park? And have you had any problems hen you left you car such as door dings, being keyed, or vandalism?

Thanks

blinkwatt · 10-18-2005, 10:33 PM

Yes this would be a intersting thread because I have considered buying the door ding protection panels for awhile form Performance Porducts.

KShep · 10-19-2005, 03:40 AM

I never valet park at hotels, always self park. Same at restaurants unless very, very high class and no spot available otherwise. No disrespect to anyone who may be a valet but I don't trust them in general.

If I have to park in a crowded lot....always park in a clear section and if there are islands park near one so one side of car is protected. Same at hotels. The cover goes on at home...never in a lot unless long term at the airport. We have a convertible soft top cover on the way to shade the top/interior while the car is parked at work.

Unless the car is a garage queen you will get door dings over time. Luckily...paintless dent repair is for real. My g/f's Miata had dents in every panel...he smoothed every one of them out.

Nothing you can do about vandalism...but paint can always be repaired. Buy the car and enjoy driving it.

Brucelee · 10-19-2005, 05:58 AM

I have not found Porsche to be subject to more vandalism than other cars. That is just my experience. Never give your Porsche key to a valet.

The other tips above are right on.

Enjoy the experience.

10-19-2005, 06:30 AM

I can echo all of KShep's great advice.

I very rarely ever valet my cars. I don't trust them either. I always look for an end spot, and park as close to the island or curb as safely possible. At least you can "protect" one side, and allow the most room for the person who may park next to you.

Other advice I can offer:

1) Windy days can be dangerous in paking lots, watch out for wind-blown shopping carts
2) If you see a stray shopping cart in a lot, push it to a safe spot, because if not, it may be the one stray that hits your car
3) I'll drive around a parking garage or parking lot looking for a "good" spot, like an end-spot. It is easier to walk a couple extra blocks, than it is to get your car repaired.
4) Don't park in 2 spots- this invites vandalism
5) Don't leave valuables in plain sight

I religiously follow these rules, with great success...even with my company provided cars...that are not even mine.

GOOD LUCK!

deliriousga · 10-19-2005, 06:32 AM

I always park as far away as possible. I'm away from everyone and I get a little exercise walking to and from the store.

If it's crowded, I try to always get a spot at the end of the row or on an island. I have placed small, convex mirrors on my regular mirrors so I can see the curb as I back into the parking spot. That way I can be about 1"-2" from the curb and give myself a lot of room on the open side for the guy next to me.

As far as vandalism, I find that so many people slow down to look at it in parking lots, there is no time for somebody to mess with it. I leave it top-down and locked all the time with no problems. I will start taking the wind stop out when doing that since it won't be long before theives find out that little piece of plastic is nearly $500 to replace and therefore easy to unload on eBay.

After 5 1/2 years of life for the Boxster, no dings from parking lots, just little chips from rocks on the road.

Rail26 · 10-19-2005, 06:42 AM

Good point delerious about the windstop...I always lock up my radar detector and MP3 however, I never thought to remove the windstop. I think you just saved me 375 clams.

RandallNeighbour · 10-19-2005, 06:50 AM

In addition to doing everything mentioned above, I do one of the following when I park my boxster:

1) Raise the top. This keeps sticky, theiving fingers out of your car. It also keeps kids and jealous adults from throwing wads of gum in your car (happened to me in May and remnants are still on my brand new floor mats. I guess I should be glad they didn't get it on the seats or dash!)

2) Keep the top down, but employ the little red clip. This keeps the motion sensor on with the top down. But, I always remove and stow my V1, radio faceplate, rollbar inserts and windscreen in the rear trunk. Theives know all about rollbar inserts and windscreens and they're stolen all the time, showing up on Ebay.

Because my car isn't a daily driver, I have the freedom to decide when and where I will drive it. Because of this, I am now taking the car out for the sheer joy of driving it and I don't go into stores or restaurants with it.

I've actually found that people are extra-careful about their doors around my car when I do park it in public places... they know it's an expensive car. Before I bought my car I was super-sensitive when I parked near a pricey sports car or any car that was ding-free for that matter. But like most of you, I respect cars as much or more than I respect some of my family members.

I'd never valet the car either. I remember making this decision after watching Ferris Buller's Day Off.

SD987 · 10-19-2005, 10:08 AM

"2) Keep the top down, but employ the little red clip. This keeps the motion sensor on with the top down. But, I always remove and stow my V1, radio faceplate, rollbar inserts and windscreen in the rear trunk. Theives know all about rollbar inserts and windscreens and they're stolen all the time, showing up on Ebay."

