Hey everyone...looks like i've joined the club of people getting their doors hit by stupid people that don't pay attention! It's right on the line on the passengers side door...right ahead of the mirror. I was thinking about getting the Upgraded alarm shock sensor. Does anyone know if it's sensitive enough to pickup someone hitting my door?
The one I am talking about is this:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...n&key=RX081021

This all happened at work, and don't know for sure who did it, as I just saw it while washing my car sunday (last washed it last sunday) and only drove it to work mon, tues, wednesday. I am pretty sure I know between two people that probably did it...and everyone I talk to says they don't pay attention to things. I checked their cars out, and didn't see any marks though....

 

Sorry to hear that, as it's happened to me before too- tho not on my 8. I have the alarm shock sensor on my 8, but honestly the real only way to prevent against this sort of thing is to learn to be extremely picky when parking. Car alarms were a big fad in the 80's & 90's. But, over time everyone learned that they are more of an annoyance than anything else. So much so, that some cities actually have banned them altogether and will ticket you if your car alarm goes off. (Here in So. California, at least.)

I suggest when you pick a parking spot to consider the following criteria- which has worked for me over the years. (Haven't got a door dingy ever since 1999) Your passengers will say you're being overly ****, but prevention will save you the grief and pains of visiting the body shop:

1. NEVER EVER EVER park next to a SUV, full-size truck, or mini van- PERIOD.
Truck & suv drivers tend to be ruder and less careful people- just look at how they drive.
Mini-vans most likely = kids on board, and we all know what that means.

2. Avoid parking in a compact size space as much as possible.
Try to find a full-size space- even if it means being farther away.

3. Avoid parking in any space that has empty spaces to your immediate left and to your immediate right.
Why? Because a freaking SUV, truck, or mini-van might pull up and park next to you.

4. In a shopping mall, try to stear clear of spots where people return their shopping carts.

5. Try to find parking in the outside corner of a parking lot or next to a post.
The outside corner usually means one side is a wall and your car is only exposed on one side. And, parking next to a post means that there is some empty space between you and the next car. Just be careful not to give yourself a door dingy by backing into it. Otherwise, game over.

6. Try to avoid parking on the inside corner of a parking lot.
Careless drivers may turn too sharp and nick your bumper.

Basically, every time you park you HAVE to assume the worst. Other drivers are often rude, stupid, and inconsiderate. And, by picking a spot that minimizes potential mishaps, you'll have done all you can to minimize your exposure to it.

As for your door dingy, if there is no paint damage- contact your local Mazda dealer and see what body shop they recommend. Then call and see if they have a paintless-dent removal service. Usually it's about $50-75 for small dings and can be done within 1-2 hours.

Hope this helps.

 

Thank you for all your info detrich. I am very picky where I park, and usually my manager parks next to me and the secretary to the other side...they both have SUV's but park in such a way their passenger side doors are too me...it's just I guess one of the other women decided to pry they fat ***' out of their vehicles and into mine. I really hope I won't be able to notice it once it's fixed. I have already decided I am going to park in front of our other building...only one other person will be beside me, and she is **** about being careful...which is fantastic. I felt so bad when I saw my ding.

 

It sounds like they might've had passengers then that day- perhaps to go out to lunch or something? SUV's are THE absolute worst, because their door spans are so large that they only have to be slightly careless and they'll ding you. That is why I made a rule to myself to never park next to any SUV- no matter what.

The paintless-dent repair services are usually very good. If the dent isn't that big and there is no paint damage, it'll be fixed in just 1 or 2 hours and is very affordable.

I got the alarm shock sensor w/ my 8 mainly because it was so inexpensive- that I figured- what the heck. The glowing dash light LED is kinda cool also.. hehehe

 

Alright, you have sold me on the upgrade. I know it's not the BEST out there...but for $50 you cant go wrong. ...

 

I take exception to the remark about truck drivers being rude people. I paid a hell of alot more for my 2006 superduty ford truck then my wife did for her RX-8, about 15000 more, so I am super careful with both our vehicles and follow all the rules of parking away from other vehicles, both cars and trucks'/suv,s. The problem is only car and truck people like us are considerate of other peoples property.

 

Good one. It is not the vehicle. It's the attitude of the person opening the door.
The cars I avoid are the POS econo-boxes with the faded paint. They are driven by poor people with lots of kids. I park as far out in the parking lot as I can and avoid the sorts of places where I will get dents (Like Walmart parking lots)

 

You can adjust the sensitivity on the shock sensor, so if you want, you can have it go off at the slightest bump. But be careful, if you park you car outside near your home, and your alarm is going off all the time from wind, your neighbors won't pay it any attention when something actually happens.

 

One thing I have noticed about parking at places like walmart is that if you park near the basket return corrals you ar less likely to get hit because these same inconsiderate people that will hit your car also will not take the time to properly return their baskets. I almost got into a fight at walmart one day with a husband because I told his lazy wife that I would return her basket if she was too lazy to do so. She had just pushed her basket toward my 8 when the return was only two parking spots away.

 

Yeah- it took me a while to get mine set to a good sensitivity level. I still have a problem when a jackass with a Harley revs it up in a parking lot, but besides that very few false alarms.

 

I was speaking in general terms- ie majority of the time. of course there are always exceptions.

 

I agree...it also has a lot to do from where your located. Where I am located, a lot of the truck/sub drivers don't care if they run 'ricers' off the road...or ding cars....because 'trucks are for work...if they get a ding...who cares?' Well..thats what they say..

 

Always amazes me when I park way out in the fringes of the parking lot, with no other car in sight, only to return to find another car parked right next to me!

 

Here's another good tip (general speaking, of course): Park next to a very expensive car. They are probably more **** than you are. There's a far corner area of the parking lot at my work that consist of some pretty expensive sports cars that seem to be very careful about who they park next to. I by no means am in their league but, I park myself next to them and no door dings yet!

 

That's how my 323i got dinged when it was still brand new.

I went to the Anaheim convention center and parked way away from everyone- with no cars parked to my left or right. Came back and the rear passenger side door was dinged. And, I was like WTF! That is why one of my rules since then is to never park anywhere where there is no car to your immediate left or right.

It's always better to know who's right next to you- even if they leave before you- then risk an SUV, truck, or mini-van to pull up next to you out of nowhere...

---

 

The thing is...I would be 'ok' if who did it came out. It's the fact that I know it's one of two...and 90% chance they knew they did it...yet nothing.