This was a verystressful experience. We decided to go to a local Chinese restaurant in KOKO MARINA (busy) shopping center. I thought I would just find a nice end slot to park my baby, but most of them had BMW;s in them already, so I drove down a little further to some covered parking. The wife kept saying,'just park there', well THERE had a bit of a slope to the whole parking area and I could see that gravity could easily get the best of a opening door and bang into my Cayman even if I was on a large end slot!

By now wife is starving and getting pissed after several circles of the entire center. I finally found a parallel spot which was about as good as it was going to get. I still didn't like it though because it was close to exiting traffic.

We walked quite a distance to the restaurant and finally got served which seemed to take forever. All I could think about was getting back to my car and getting it out of there. I painfully rushed through all four courses only to sit another 15 minutes trying to get the check. Then walking back to the car was a near sprint for me, while my poor wife lagged way behind. She was a little annoyed, but she got over it now, I think! She asked are we going to go through this ever time we take your car? I reluctantly said probably. We did have a nice drive afterwards and I showed her wait 4800 rpms in first sounds like.

Aloha Russ

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Russk,


At some point our sun is going to turn into a small red giant and envelope the earth, which means if your Cayman is still around at that time it is going to be toast. Don't worry about it, drive the car and let the chips fall where they may! Keeping the wife happy is MUCH more important, remember if the wife goes, so does 1/2 your stuff including the Cayman! [img]/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/MWPX/whatchutalkingabout_smile.gif[/img]

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K-Man S

Yes, K-Man S, that is the ideal attitude to take with all material things. However, who hasn't been over protective of their new toy? I won't even drive my Cayman at all during the winter (salt). And I park in privately indoors at work, to be extra safe. I wish my car were here now, despite last night's snowstorm.

Russ,

Here's what I did with the wife and dinner tonight. We did our first big drive today with the Cay, 100 miles round trip to the OC for an early dinner. I dropped my wife off at the front of the restaurant and sugggested she order drinks and appetizers and I would be back in about 10 minutes. I drove to the back of the parking lot at Fashion Island and found a big spot next to a red Modena with plenty of room between us and no other cars within 50 feet. Everybody is happy.

Don't listen to these other guys. Car safety is critical. I would be ill if I came back from dinner and found a ding on the door of my first Porsche.

JHellow

Thanks guys, I am gald to know I am not alone on this. I should have dropped her off first!! Next time I will know better.


Russ

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I gotta say that I was also very concerned about dings. Spent the first three weeks searching for 'safe' spaces but started gradually realizing that I never saw dings on any cars here in Japan. It finally dawned on me that folks here are amzingly careful about not touching other cars, at all, in parking lots. I'm still careful but have eased up a bit...

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2006 Porsche Cayman S - Carrera White
2008 BMW 335i - Alpine White

I completely understand. As we speak I am now working tirelessly on an inflatable protective door bag. It will attach where the roof rack hooks in. I would tell u more but Iam late for myappointment withthe psychiatrist.





Mike

Russ, I look at it as part of my exercise program. Not my wifes. By the way you can buy color coded magnetic parking guard strips to temp. place on the doors if you don't like your parking spot.

There's that and then there's the fact that so many Americans are obese that they have to open their car doors greater amounts to accomodate their wide carriages, more likely causing door dings.

Russ,


Its just a car man, it will get dinged, scratched and what not. I seriously hope you will track your car or at leat autox it; there will be damage at the track as well, parts will wore faster, etc. But I do not think you can enjoy the car if you worry about every little thing that may/will happen to it.


As long as you and your wife are safe in it and you keep the engine, drivetrain and chassis in good shape, you'll be enjoying the car for a long time. Paint stuff easy to take care of compared to others.

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FT

Thanks for the comments. SF, I did have those magnetic door guards on BMW, and they were clear! They worked very well but one by one they dissappeared and then I realized that I was forgetting to take them off while driving! They will blow off at low speeds.


In Hawaii we have some HUGE people, Tongan, Hawaiian, Samoan and more, and I watch them get out of their cars. They don't even think about the car that is next to them. Their only thought is getting their 300+ pound rear up and out of their car. I will just have to be very selective.


Aloha Russ

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There are never justifiable advantages to being disabled/handicapped, considering how good things could be without the ailment/health condition, but the permanent condition allows one to park in a disabled space, if it can be found. That is the only good thing, and some people see such a car in a space with the authorizing card displayed, and raise their eyebrows. The added space gives some protection from dings, but then there are shopping baskets, and children with big toys. Please just grin and bear it, and still look for those end spaces and parallel parking opportunities.