If you park your F-Type in parking lots (and I realize there are probable some that would not dream of doing that) what strategy do you use when parking?

I will only park mine at the end of an aisle when there is ample room that will allow me to park at least three feet away from the adjacent parking space and not block traffic trying to drive by in the vicinity. This is usually effective. However every once in a while someone will park next to me using the normal amount of spacing that would exist between two cars that are parked in adjacent spaces. That usually means they actually parked in the space I was in, but it does happen.

I do not ever park in home improvement centers such as Lowe's or Home Depot due to the high concentration of trucks and oversized vehicles in those lots. Not to mention people carting around large objects they just purchased. I also do not park at Walmart, as those lots tend to be very crowded. I also don't do parking garages ever. The parking spots tend to be small and crammed together.

 

Oh, I could write a whole book on parking strategy and parking lot design. You've forgotten to check the slope of the parking lot (for runaway baskets), the wind direction and velocity (the careless person next to you lets go of their door), irrigation systems in the little island (programmed to come on when it detects a freshly washed car), tree species, height and age (lots of little twig-like branches attract birds, some are self-pruning when the wind blows, some attract aphids and some drop seeds, fruits, nuts and flowers and you don't necessarily have to be under them, just nearby). And the specific angle and width of the isles makes a big difference in risk too. Parking garages are hit and miss. Sometimes there are corner spaces at odd angles that reduce the chance of door dings or support pillars that can create barriers to save you so don't count them out altogether, just scout them out first.

But yes, Walmarts are banned because the kind of people who shop there don't give a *&^$# about anything and just leave their cart whereever they parked. Plus the company doesn't care either because they don't retrieve a single cart until they run out of baskets at the entrance. Of course since nobody stocks anything I want anymore anyway, I don't have to worry too much as I mostly shop online now. And I have a truck for retrieving bulky materials from Home Depot. Everyone should have a pickup truck.

 

I like the spots next to the handicapped spots - I can scoot towards the handi spot, giving me more room. I also like to be on the right end of a row, so if someone does park next to me, it's their passenger side next to me instead of the driver side. Never park next to a POS - look for other hot cars to park near - there's usually some level of mutual respect, although 'vette guys can be a little funny sometimes.
And yes, everyone should have a truck - for HD runs and going off-pavement!

 

My only rule is:

If I see an F-Type, I park RIGHT NEXT to it.

 

About as likely as parking next to another Lotus Esprit I would wager! Two other F-types in my town that I know of and one other Esprit. Great strategy though. I do the same with my FJ Cruiser and always feel safe!

 

I've only seen one F-Type in a parking lot [a Waffle House of all things] in the four years I been driving one with an attractive girl standing next to it. Of course I parked next to it to talk about our cars as you can obviously guess.

 

I don't own an F-type, but I do try to avoid using my two sports cars for shopping, not least because of their very wide doors. Before Christmas I foolishly went to Waitrose in Sandbach in the SLK, and when I returned, somebody had parked up so close I couldn't get in the car; the door wouldn't open far enough. Fortunately the passenger side was OK, so I took my shoes off and climbed in over the central console. I backed out using my socked feet, and then was able to put my shoes on again !

 

Furthest, highest point away from the store or work. A large number of people in my area have to park as close to the store as possible so the far end of the lots are empty. I’ll also park close to an island so at least one side is protected.
I’ll never straddle 2 spaces or park crooked either because that can annoy people and they can be vindictive and intentionally park close. Usually distance is enough. Some of us here can be rather round and don’t like to waddle very far.

 

Our American friends may not realise this, but this is a real issue for us in the UK where most bay parking widths are sized based on the width of two small horses in the north, or six mature hens in the south.

I even struggle to get in my F-Type on my own driveway because the door arc is so large - I can't open it fully so need to hold it partially open. It is so unusually large that I demonstrate it to guests before they get in so they know to be careful getting out.

 

Any time I go anywhere, I call all my friends...

