Standardisation of vehicle design

Having just experienced another damaged car from car park opening of doors onto my vehicle. I wondered if manufacturers could design the doors in a way that they do not damage the car next door when an ignorant driver ( or passenger ) opens their door onto the car next door. After all everyone used the same design for a cigarette lighter which is now useless.

If they don't then people like me may decide there is no point buying a new car for some moron to damage.

Back in the seventies I remember a great accessory to buy for the car were door strips that had reflectors on and also protected the car next door.

The new focus st has a strip that opens out around the edge of the door as you open it.

Ben

It is a definite flaw, cars get bigger, spaces get smaller, dumb asses get ever more ignorant and careless, yet theres very little protection in the side of cars, I was hoping the plastic trim at the door base would get knocked so you could easily remove and repair/replace, but it looks like the shoulder in the panel just above will take all the knocks that isnt so easy to repair.

Makes me wonder about adding running boards if they will protect it.

(29-08-2012 10:49pm)Kentboy Wrote:  Back in the seventies I remember a great accessory to buy for the car were door strips that had reflectors on and also protected the car next door.

They also cause damage to the car they are fitted to though. I used to have them all the time till I removed them once to polish the body & all the grit that had built up behind scratched the door & during the time tey were fitted they moved with the cars motion or got moved when touched etc & caused even more scrathes, I have never used them since.
I am now just seriously fussy whn & where I park & that goes for all my cars.

(29-08-2012 11:16pm)The Valeter Wrote:  They also cause damage to the car they are fitted to though. I used to have them all the time till I removed them once to polish the body & all the grit that had built up behind scratched the door & during the time tey were fitted they moved with the cars motion or got moved when touched etc & caused even more scrathes, I have never used them since.
I am now just seriously fussy whn & where I park & that goes for all my cars.

You cannot be more fussy than me and look what has happened to me. I parked on the end of the row leaving about an extra third of the parking space between me and the next space and it still has happened.

I think my two FL2s were the only cars I never got a door dent in, which I'm pretty sure was down to the side rubbing strips I specced on them. Had the same on my RRS, but they were too low down the door (despite being fitted to the LR instructions) so the curve of the door extended beyond them and was still vulnerable to other car doors.

Trouble is I'm not sure side strips would look right on an Evoque, it's a much smoother shape than the FL or RRS and I think the strips would jar.

I've bought side steps to hopefullyk alleviate the issue but I suspect the frame still stands proud and will get knocked

This is my solution and am very happy so far, I first stuck a strip of clear stone chip protection to the doors then stuck the bump strips to that so they can be easily removed, the strips were about £35 a pair and I can post a link to the site where I got them if anyones interested.

http://babyrr.com/forum/Thread-Car-park-...protection

I just got told to re-park my car properly in a hotel car park because I had parked across two slots - as I was explaining to the manager why I was parked like I was we both watched a new arriving guest draw up in an old Fiesta and then they threw the doors open straight onto a very new looking Jag XF.............. Manager told me not to worry about how I had parked, he appreciated the reason why and went to advise the XJ owner that their lovely car now had dents on it!

(30-08-2012 05:54pm)Firenze Wrote:  This is my solution and am very happy so far, I first stuck a strip of clear stone chip protection to the doors then stuck the bump strips to that so they can be easily removed, the strips were about £35 a pair and I can post a link to the site where I got them if anyones interested.

http://babyrr.com/forum/Thread-Car-park-...protection

Grateful if you could post the link up please