Parking Aids Prevent Curb Rash

Even worse than curb rash, a vehicle might get too close to a parking curb, crunching its front spoiler!

Either way, the damage is painful, obvious, and expensive. Fortunately, eBay Motors offers several solutions for smoother, scrape-free parking.

Curb Feelers Provide Rash Protection for Classics

After World War II, cars started featuring shiny full-size hubcaps. But get too close to a curb while parking, and you risk scratching or dislodging those hubcaps. So ingenious motorists started installing curb feelers on the car’s passenger side.

These long, thin metal pieces stuck out from the lower fenders. When they rubbed against the curb, a metallic sound warned that you were getting too close.

Curb feelers, sometimes called “cat whiskers,” are often still found on 1950s classics. (The mid-century style also calls for fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview mirror.) Curb feelers look out of place on new models, but owners of classic rides can always find original and reproduction feelers on eBay Motors.

Rim Guards Add a Splash and Prevent Rash

Curb feelers are out of place (and style) on most cars, but curb rash is still an issue, especially for today’s alloy wheels. Mild damage can often be smoothed out and painted over, but the damage is still there.

As a preventative measure, you can install rim guards that add a splash of color to the rims while offering some protection. Some rim guards use adhesive to affix to the wheel. Other styles require you to jack up a tire, deflate the air, insert the guard between the rim and the tire sidewall, then pump up the tire and repeat.

Front Spoiler Protection

Many cars have front spoilers under the bumpers to help divert the airstream around the vehicle. These low-lying spoilers or “chins” can strike a curb or barrier when parking. These mishaps can cause substantial damage. Fortunately, modern technology is more effective than those old-school curb feelers.

A mounted camera or sensor to help with parking is barely noticeable.

For example, many cars now leave the factory with sensor-based parking aids that beep or flash dashboard signals to warn you when you’re too close to the curb. Low-aiming exterior cameras are also a big help.

An image on the dash can guide you to the curb.

Sensors

If your car lacks factory-installed parking aids, you can install a warning sensor yourself. Most sensors use sonar to detect approaching objects. Drivers can adjust the settings to determine how soon the curbs are detected and the volume of the warning note.

Cameras

Another option is using a camera to detect low-lying objects. As a driver approaches a parking spot, the camera can turn on and display a curb-level view on a dashboard screen. The image clearly shows how close you are to the curb. Many camera systems combine a sensor with a camera for double protection against curb rash.

Garage Parking Aids

Parking blocks take the guess work out of garage parking.

There are also solutions to make parking in your garage easier. One low-tech approach is to install a stopper on the floor. When you slowly reach the stopper, your front wheel is limited from progressing further.

Or install a parking gauge on the wall. These devices have two distinct lines. As you pull into the spot, the lines converge. When they “connect,” you are in the perfect pre-determined spot for the garage.

Park Daddy Sensors

You could mount a sensor on the garage wall to alert you when you reach the optimal spot. That way, any car can safely park in the garage without having a sensor mounted in the vehicle.

Ceiling-mounted laser guides

Some drivers mount a laser-emitting light along the ceiling. As you pull in, the motion-sensing laser will light up and pinpoint the predetermined sweet spot for parking. Some garage openers also have this option.

Or, revert to old-school techniques and use the tennis ball trick—hang a ball on a string from the ceiling to mark the perfect spot to stop.

The risk of scratching your wheels and damaging your front spoiler has diminished. Fortunately, you’re one click away from an effective solution to prevent curb rash and ensure easy parking.