Would you park your "good" car at a train station?

[OzJavelin]

This morning my wife had to go to a conference in Melbourne and was going by train. I told her last night that I was riding one of my motorbikes to work, so she could take my old '03 SV8 and leave it in the train station carpark. This morning she got up early and left and when I checked which car she had taken her '09 XR6 was gone.

If someone gave you the option of not leaving your "much loved" vehicle (my wife is always ready to defend her XR6 against my taunts about it's rattles and squeaks, etc) in a train station car park wouldn't you take up the offer .. even if you had to drive a Holden??!!

[rancidpunx]

Wont leave my car at a train station. To be honest though there is so much disrespect for others property these days I dont think it matters if its a good car or a bad. Whether it be bored kids or that fact that places like train station car parks have narrow bays to squeeze more people in, so dings and dents from other cars and careless people are inevitable.

[T3ts50]

Ive been parking my XR at a train station for the past 4 years and have never had an issue. It also depends on what station you park at also. I know a lot of train stations where a lot of people like to hang out. i wouldn't trust my car at those stations.

[Ben73]

Do they have CCTV cameras in the car park? I have been in at a country station at 3am and basically seconds after stepping across the yellow line a pre recorded message played about not stepping across the line. Clearly someone somwhere was watching on that camera. But I doubt cameras cover their car parks.

[Charliewool]

Methinks the 03 SV8 would be a far greater target than a 09 XR6 to the lowlifes haunting station carparks?

[LTDHO]

I wouldn't leave my 'pride n joy' at a train station or major shopping centre, both of these a theft/break-in hot spots.

In saying that, at my station there is a FG G6, F6 ute and Jaguar!

[sgt_doofey]

Been leaving my EL there now each day for the last 6 years. Unfortunately, it's still there when I get back to it each night, and that's in one of the lower socio-economic regions in Adelaide too!

[dannyxm]

Have left all my cars at stations with little issue, however we had a ratty XF ute we used to use and park anywhere.

Came back from a wonderful day at an air show only to find the rear quarter window smashed whilst being parked at the station all day.

Idiots didnt even break in, just smashed the window.

Ruined that day really.....

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

No never, not a chance in hell.

But if it was an XR6 I would have no real issues leaving it at the station.

[Wretched]

I catch the train to work every day and there is NO WAY i leave my car at the station (station isn't a bad one but never take the chance).
I leave the car locked in the garage and catch the bus to and from the station (a 5 min bus ride).

[Coyote mk3]

No I would not. Never have, never want to.
Unfortunately I only have the one car at the moment, so my good car is my only car.

I would prefer to walk to the station 20 mins away in pouring rain.
(Although I hate public transport anyway, so catching the train is extremely rare)

[charles_wif_xf]

Which is why I am looking at a little buzz box for a daily thrash pig (think late 90's Starlet that runs on the smell of an oily rag). My XR is still spotless and I would like to keep it that way.

[TZENU]

Nope no way!

I don't even like parking the XR6 at the station and that is a company car!!!

[kaniSS]

Never.

[LowEL2XR8]

You would have no dramas at a train station or anywhere else parking next to me.
I always hold my door and when I get my kids out of the back I hold the rear door so the door can't be pushed into the car next to me. Doesn't matter if the car next to me is a $500 POS or a GT.
I treat others cars how I treat mine. I don't want mine dinged so I don't hit others.

I don't get the same courtesy though. My beloved EL XR8 has had a couple of door hits.
I'd love to have a $500 POS to take to the shops but they just aren't reliable.

[Coyote mk3]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

You would have no dramas at a train station or anywhere else parking next to me.
I always hold my door and when I get my kids out of the back I hold the rear door so the door can't be pushed into the car next to me. Doesn't matter if the car next to me is a $500 POS or a GT.
I treat others cars how I treat mine. I don't want mine dinged so I don't hit others.

I don't get the same courtesy though. My beloved EL XR8 has had a couple of door hits.
I'd love to have a $500 POS to take to the shops but they just aren't reliable.

Good on you mate, wish more people did.
I don't have a $500 POS only because i can't afford $500 haha.

My car has been hit with doors twice when I have been in it. Once was yesterday and once a Month and a half ago.

The first time was the day after the area around me flooded, and the guy who hit it was an old SES worker who looked like he just finished a long night.

And yesterday was a young guy on Crutches, and the breeze caught the door and swung it out of his grip...he was at least very apologetic and looked for any damage (without me saying anything.)

But both of these people I would feel to bad about talking sternly to about respecting others' property -More talking about the the SES guy, as he was in a land rover and just swung the door straight out without giving a damn right into my wing mirror.
I would be the bad guy for saying something.

Both times were in shopping centre carparks, and both times I had the car as close to the gutter beside me as possible.

[vibe_xr6]

i dont think it matters if it was a train station or a shopping mall, ive had my bad experience from a old bloke, hit my car door once, i put my window down and told him to get his door of my car, then he tried again, bang hit my car but this time he was trying to squeeze through while hes door was resting on my car as he parked to close to me, i started getting very cranky, he hopped in, attempted to move his car more to the left hand side, but he parked strraight in the same spot, bang he hit my car door again, i flipped right out and told him to close his door and i took off to another park, the silly bugger just looked at me smiling, that was enough for me, now my car is lucky to get parked next to another car, or in a mall or anywhere !

