How much for a set of bumpers? Considering street parking instead of $300/month garage

[e-FTW]

Am in the process of moving in San Francisco. I will be renting a place. Most apartments that offer a garage charge extra: $300/month on average. Yeah, this is nuts. But then again, a one bedroom at $3500/month is a find... Don't get me started.

Am now considering this insane approach: instead of paying $3600 per year on parking, why not park in the street, and budget for the inevitable scrapes on my bumpers left by folks that park by feel?
How much of a yearly budget might that be?

To be clear, my Performance 3 is a dream car I want to keep long term, so I'm buying it. I hope you can feel the conflict inside me...

 

[sperkin]

Google Bumper Bully or Bumper Guard. This was very popular when I was working in Manhattan. It's a thick rubber people put over their front and rear bumpers while parked.

 

[dhanson865]

You'll have to budget for replacing windows as well as thieves will pop one several times a year to check for valuables.

 

[Willy3988]

Your chances of getting a window smash is near 100% in San Francisco if parked on the street.

 

[TaoJones]

Vexing situation particularly in the Bay Area.

Consider finding a tint shop that uses/offers the C-Bond additive when having windows (re-)tinted to add some degree of annoyance and difficulty.

Wonder if incidents have decreased up there after that one large crime ring got busted. Evidently they stole 1000+ laptops from vehicles.

 

[Big Dog]

IMO, the bigger issue with The City, is finding a place to park on the street. Bumper dings should be a lesser concern.

 

[e-FTW]

Google Bumper Bully or Bumper Guard. This was very popular when I was working in Manhattan. It's a thick rubber people put over their front and rear bumpers while parked.

I've seen those, am mostly horrified by the looks.
But I get it.

 

[e-FTW]

You'll have to budget for replacing windows as well as thieves will pop one several times a year to check for valuables.

I was hoping that keeping the back seats down would inform said thieves that I never keep anything in my cars.
But yeah, this is a concern.

 

[e-FTW]

IMO, the bigger issue with The City, is finding a place to park on the street. Bumper dings should be a lesser concern.

Am only thinking of opting out of garage parking in areas where finding parking is not like finding Waldo. I know they exist, I live in one now.

 

[Trevor B]

Penny wise, pound foolish

Wont be long before your windows are broken into. Have referrals handy.

 

[MXWing]

Get the garage or don’t get the car.

Won’t be a fun conversation when shopping for insurance and the car isn’t garaged.

Straight talk my man.

Sorry for your predicament.

I would be sleeping at a supercharger with that kind of rent.

Edit: I need people to buy Tesla’s or I will be sleeping at a supercharger myself.

However, to be ethical it would be hard to recommend a P3 Tesla in your situation.

I feel I’d want to live out in the burbs or get an older Tesla that’s been depreciated to hell and not worry about a new baby exposed to the bums and elements.

 

[outie]

You’ll just have to think the $300 extra is part of the rent. I personally hated the inconvenience and insecurity of parking on the street (way back in college days). It’s not just about replacing bumpers. Besides what others mentioned, you also run the risk of having some drunk driver smashing into your car and run away. I’ve seen them on the street. You never know. Everything has a trade off so ultimately it’s what you can tolerate.

 

[MXWing]

You’ll just have to think the $300 extra is part of the rent. I personally hated the inconvenience and insecurity of parking on the street (way back in college days). It’s not just about replacing bumpers. Besides what others mentioned, you also run the risk of having some drunk driver smashing into your car and run away. I’ve seen them on the street. You never know.

If you park on the sidewalk in Irvine you run a risk of my son smashing into your Tesla while learning how to ride a bike.

He’s uninsured as well.

 

[outie]

If you park on the sidewalk in Irvine you run a risk of my son smashing into your Tesla while learning how to ride a bike.

He’s uninsured as well.

Oh you bet. They will run the risk of my daughters smashing into their Teslas while driving in their mini Tesla’s. I am considering charging them $300/mo to have their Tesla’s parked in the garage.

 

[MXWing]

Oh you bet. They will run the risk of my daughters smashing into their Teslas while driving in their mini Tesla’s. I am considering charging them $300/mo to have their Tesla’s parked in the garage.

What if they say I won’t get a boyfriend if you give me free rent?

I’d cave on any and all demands if my daughter offered that

 

[thecloud]

A crazy thought for desperate times: if you park on the street, roll down the rear window and tape a plastic bag over the opening before leaving. Other people may think: 'poor guy already got broken into and had to cover it with plastic.' Thieves may think: 'easier to pull that off than break a different window.' Who knows?

Based on the stories I hear from friends and co-workers, plus the amount of auto glass I've seen in parking lots, I don't think the problem has gotten significantly better in the South Bay. Haven't had my window smashed again since removing the parcel shelf, though.

 

[e-FTW]

A crazy thought for desperate times: if you park on the street, roll down the rear window and tape a plastic bag over the opening before leaving. Other people may think: 'poor guy already got broken into and had to cover it with plastic.' Thieves may think: 'easier to pull that off than break a different window.' Who knows?

Based on the stories I hear from friends and co-workers, plus the amount of auto glass I've seen in parking lots, I don't think the problem has gotten significantly better in the South Bay. Haven't had my window smashed again since removing the parcel shelf, though.

That is almost not insane!

 

[JPUConn]

To your original question - bumper covers and paint are fairly cheap. Few hundred for the plastic bumper plus paint and labor.

It all depends on if you see the car as an appliance or something more.

Since Tesla hasn’t released an integrated dash cam that runs off the cars cameras (I’m site they will eventually for a subscription fee), I would get 4 dashcams on the car (front, back, and each side).

 

[EVS Motors]

Consider clearbra'ng your front and rear bumper as another option. Don't know how much it is in your area, but I've seen clearbra take damage and save the paint and having to buy new bumpers and painting it is much more labor, time, and cost intensive.

Just make sure you go with a high clarity film for the clearbra.

 

[P85_DA]

Pay the $300 for the garage ..you already got free supercharging ...plus what about the wear on paint and interior from leaving outside most of the time ..I know ur in SF so no big deal ..but if a garage is offered at 300 that is low IMO for SF