How do you get out of the car in a tight parking spot?

[chylld]

This may sound like a stupid question, but my new baby is the first coupe I've owned after a long string of hatchbacks and I'm having trouble managing the long door both getting into and getting out of the car.

When a car is parked right next to me, I can open the door to get in fine but I sometimes have trouble holding the door as I get in to prevent it from swinging open. However this I reckon I can conquer with a little bit of practice.

My main trouble is getting out of the car. Usually I pivot on the seat and swing my door-side leg around, but with the coupe's long door this isn't possible in a tight parking spot without literally bringing my knee up to my nose.

So I was wondering, how do you all do it? Do you swivel towards the door, or do you step backwards out of the car, or do you climb out of the sunroof etc.?

[Citizen Z]

Kick out the rear window. It gets expensive but you can't beat people's reaction.

[123D-M]

Putting the window down makes it a lot easier to get out in tight car parks. You can put it up after with the remote.

Also, if you press the unlock button twice when you are approaching the car the window will go down automatically when you open the door. Then it goes back up when you close the door. Nice feature.

[chylld]

Originally Posted by 123D-M

Putting the window down makes it a lot easier to get out in tight car parks. You can put it up after with the remote.

Also, if you press the unlock button twice when you are approaching the car the window will go down automatically when you open the door. Then it goes back up when you close the door. Nice feature.

I actually just turned this feature off as I didn't understand how it could possibly be of any use. The thing is, with it turned on the window only goes down about half-way, and while that gives you more room to poke your upper body out above the door, it doesn't give you anything more to hold on to than if you were to leave the feature off.

If the window goes all the way down, on the other hand, then you can control the door just by placing your hand on top of it; might have to see how I fare with this method.

[oasis3582]

Go out the sunroof.

[Lester]

Go out the other side door. Surely you are not squeezed in on both sides? If you have to use the sunroof, take off your shoes, belt and any jewellery that could scratch the paint.

[chylld]

I don't mean _that_ squeezed, but just squeezed enough that the door wants to open itself to the first 'notch' but you have to hold it otherwise it will bang the car next to you. I know it might sound like a trivial problem, but surely someone has found the right balance between door control and exiting elegance.

[Mark M]

Thankfully I am fortunate enough to have a second car I can use when I know I will be in a 'hazardous parking environment'. However, when in my 1er, I am psychotic about parking. I HATE parking lots. Here are my anal parking guidelines:

1. Always try to find a spot that protects at least one side. Park against a curb, or end of a parking lot row.

2. Never park next to soccer mom SUVs or miniclans.

3. Never park next to Johny redneck in his F150 Superduty Supercrew Superhuge waste of steel gas and other resources.

4. Try to park next to a similarly priced German luxery car and pray the owner also has high regards for his car and will be respectful when opening doors.

5. Use the electric folding mirrors.

6. Try to park out-of-the-way of regular foot traffic. Question...see all these women lately with their gigantic handbags with buckles all over? Well imagine these careless women walking between cars as that buckle just scrapes along your paint???? YIKES! I try to park where foot traffic does not usually pass.

7. The walk around. When I return to my car, I try to discreetly do a quick walk around so as to look for any obvious damage that may have occurred.

I know.....paranoia huh? Well I am not rich, but I own a nice car. I hope to own it a long time....and as such.....if it takes a bit of effort to keep it nice....so be it!!!

[Nifty]

Along with the lines of having the windows open when you exit your car...

If you have Comfort Access, and your windows and or sunroof are open when you get out of the car, you can hold your finger down on the 'lock' portion of the door handle and the windows will go up and the sunroof will close. Kind of a nice feature when you realize you've left something open after you've gotten out.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by chylld

I don't mean _that_ squeezed, but just squeezed enough that the door wants to open itself to the first 'notch' but you have to hold it otherwise it will bang the car next to you. I know it might sound like a trivial problem, but surely someone has found the right balance between door control and exiting elegance.

I keep a small microfiber towel under the seat, and use it as a cushion if the door wants to brush up against another car. I also keep a small paint pen in the trunk just in case I get a small door edge chip.

[Sidh135i]

I don't, I park away from all other cars

[AntonV]

[QUOTE=Mark M;5989289]see all these women lately with their gigantic handbags with buckles all over? Well imagine these careless women walking between cars as that buckle just scrapes along your paint????QUOTE]



i have a handbag scratch on my trunk by the 3rd tail light. found it on sunday when I washed the car. then we had company over, and I got into an argument with an older woman stating, "why does it have to be a womans handbag? men have briefcases."

rediculous.

[Simsims]

[QUOTE=AntonV;5989492]

Originally Posted by Mark M

see all these women lately with their gigantic handbags with buckles all over? Well imagine these careless women walking between cars as that buckle just scrapes along your paint????QUOTE]



i have a handbag scratch on my trunk by the 3rd tail light. found it on sunday when I washed the car. then we had company over, and I got into an argument with an older woman stating, "why does it have to be a womans handbag? men have briefcases."

rediculous.

how many men carry briefcases

how many woman carry purses.

[Mega Man]

Women...can't live with them, can't live without 'em.

