How do you protect your Boxster when you park it?

[kavlono]

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]

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

[KShep]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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.