[big_landau]

the only reason id park at a train station was if i wanted a car to disapear.

[XRGhia]

the EF has been parked at the trainstation a few times, never any damage when we get back...

one night when the EF was taken to work at redfern, some teenagers tried to break into it to steal it, and that was in secure parking (RTANSW head building)


moral of story, i trust the EF at a trainstation more than i do at a workplace in the middle of redfern/eveleigh in the middle of the night, but my trainstation has cameras and security guards doing the rounds up and down the carpark

[Feathers]

I have never needed to park at a railway station, as my Dad owns a couple of apartments in a building which is a short walk from it's local station. So I park in the garage there and walk.
I also used to park there when I worked in the shopping centre opposite the building.

If that isn't possible, or I'm going on a night out somewhere, then I try as much as possible to get a lift with friends who don't care about their cars, and leave mine in their driveway. If it's totally unavoidable and I have to drive, then I pick my spots carefully.

If I go to my local shopping centre, I park around the far side of the building in spots most people forget about. It's rare that there is ever anyone parked nearby when I come back.
While I'm at work, it's parked in the yard, which isn't visible from the street.

It might 'only' be an XR6, but it's my baby, and I don't want it damaged or gone when I get back.

[vztrt]

I just walk. But no I wouldn't leave a car at the train station.

[Grippy]

Not a chance, I have had too many mates who have had cars stolen from train stations

[TheInterceptor]

I dont even trust locking up my pushbike which i take to the station instead of the car. I have come back many times expecting to have the saddle mising or flat tyres, a hacked lock or spit on the grips...lovley area that is.

Funny how the first door ding on the BF was my uncle swinging out the door of my Subaru straight into the rear wheel arch. Nice chip of paint gone on the BF, no damage on the Subaru. How i love my car...

Edit: Also another chip was from a bunch of teenagers (who'd have thought) who threw a rock at the BF, nailed the other side rear wheel arch on the bumper plastic.

[Ford_The_Win]

I am very particular about where I park my car. At night I always park in a very well lit spot, where the car is clearly visible to others. At shopping centres I would rather park miles away and next to nobody/the gutter than park next to careless soccer mums in their Rav 4s and geriatric oldies. If I am forced to park next to somebody, I always choose the newest/cleanest/most expensive cars to park next to. As for train stations, never, I have secure parking nearby so I don't bother taking the risk.

[mik]

1 would`nt if i could help it, you just know one day your gonna go pick up your pride and joy and it will be keyed,dented , or broken into.

[BrisVegas]

I have been parking at the Goodna (ipswich, Qld) train station on and off for 8 years and have had 2 incidences.

2 years ago, our 95 Holden Nova with rust and faded paint was broken into (smashed rear quarter window & rear window! obviously couldn't reach the lock after smashing the quarter window) and everything rifled through and tossed out onto the ground. Nothing actually stolen, as there wasn't anything in it. I'd say it was just bored kids looking for cash.

Then last year my 06 Focus was keyed all down one side (the Nova had since gone to the wreckers). No idea why or who, just a random *****. Cost me $600 insurance excess to have the whole side of the car resprayed.

These days I park my Pajero at the train if I need to. It's got plenty of bush scratches on it anway, so am not too bothered if it gets keyed. I don't leave anything in the car so nobody is tempted to break in looking for change. I tend to ride my bike half the time now, as I just don't like leaving cars at train stations unless I really have to.

We try not to park our 'new' Fiesta at the train station at all, as it's very shiny and might attract the wrong sort of attention.

[Brazen]

Pfft lifes too short to worry about a car which is fully insured. They target older cars anyway as they are easier to break into and steal.

I would have no problem leaving my basically new SV6 anywhere, because I dont want to spend this much on a car and not drive it anywhere and its insured and Im not going to let scumbags ruin my enjoyment of using it.

[Feathers]

Kids also target new cars, either because they don't like the make, or they're jealous and your car stands out.

The other thing to think about, is the inconvenience of being without it for the time that it's in being repaired. Especially if you don't have access to another vehicle.

On the few occasions that I couldn't use my (old) car back when I worked for Woolies, my parents weren't impressed at having to drive me to work at 5.30am, then come and pick me up in the afternoon.
Now I suppose I could just drive one of our buses home, but then the neighbours would have a whinge, and it's quite inconvenient.

[GreenR]

Park my car at the train station 4 days of the week. However I do catch a VLine so I don't think the danger is as high as some closer suburbs to Melbourne. I also park at the very end of the carpark as there is a good chance the spots next to me stay empty all day. Is only parked there during daylight. No cameras in the carpark (that I am aware of) .

But I cannot stand if someone parks crap next to me. A few days ago another car parked next to me but obviously couldn't park straight, and our drivers door was on the same side(as I had reversed parked) There was about a 40cm gap between our cars and even less were there drivers door was opposite my rear door. I left a note(not abusive) but probably not the kindest

[OzJavelin]

I probably should have pointed out my objection to station carparks .. they are the "worse" version of supermarket and shopping centre ones. People run into you or throw their doors open or put their bags on your boot, etc, etc .. but this time they basically know you aren't coming back anytime soon, so they think they can get away with it.

Personally I'd rather have my old SV8 damaged than a car which is 2 years old ..

Pfft lifes too short to worry about a car which is fully insured

Yes I am fussy and worry about stuff too much. I just try to take a path which avoids these issues if it's relatively easy .. :(