Where would or wouldn't you leave it?

[denverpete]

I would park it at the mall if the spot's not very small.

I would park it at a bar but not near another car.

I would parallel park it on the street so the doors don't get beat.

I would park it out of site but never over night.

But I would never,ever, ever park it at a game cuz that's just really..... stupid.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by denverpete

I would park it at the mall if the spot's not very small.

I would park it at a bar but not near another car.

I would parallel park it on the street so the doors don't get beat.

I would park it out of site but never over night.

But I would never,ever, ever park it at a game cuz that's just really..... stupid.

Damn, that is pretty good, Denver Suess! The scary part is that it didn't take you very long to come up with it.

[P-nut]

I see Porsches, Mercs, Bimmers, Lexuses (Lexi?) and all manner of $60k+ SUVs parked in the airport parking garage for days at a time.

This ain't no $200k Ferrari or priceless diamond. Drive it and park it where you please. If necessary, let the insurance company pay YOU for a change, and then go buy a new one.

[coiguy]

I think it's a matter of how much you care for the car. Not how much the car is worth in dollars. I tend to be very careful with my toys (phone, PDA, camera, cars, et c.) and like to keep them looking as new as possible.

I avoid taking the car to the mall or stadiums and work. I have a second car. But there are those days when I itch to take the Porsche, then I would park far, in the middle of nowhere, or in a big corner space.

As far as getting your money back from insurance companies. Sure, if your car was stolen and not recovered, then it's worth it. But I dread the smaller things (broken windows/lights, being keyed, deep door dings, et c.) that would be more of a hassle, and perhaps not worth claiming due to the deductible.

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Hey... it's just a car and you have insurance. Take it wherever you want. If you're that paranoid, you should have never bought it to begin with.

I realize that for many, this is their first real car and so it's understandable that they'd have some apprehension. But, once you've owned numerous classics, performance cars and the like, you realize that it's not worth being held hostage by a machine.

I drive my Esprit and park it anywhere (to be sure not under a tree where birds can do their thing or up close to a supermarket), same with my Boxster, I just use common sense. If it gets dinged or scratched, that's the way it goes.

A friend who just got a GT-40 (FANTASTIC RIDE!!!) to go along with his 996 Turbo, Esprit V8, Europa, M3, Supercharged Works Mini and Gen 2 MR2 (Yea, he's a Surgeon) and I went to lunch and he just pulled in and didn't even lock it. Life's too short to worry about what could happen. Don't worry... Be Happy!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[Jeph]

I agree with coiguy. It's not about the monetary value, or that we're too wrapped up in something that's "just a car." Some people like their things to be in tip-top shape. So if you can avoid dings, jerks, and bird crap to take care of your ride, do what you gotta. Being cautious helps with 2 things. A) It keeps the car looking good, B) It keeps me from wasting money on things like dent removal, touch-up paint, and deductibles.

Granted, if I were... say, a surgeon, it would be easier for me to be a bit more care free about where I park it because it's easier for me to afford to repair it more frequently. Or maybe a door ding would be enough reason to get a new car?

[blinkwatt]

I used to be super protective of the car when I first got it. I told my parents "let me take your cars,I don't want mine to get dinged",and they always let me use theirs.
Then I got a couple of doors dings at work,and a scratch and I started thinking...."What did I buy this for? To sit in the garage or cruise?".

That was the end of that.