Simple question that gets complicated when its regarding a classic like many on you have.

Do you just cruise around, returning to your garage when finished?
OR
Do you sometimes run errands; taking it to the store and parking it in a public lot? Perhaps part it on the street when visiting family friends?

I guess what I'm getting at is for those which cars that don't just go from secure garage to secure garage, what precautions do you take? How long have you left it for?

Myself: proper insurance, aftermarket alarm, battery terminal disconnect screw - But still I don't think I could let it sit in some parking lot while I was out of sight for any length of time.


Thoughts?!

 

I think it all depends on how nice the car is. When I had my cutlass I drove it to a lot of places. Took it 4 hours out of town for a family wedding and it was parked in a hotel parking lot overnight for 2 nights. I took it to fairs in the cities and left it parked in a busy parking lot for 4-5 hours. That is why I bought my car, to drive it for fun on the weekends.

 

I have taken my car on driving tours and events which require it to be parked in a motel lot overnight. Usually, the motel is pleased to provide me with "preferred parking" within line of sight of the service desk.

I have also parked it in downtown Indy while dining. The restaurant personnel were glad to keep an eye on it for me.

 

I drive mine around a fair amount 2-3000 miles a year depending on weather. Mostly it gets parked at restaurants to eat. Then to family in driveways. Very rarely at stores, then it is parked as far away as possible. (most likely we need milk at home at the end of a cruise). There are some advantages of a resto in progress. I not total freaked about taking it out and about. Might be a different story after 1000 hours of body work and 10,000 in paint. I don't lock it generally because it is a convertible and any kid with a pocket knife can get in. I would rather they take whatever than slash the top. I don't leave anything in the car ether.

Larry

 

I use to drive my 70 Cutlass daily to and from work and cruise it around the town and go places. I'll park it in the street in all kinds of weather with a regular car insurance. At that time my father had a 2 car garage and he will park his 76 Plymouth Valiant on one side and he rented the other side to a neighbor. Eventually, the neighbor moved away and I took his spot rent free and changed my insurance to a classic. Now, everybody is driving like maniacs with these jap cars so I only take my car out early in the morning while these maniacs are sleeping so I just drive it a few blocks and back into my garage.

 

I drive all of mine as cars in good weather, with some precautions. I try and leave them where I can see them at stores, restaurants, etc.

I've had two incidents in 20+ years: Almost 20 years ago someone tapped the front bumper on a '72 Supreme, knocking the top rear corner of it into the paint on a fender and leaving a large chip in it.

Two months ago, I had my '96 Corvette parked at a diner for breakfast and someone with a truck rubbed against it with big tires, scrubbing some paint above the front wheelwell lip and on one of my silver painted rims. Then they took off. 16 years of obsessive protection of that car down the tubes in 10 seconds...

That's why none of mine (including the Vette now) are perfect paint cars. They're always at risk. I'd rather drive my cars than let them sit because they're too nice.

Terry

 

I only park it where I can see it and then I never park it between two cars. The only time I have made an exception was last year on Veterans Day after I had taken a WWII veteran in the Dallas parade and we went to a luncheon at the Hilton Anatole. Then the valet let me park it in a valet spot myself and they watched it. They were nice enough to not even charge me. That was probably because I had a 92 year old Marine in the car in his original dress uniform. I would never leave my car where I cannot see it.

 

I wouldn't have a car that I was afraid to drive and park - What's the point?

That's why I would never have a super-fancy, top-notch restored car. I'd worry about it all the time and never enjoy it.
Better to have a fun wreck than a perfect trailer queen - "Perfect is the enemy of Good."

- Eric

 

Thanks for the quick replies! Seem like both ends of the spectrum are represented.

I definitely bought the car to drive it and enjoy it. I can live with the inevitable minor paint chips, door dings, etc. I do have the magnetic door pads that provide some comfort.

Its the total theft that terrifies me. I have nightmares of a flatbed dragging it out of a spot.

 

Eric I couldn't agree more, I was just gonna write something similar but you got it covered.

