Does your Coupe or Sedan need protection against door dings?

We’ve been there. There’s nothing more irritating than taking your sparkling clean car for a spin, only to park and come back and find finding another dent worth at least $300 in damages.

We’re here to explain: HOW to prevent door damage on your car and WHAT type of product exactly, you should be looking for.

Car door protection for Coupes

Coupes, usually categorized as 2-door cars, tend to be a sportier vehicle with a lower ride height. Being ideal for double or single passengers, coupes have a sloping roofline and a sleek finish.

Technically, anything under 33 square ft is considered a coupe in 2019. Even though coupes may only have two doors, other adjacent vehicles with 4 doors put your vehicle at risk.

2-door cars are around 15 ft in length on average, with the length between the wheels being around 7 ft. This 7 ft is your vehicle’s most vulnerable area to door dents and dings.

To protect the sweet spots of your vehicle, you’d want a minimum of 3 ft of coverage in this area, which is about 40 in of coverage.

To protect this entire area on the side of your car between two wheels you’d need to go with 6 ft of coverage for maximum protection.

Car Door Protection for Sedans

Sedans are generally categorized as vehicles with 4 doors that are smaller than an SUVs but bigger than a coupe. These vehicles have a larger wheel base and usually sit higher on the ground. Sedans can easily fit 3 people in the back seat and have a larger trunk.

This single category of vehicles comes in a diversity of shapes and sizes. From the Toyota Camry to the Honda Accord, the average length of sedans is about 15 ft. The length between the wheels can be between 8 and 9 ft, leaving you with a large area to protect from door dings.

3 ft of coverage, or around 40 cm, would protect your sedan’s sweet spots from door dents. For maximum protection, you’d want to protect this full space with 6 ft of coverage, or about 70 in.

When to consider purchasing a car door guard?

If you’re not too worried about door dents and are willing to risk paying for a door dent repair a couple times a year, then maybe don’t consider it. However, if you’re willing to invest to prevent further damages, here’s what we suggest.

Other than the size dimensions we mentioned above, here are a few other factors you should consider before purchasing a car door guard.

Durability

In terms of durability, you should be looking for two elements: impact resistance and firm grip for your vehicle.

For ultimate impact resistance, you want a durable protector that is strong enough to embrace a blunt force. Some products on the market are made out of cheap plastic, which won’t always hold up against impact. This is why we recommend products made with EVA foam.

You’ll also want to make sure that your car door protector won’t fall off when you walk away. We recommend magnetic car door protection panels with rubber coating on the back, or ‘heavy-duty suction cup’ panels for non-metal cars (aluminum or carbon-fiber body).

Convenience

You’ll also want to make sure that you buy something you’ll actually use! This is why you’ll want to use a car door protector that you can quickly throw on in the parking lot, safely and securely.