 

Oh, we know! At least those of us who work downtown do. Actually parking bay widths haven't changed but car widths have gotten much wider. Not only have consumers demanded more interior room, but they must have a certain amount of room for expansion of the side impact air bags in a crash. Apparently they're not very effective if the driver weighs 300lbs and is already crammed up against the door panel. Cars have just gotten too wide for old spaces. My parking garage at work was designed in the late 70s for the class of economy cars that were popular after the gas crisis, Ford Pintos, the new Honda Civics (I had one and its was maybe a little over half the size of the current Civic). They've never re-striped it for today's modern SUVs and the ever popular in Texas crew-cab pickup (guilty as charged). I would always get to work 45 minutes early, not to impress the bosses, but rather to get one of the five good parking spots. However, not only do they have a concierge service to wash cars, but they also have a company come in a couple times a year that does paintless dent repair (tho they don't offer to pay for the dents gathered in their garage).

 

No matter how far away you park a car in an empty lot somebody will always park next to you.
Link to interesting article why:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...-empty-carpark

 

Interesting article but doesn’t address what I believe to be the real reason.....some people are just a-holes. Next thing you know the sociologists And psychiatrists will call it a syndrome. Just stupid people doing stupid things.

 

I've just learned to accept that no matter what I do to try and protect my car, there are those in the world that simply do not care. Their car is purely a tool to do a job and if they knock somebody else's car in the process, oh well, "it's only a car".

Nissan 200SX - 6 months into ownership from new an elderly driver tries to park, scrapes the paint off the side of the bumper, abandons the process and drives off. I only know it was an elderly driver because a witness saw it and went off chasing the car on foot. Received multiple knocks in the rear. Front numberplate smashed by somebody with a tow-bar reversing up too close.
Mazda 3 - 3 months into ownership somebody decided to run their key down the entire passenger side
Mazda 3 - 1 month into ownership from new, somebody parked too close, got out and scraped their handbag down the side of the car. Denied all knowledge of it, despite being shown the video footage from cctv that I had requested. Whilst sat in the car an elderly gentleman opened his car door wildly knocking my driver's door. When I glared at him he gave me a "what?" face and walked off. Coming back a few minutes later he did the same thing. When I requested his details, as he had now dented the car, he replied "it's only a car mate, what's the problem" and drove off.
Jaguar F-Type - 6 months into ownership from new and there are a number of little knocks. It's barely been driven due to the lockdown restrictions in the UK

Not once has anybody left a "sorry" note on any of my cars that have been hit.

Every car I've owned in at least the last 25 years has been knocked about by people that don't care. Doesn't matter if I'm parked miles from anybody in a car park, take up 2 spaces to leave plenty of room or sit in the car guarding it, somebody will hit it and not care. As such, I've taken to just parking in a way that minimises the chances of others damaging my car but I have to accept that it will get hit and I won't know who did it.

 

Good suggestions!
I also look for high end or at least car guy type cars. Figure they are worried about door dings just like me.
Have had good luck with almost any hot rod type car. Hell Cats, Shelby's, Porsche's, Vettes.
The worst luck with SUV's of any brand as well as pickups. A close second is small economy cars. They don't seem to care.

I would love to park my XJR next to any F-Type if I would ever see one!

That article is pretty lame and I think they were just trying to fill space? Yes it could be all those and anything else you can dream up. What a revelation!
.
.
.

 

DJS et al.

I never thought I would ask this question, but what is the color of the second car from the left in your picture. The sort of metallic burgundy.

 

Likely a chameleon wrap

 

Yes, it’s one of those that changes color - purple mostly, green from some angles, lots of metallic flakes. I believe the owner moved on, but I could probably find more info if you like. I also have a few more pix of it.

Edit: think it was plastidip (or whatever it’s called) rather than a wrap.

 

I try to park in the first or last on a row so at least only expose 1 side, but over the years something always tend to happen, so when i got the f-type last month they offered the "executive exterior maintenance" package (or whatever name they said) for $1200 or 1500 for 5yrs and I took it, figured its pocket change on a 100K+ car, it covers tires punctures/wheel scraps/body dings and scrapes. I also do complete Xpel wrap of my cars so maybe it was not completely necessary, but ... anyway I was just excited to get the car

 

My rules are simple :

01. In my own driveway, in the carport ;
02.In the driveway of a friends house, visiting;
03. Along the street without pavement next to it or cycle path;
04.Hotels; reserved indoor garage;
05.Book a holiday home with a garage;
06.Next to a tree and no other car fits next;
07.In a parking lot only if no other options are available like grocery delivery,
In a far corner, in line with video surveillance camera, within 20m;
08.Next to the caretakers booth;

That's about it..
Oh : take the purpose bought BMW MPV to go shopping..