One of the biggest issues with driving a classic car on a regular basis is dealing with other motorists. Folks whose aging 2003 Golf already has a couple of dings and dents so, hey, what’s a few more? Nevermind that your car has survived the past four decades without any kind of body damage.
I’ve found my classics scratched and dented in parking lots several times, so for the past couple of years I’ve made it a point to park as far away from other cars as possible. Rain, shine, snow, in a hurry, or with time to kill, my car is always at the far end of the lot. Admittedly, I’m lucky because I live in a small town and I have a driveway so I don’t have to worry about where I leave it overnight. Enthusiasts who live in crowded urban centers, where parking spots are more difficult to find, have to come up with more creative solutions; for example, earlier this week I saw a Rover Mini in Geneva with a boat fender strapped to its rear end.
A solution I bet this Fiat 126 owner in Paris wishes he or she had thought of.
How about you, how do you protect your classic from dings, dents, and scratches?
1. leave it in the garage and never drive it. 2.drive a land yacht or full size pickup.
I drive a battered old Land Rover already full of dents, flaking paint and painted by me with a brush and roller. It also has moss growing out of the window channels and leaks oil. Not only are car park dents not a real worry but I tend to find other vehicles stay well clear of it 😉
Ha, right. When I drove my Renault 4 F4 I didn’t worry about dings and dents, either.
Don’t get a concours level paint job, then don’t worry about it.
my 205 gti is my daily driver so i’ve stopped caring now. Once I get another old peugeot i’ll probably look after it a bit more.
To be fair though i still park miles away from anyone in car parks and keep my dashcam running just incase someone goes into my parked car i can catch them in the act!