I am seriously considering an '06 RL, but not sure how I feel about parking a 45K car on the street. I don't live in the city or anything, but rather a densely populated townhome community. I don't have a garage. Parking my TL on the street sucked in the beginning, but now I don't sweat it. Other than 2 small scratches on the rear bumper, I have had no issues. Paint looks like crap and needs a good detail from all the pollen and occasional bird shit.

So, would you purchase an RL and park it on the street exposed to all the elements?

 

I have a garage and a driveway, but I've got too much crap in my garage to actually fit a *car* in there.... so my RL stays on the driveway.

Yeah, it gets some pollen and bird poop on it, but it's nothing a quick bath won't fix. Good coat of a very protective wax/paint sealant (don't go using Zymöl and expect it to last outdoors... lol) and you'll be fine.

 

I have another car and a boat I keep in the garage. Make sure you use a good wax and wash any bird crap off right away. I would rather no have it outside, but I would not use that as a reason not to buy the car.

 

There's a guy in my neighborhood that parks has parked his new Mercedes E500 outside since the day he owned it (a little over a year now). His car still looks like new, i guess he washes and waxes it pretty good.

 

You should see all the MBs, BMWs, etc parked on the streets in downtown DC. I wouldn't sweat it. Bumpers can always be repaired and repainted.

 

Might consider a car cover also. Seems like that would help with the bird "presents" and pollen. I would watch the weather and not put it on if the forecast is for rain etc.

 

Almost same here...actually there is still enough space for only one car but my wife parks her MB there. I too park mine on the driveway so I guess it is better than street but that's not going to stop me buying the RL. A regular wash and wax should keep it looking nice. I'd go for it!

 

My RL lives on the street right here in the city of Chicago. My one car garage is a little tight between the other car and the Harley (and the golf clubs and the toolboxes and the floorjack and the . . .). I like the fact that the RL is not a "hey, look at me!" kind of car. It sounds like you aren't going to have garage parking for a while so I guess your decision is drive a car you might not like as much just so you feel good about not driving (parking) it or the reverse (like driving it but not parking it). For me life's just too short to sweat 'things' like that - that's also why we pay insurance.

Oh yeah, tree sap is a pain but it's the damn birds that really get me. Is it possible that they have a fixation with opulent blue pearl? I've considered a car cover but then THAT would probably draw more undue attention and it's a pain to boot. In a more remote area it would probably be fine but not for where I'm at.

 

man the more you are anal about these stuff the more likely your car will get messed up. just park it and sleep on it. Hell, if my neighboor can park his Ferrari on the street, your RL is fine. Not to mention I find the RL to be more of a low key car. Not as flashy as some of the cars in the class. more reason I bought an RL and not the E500 or 545i.

 

The advantage of buying the MB or the 545 is that they spend so much time coverred at the dealers maintenance bay that birds poo is not an issue!

 

The wife's RL spends most nights in the driveway, not the garage. My toys are far too important than her car to take up the garage spots . But alas, the weather has become considerably nicer and my car and bike have come out of hibernation, the RL has been seeing a few warm nights in the garage whenever she gets home first.

Like others have said, get some really strong wax, maybe even some Collinite, and you'll be fine.

 

LMAO!