 

I drive mine and enjoy it and I go to shows and enjoy it. It has never been on a trailer. I don't worry about somebody stealing it. The biggest concern is some dipstick coming along and keying it. I take a lot of pride in what my car looks like and the compliments I get are part of my enjoyment. Having a very nice car or a fun wreck is a matter of personal preference and nothing is wrong with either. I would never have a trailer queen but if that is what somebody enjoys, it is their car Different strokes for different folks. I was at a show last Saturday and managed to take a first place in the 50's class. The second place in the convertible class was a pink 62 Cadillac. It looked like it was painted with spray bombs. I had voted for the car and was glad she placed. The woman that owned it enjoyed it and I am sure did not worry about it getting scratched.

 

I prefer this scenario to vandalism or having to do a major repair.

Mine started its life with me as a father and son project for his first car. That didn't go as planned and it wound up as a daily driver for me for a few years while I fixed it up. It lived on the driveway until I sold my Plymouth. It was thrown together inexpensively (a relative term) with a mix of new and old parts and a lot of love. I still drive it year round although its semi retired from daily driver duty, as I built it to enjoy. I drive it all over, park it everywhere, but have never taken it on an overnight trip. Do I worry, yeah, but I don't obsess over it, its insured.

 

Agreed.


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I had one of mine stolen in college. It sucked. They found it a day later, and I was damn lucky. I upgraded it from parking it in an on campus garage to parking it at a nearby hotel with a gate and cameras, and paid as much for those 3 months as I did for that year, but no big deal.

I will park it far away and run into a store to get something. Other than that, it goes to friends' homes, car shows, and sometimes a restaurant where I can see it. The idea is I can get to the car and get a pistol in some goon's face faster than he can peel the column. Some car shows I go to are so big that, by when I get back to the car, the show is starting to break up. I know now to be near that area, as I don't like being the only car on that block.

 

Park it at the far end of the lot, away from everybody else and walk. The exercise'll do you good.

 

I've found every time I park way out in the middle of no where, some POS still manages to park right next to it.

 

I've had to use mine to get to work a couple of times, as we have 3 drivers and 2 daily vehicles and mixed schedules , but I could see it and frequently snuck a quick peak just to make it was still there ! I've been caught in the rain and I must say I don't know how we ever saw out the window with the poor efficiency of the darn wipers back in the day! But like the other guys on here I love to drive it as much as possible and I get lots of thumbs up at the local ice cream spot.

 

Ha! Exactly.

 

Speaking of public parking, is it me or have the spaces got much smaller since the 60s and 70s?

 

For me it depends where I go. If right around my city, i avoid it. Crowded shopping areas, no way in heck. A small business, I might. At my office, I will, since I park at the far corner in a safer part of town and the people we have are all pretty nice. In certain other cities, I would not go there in any kind of vehicle, and some places not by any means!
Problem here is too many people here do not respect other's property at all. No one minds what their kids do. Many will try to steal. Jealous morons like to damage what they cannot have. And it is going downhill fast. Too many troublemakers here.

Now when I travel out to the country, I do not mind parking most places, as people there are (for the most part) much more respectful and nicer. They will admire but not touch, also. The crowds are not there either. If I stay the night it is usually at a B&B in a nice area and has private parking. The most 'trouble' people out there cause is asking all about the car! And that I can deal with........... Easily.

 

Well said Rob.

 

Actually, I worry more about tree sap and the effects of too much sunlight than I do about getting dinged or vandalized in a parking lot. During the summer we live outside a small town and the people are fairly civilized. If a car is parked in a lot a long way from the stores or restaurants, they usually show a little respect and leave it be.

 

I walk away from the car at car cruises or car shows, sometimes the wife and I go out for breakfast or lunch in it but I will glance at times to make sure some idiot kid isn't jealous and will key it or some ignorant young kid who has no common sense ding it with their 1990 topaz. Their will never be a day I don't worry being in public. I have to much time invested to leave it at the threshold of Murphy's Law!
Sean

 

I agree completely with MDchanic. I used to think I wanted really nice cars. I worked up to them...bought them, restored them, detailed them. But I didn't enjoy them, because I was always worried. And I still got dings, and scuffs, and bird crap, and raindrops. I now drive junk. It'll never win a trophy, but I enjoy the heck out of it, and I can drive anywhere without a second thought. Except rain ha ha. I still avoid rain.