[JimD]

I park well away from other cars whenever possible. A little more walking is good for me (and my bimmer). The side of my garage I park the bimmer on, however, has the wall of the garage pretty close. I purposely park close to that side so the lane down the center is wide enough to get the trash can in and out. I put a strip of foam weatherstripping on a molding that the door wants to hit. I also try to hold the door away from the molding but I don't always achieve that.

In terms of getting out, I just pivot a little to get my leg out and stand up. The car is kind of in the way as I come up so I have to bend a little. I pivot more when upright and get my second leg out. I could switch my SUV to this side of the garage but it's doors aren't tiny either. The SUV does have the advantage of allowing me to move essentially laterally to get in an out - not much up or down required. So maybe I should switch them. I'm getting somewhat used to it. In the morning when I have my briefcase (no protruding metal) and coffee mug, I put the briefcase in from the passengers side to make things a little easier.

Best advice is to not get into tight parking spaces in the first place. You can be careful but who knows what the people in the car next to you will do. I too worry about little kids but I've noticed senior citizens who struggle just to get in and out of their vehicle can be pretty casual about contact with surrounding cars. I figure I'll get dinged eventually but if walking can delay things, I will spend an additional minute or two to get where I'm going. But I admit that sometimes you can't get away. Monday I had two of those kind of situations but luckily I was in my SUV.

Jim

[JN2009]

Originally Posted by chylld

This may sound like a stupid question, but my new baby is the first coupe I've owned after a long string of hatchbacks and I'm having trouble managing the long door both getting into and getting out of the car.

When a car is parked right next to me, I can open the door to get in fine but I sometimes have trouble holding the door as I get in to prevent it from swinging open. However this I reckon I can conquer with a little bit of practice.

My main trouble is getting out of the car. Usually I pivot on the seat and swing my door-side leg around, but with the coupe's long door this isn't possible in a tight parking spot without literally bringing my knee up to my nose.

So I was wondering, how do you all do it? Do you swivel towards the door, or do you step backwards out of the car, or do you climb out of the sunroof etc.?

If you are a psycho like me you bring a towel and you open the door on the other car and beetween your door and his pannel you put the towel.But if everybody goes in his line corectly we do not need to make this.

[Absorber]

Originally Posted by Mark M

Thankfully I am fortunate enough to have a second car I can use when I know I will be in a 'hazardous parking environment'. However, when in my 1er, I am psychotic about parking. I HATE parking lots. Here are my anal parking guidelines:

1. Always try to find a spot that protects at least one side. Park against a curb, or end of a parking lot row.

2. Never park next to soccer mom SUVs or miniclans.

3. Never park next to Johny redneck in his F150 Superduty Supercrew Superhuge waste of steel gas and other resources.

4. Try to park next to a similarly priced German luxery car and pray the owner also has high regards for his car and will be respectful when opening doors.

5. Use the electric folding mirrors.

6. Try to park out-of-the-way of regular foot traffic. Question...see all these women lately with their gigantic handbags with buckles all over? Well imagine these careless women walking between cars as that buckle just scrapes along your paint???? YIKES! I try to park where foot traffic does not usually pass.

7. The walk around. When I return to my car, I try to discreetly do a quick walk around so as to look for any obvious damage that may have occurred.

I know.....paranoia huh? Well I am not rich, but I own a nice car. I hope to own it a long time....and as such.....if it takes a bit of effort to keep it nice....so be it!!!

THIS!

I park as far away from other cars as possible. I also avoid rows that are joined with another row behind them. That's just asking for some idiot to back into your bumper when they are pulling into their space.

[chbj]

Originally Posted by chylld

I don't mean _that_ squeezed, but just squeezed enough that the door wants to open itself to the first 'notch' but you have to hold it otherwise it will bang the car next to you. I know it might sound like a trivial problem, but surely someone has found the right balance between door control and exiting elegance.

I just rest my door on the car or wall next to me without bumping into it. Eventually paint will come of the edge of my door, but that's why they invented paint sticks. Life is too short to worry about minor dings and scratches on a car.

[HPFREAK]

I never park my car in tight spots....ever. People suck and they will smack your car door and not leave a note which has happened to me a few times.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by Brad@PSI MOTORS

I never park my car in tight spots....ever. People suck and they will smack your car door and not leave a note which has happened to me a few times.

My car is full of dings and scratches from careless people and their moronic asshole ways.

I park in the very very back corner of parking lots, but it never fails, in an empty lot someone will park next to me.

But as far the Op. Start by putting the seat as far back as it will go, then put on hand on the door and the other on the A pillar.

[dragon1761]

Originally Posted by Brad@PSI MOTORS

I never park my car in tight spots....ever. People suck and they will smack your car door and not leave a note which has happened to me a few times.

yea those people piss me off. My car got ding even though he had so much room on his side. Its unpreventable. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[HPFREAK]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

My car is full of dings and scratches from careless people and their moronic asshole ways.

I park in the very very back corner of parking lots, but it never fails, in an empty lot someone will park next to me.

But as far the Op. Start by putting the seat as far back as it will go, then put on hand on the door and the other on the A pillar.

Originally Posted by dragon1761

yea those people piss me off. My car got ding even though he had so much room on his side. Its unpreventable. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Kind of makes you wonder why people are the way they are. I also park way away and you are right it never fails that someone will have 20 spaces to park at away from me but decides to park right up next to me. Amazes me every time.