Wow...wouldn't it just be easier to put the top up? I think your process has only one less step then a space-shuttle launch. I low-mount the V1 on the windshield and leave both that and the iPod sitting in the modulator base top-down. If I'm going to be gone for a longish time I just close the top, but don't stow them. I feel that if I just roll the windows up it's not easy to reach into get those items, unless you're this guy :troll:

"Good point delerious about the windstop...I always lock up my radar detector and MP3 however, I never thought to remove the windstop. I think you just saved me 375 clams."

I don't think the entire windstop assembly is at jeopardy on your 987 since it's not as easy to remove as it is on the 986. FYI, the clear plastic portion is $181.70 to replace, on the 987.

"I have placed small, convex mirrors on my regular mirrors so I can see the curb as I back into the parking spot."

Does this allow you to see your spoiler go up and down? Wondering where I could stick one of those little mirrors to see it, just for amusement.

"And have you had any problems when you left you car such as door dings, being keyed, or vandalism?"

Kavlono, this is going to sound terribly subjective, but since we live in and frequent the same areas I'll pass on my personal observation that I don't think you have to much to worry about. I don't think the Box is more prone to the above then any other high-end car. From personal experience, I'd say BMWs are more prone but of course have no scientific basis for saying so.

On another note...I haven't parked at 1200 Prospect in La Jolla but would reiterate that bottoming out is something you need to get attuned to, particularly if you're not used to driving low-clearance vehicles. But you'll be fine following the advice posted elsewhere about coming in at an angle etc...

BuffaloBoxster · 10-19-2005, 10:38 AM

I got my car keyed once. I would caution you that parking way out in the middle of nowhere also has the unintended side effect of there not being anybody around to discourage people from keying your car

Perfectlap · 10-19-2005, 11:21 AM

First.

DONT EVER PARK YOUR CAR WITH THE TOP DOWN. ok maybe if youre going to the dairy queen or dunkin donuts.
But the headlights on your car are VERY EXPENSIVE and can be removed by an expert Porsche dick head in about 2 minutes (with top down).

Second
Don't leave your car with top down in the sun. VERY BAD for your leather and black plastic. I use a soft top cover and it was faded in certain areas after only a week of exposure to the Summer Sun.

Third.
Get a steering wheel lock. Its crude and medieval but its a great visual detterent for the amateur theif or vandal. A Pro is going to take off with your car no matter what.

Fourth.
Park far away (common knowledge). And try to park in the shade. Minimize the sun exposure to your car as much as possible. and watch out for tree's bearing gifts like chestnuts and apples.

I neve park in between cars. EVER. even if it means parking on the next street in front of some guy's house. When I valet my car in NYC I tell them to be careful that the car has special racing R compound tires and that if they drive quickly the braking will cause the the tires to slide on the parking lot surface. I know the temptation of a young valet guy to burn out in my car is strong.

deliriousga · 10-19-2005, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD987

"I have placed small, convex mirrors on my regular mirrors so I can see the curb as I back into the parking spot."

Does this allow you to see your spoiler go up and down? Wondering where I could stick one of those little mirrors to see it, just for amusement.

Sorry, you still can't see the spoiler. I use them mostly so I don't have to turn around when changing lanes to see my blind spot. No more blind spot.

Perfectlap · 10-19-2005, 01:24 PM

I use this

http://www.properautocare.com/autobahnmirror.html

RandallNeighbour · 10-19-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD987

Wow...wouldn't it just be easier to put the top up? I think your process has only one less step then a space-shuttle launch. I low-mount the V1 on the windshield and leave both that and the iPod sitting in the modulator base top-down. If I'm going to be gone for a longish time I just close the top, but don't stow them. I feel that if I just roll the windows up it's not easy to reach into get those items, unless you're this guy

I got into the habit after I first bought the car and was scared about the top mechanism. I got it checked out and it's fine but I still try not to raise and lower the top all the time as it's just more wear and tear on an old car.

Also, you must understand where I now live and have lived for 38 years... Houston, Texas. 4th largest city in the world, with enough window smashing, top cutting theives to scare anyone into taking lots of precautions.

When I do put the top up, I still remove my V1 and radio faceplate, as well as anything of value in the cubbies and get them out of sight in the rear storage compartment or in the back trunk... I've had both radar detectors stolen and in-dash stereo units stolen as well in this town through the years. If you can't see it, you don't know it's there to steal and it's not worth the time and risk.

Anyone know how to keep your center caps from being stolen? You have no idea how many Porsches I see in parking lots without them.