The one issue I've had with my TSX is door dings, especially from Suburban Housewife's driving oversized SUV's - not to be sexist about it, just stating the actual fact of my experience. ***

I'd like to protect my new Type-S baby from this as much as I can.

Stock there is nothing on the TL's side body to really protect from this.

Anyone using an aftermarket side guard strip of any variety etc?

***
Full disclosure, this also occurs in my OWN garage with the Wife trying to get the kids out of her 2009 Honda Pilot on occassion, so it's a real problem both at home AND out in public! lol

It's no so much that at home the doors get flung open and bang into my car, as would be the case at stores parking lots say, as they might rest up against the side of the car and then as the kids come out or a car carrier is wedged between the SUV's door and the avialable opening, pressure is applied to the open door while resting against my vehicle.

Just looking for practical advise that won't detract the overall exterior look of the great body lines!

TIA
Rev

 

In public - don't park beside other cars.

Sometimes, if a parking lot for the place is full or I know has heavy traffic, I park down the street, maybe even up to 5-10 minute walk away from where I need to go.

At home - nothing much you can do but to talk about it with your wife.
Maybe just tell her to drop the kids off in the driveway first?
Or tell the kids to go through the other side (the side that's far away from your car).

 

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-4114532..._2262_19909237

^^link to OEM body/door side moldings

 

Just park away from everyone else.

All the cars ive owned i havent had a problem with door dings or anything hitting my cars. I just park away from everyone i never park next to SUVs. If you must park next to others try and look for nice cars to park next to as they wont want to hit your car or mess up their doors.

 

There's the oem side moulding someone linked but I would rather chance an occasional ding or scratch over having the body side moulding all the time haha

 

You know what works in the garage at home..... Couple of air mattresses hung from the ceiling on edge at door height . They move easy if you walk by them but cushion the doors.

 

living in a city trying avoid dent is next to impossible, my TL get several new dent since I moved to Houston, and yes I do park far away from other car but occasionally there are always a dumb ass decide to park next to my car like a car show or something. I got several ding and dent on my TL now. lesson learn, never buy a new car in Houston, just get a old used car and park anywhere you want.

 

though parking your car in an isolated area may reduce the chances of getting dings, it also increases the chance of some scumbag stealing your type-s wheels, even if you have wheel locks.

 

Yeah it's simple, don't park by other cars and just park smart. I have been driving for 18 years have never once received a door ding. It's because I park extremely carefully and never out my car in a position where it can be dinged. Always park in an end spot, hug the curb, park far away etc etc. park by other cars and there is nothing you can do to stop dings from happening. N

 

I ran into the same problem with the garage and my wife's pilot until I came up with a simple solution, I used a scrap piece of vinyl I had laying around at work sewed a horizontal pocket in it and stuffed it full of foam and closed it in my door where her door would meet mine.

 

1) Never ever park next to a coupe - longer doors mean more reach.
2) Always park at the right end of a row - a driver opening his/her door is a given but the presence of a passenger is not.
3) As mentioned in previous posts, park further away and follow #1 and #2 above.

 

Awesome idea!

See it took someone with the exact same setup at home (2.5 car garage with a TL & Pilot parking inside it) to fully appreciate the situation!

You can only control your part of the equation! Even if you park at the farthest point every time, there's always the chance someone will pull up and park too close next to you, hell it doesn't even have to necessarily be the very next spot that causes the problem, 2 or even more spots down someone parks ON the line, so a domino chain reaction beings with each subsequent car forced to park over to compensate, and next thing ya know....

Your idea actually is giving me a potentially even easier to implement idea.

Those long pool noodles with some string/rope to anchor them....one could even do it with 2 tiers, a high tier for the tall standing SUV/Truck doors, and the more normal height for average sedan door height.

And since they come in all kinds of colors....only thing being I honestly have never seen them in NBP haha let alone "black" but even still...

Although your vinyl might look a bit better...hmm will have to think about this and try some different possibilities.

Rev

 

My wife drives a Pilot as well. We have two kids, and man I wish I had an extra ".5" of space in my 2-car garage.

 

It took 1 dent for me to come up with something quick, lucky I know an awesome PDR guy that spent 3 hours taking every little door ding out, he even found some I did not see... Now she is dent free and I do my best to keep it that way

 

I can definitely agree with this statement. In milwaukee there's very limited parking and you usually have to park in a parking structure which is completely full and people will park real close to you and slam there door into yours. Someone even keyed my car luckily it was only as big as a golf ball and not a long line.

 

I have used the 3x3 black rubber shop floor pads you can get a Harbor Freight or even Costco. Duck tape two or even 4 to make a huge square and that will protect both doors of the car.

There's a science to parking in public areas. The general gist is this:

1. choose and end spot so only driver's door can be exposed to another car or better yet a unique space where no side is exposed. Park as close to the left as you possibly can without curbing your wheels (yes that has happened to me)

(parking to next to a handicap spot might work and that's what I do at work everyday since the spot is never used)

2. choose a spot that gives you front protection: curb with border, light post, etc. I have had more issues with the front of my car than the sides because rule #1 really works.

3. watch your rear bumper if you have a rollup garage door like jthiessens has. The worst abuse my car has taken in from our garage door. The kids move my bump stop or play with the tennis ball and so forth. I have had 3 mishaps with the door in 8 years and it pisses me off each time.



If you follow these 3 rules, you'll have a reasonably ding and scratch free car. My car will be 8 years old in a couple of weeks.

 

Here is a good reference on parking tips: http://www.ranieldiaz.com/2010/09/pa...door-ding.html