 

My car will be completely restored, inside, outside and underneath. I plan on driving it and know I will get rock chips and scratches. It wont be a daily driver, just fair weather anytime of the year. I do worry about vandals and idiots, but thats the price we have to pay to drive them. I park my Corvette far out in the parking lot if I have to go in anywhere, and as Eric said, some jerk always seems to park next to it, no matter how far out I park. However I CANT WAIT to have the worry with my Olds!
Steve

 

I have been keyed once a few years ago in a Safeway parking lot and it was a good thing I didn't see it happen or I would be typing this from jail. That being said my car is a road warrior and when out of town if I can I try and keep a eye on her and park in a good spot when there is one available. I often have had motels have me park in the car port in front of the office. As of late when on the road I put a car cover over the car at night to keep prying eyes off when I'm not around and It also helps keep dust and dew off if the top is down. It's a compromise between enjoying as much as you can or hiding it away so it's safe as it can be.. I usually error on the fun side....Just me...Tedd

 

Try parking in a European supermarket parking slot!
Having said that, my wife is disabled, so she gets to park in disabled bays which are much wider than standard ones for wheelchair access. She has the disabled ticket, it's not restricted to her car, so any car she is a passenger in can use them. Even so you need to be careful opening the doors of a full size 2 door.

But yes, I park my car in public, although not just anywhere. Not in a bad neighborhood, or near a sports stadium on match day for example.
Nobody can make their car totally invulnerable if it's driven on public roads or at a show that the public can attend. Vandals are everywhere, recently some young American tourists were arrested for defacing the Colleseum in Rome, Apparently they thought it was fine for them to chip off some stonework for souveniers.
A friend came up with this when when some kid was putting his sticky fingers all over his car and she was pushing the buggy up to it as well. "They don't make these cars anymore, but you can soon make another baby".

Roger.

 

I never locked my first convertible (63 Plymouth Valiant!) figuring it was better to have someone look inside and see nothing worth taking than slit the top. I'm the same with this one, although I do park far away and there's this little thing called a kill switch. Wouldn't stop everyone, but it should stop some.

 

Don't have a driver Olds any more but have 2 65 GTOs. The conv we drive all the time---I have car show plaques from Texas, MD, Fl, WV, where it was driven to every time----this car has never been restored but has pretty much been kept in a garage ever since I owned it, 30+ years. It has 120,000+mi on it......The other one has 19,000mi on it and hardly ever get out of the garage, original 4spd, tri power, factory 4.33 gears, it is hateful to drive. But we do like driving them and if it gets damaged or stolen, thats what insurance is for. My Olds race car gets driven on a weekly basis

 

I've parked it for days downtown, no harm done. People take pictures of it all the time, though.

It's been parked outside for three years continuously now.

 

You do not live in Dallas, Texas for sure. My car would not last 2 hours in downtown Dallas. It would either be stolen or destroyed.

 

A shame that people can't tell the difference between "yours" and "mine".

 

Dare I say, that will be the epitaph of western civilization.

 

I park my car in public , beat the snot out of it . And by park it in public I mean I will park between cars at fast food joints. I never lock my doors or roll my windows up If you have to worry it ain't no fun. But I also do all my own work so if it gets dented I call the insurance and they pay me lol. I only did that when I crashed it on the highway. I will brake check people and not care lol.

 

Pffffft, wives know what hers is hers, and whats yours is hers too...

 

Have had my '65 conv for forty years, had my top cut, paint keyed, wheels nearly stolen. Kill switch and pulled coil wire and put it my pocket, never parked it where wrecker or flatbed bed had easy pickings. Drive the car to golf nights and keep it where seen with club on steering wheel. There were meant to be driven and my first car, so I plan on keeping it!

 

Thing have got bad since I last spent time there then, South Dallas was a bad area, but downtown, West End, Live Oak, all seemed fine when I spent time with my Dallas girlfriend in the '90s.

Roger.

 

They're way too fun to leave home.

Restore the crap out of them, insure the crap out of them, and then drive the crap out of them. If they get damaged, take a deep breath, fix them, and commence the fun.

 

Have you heard of the new divorced Barbie? She comes with half of Ken's stuff and most of his car collection.

 

She was probably a good housekeeper too...