Which airport car park for a fussy parker [possibly Dublin airport]

Cyrus · 07-06-2018 11:33AM #1

i am a notoriously fussy parker :P

i hate parking in any multi story car park or anywhere that i will have a car either side of me. Anyway im sure a lot of you are the same.

we are travelling for 5 days on sunday, i always take a taxi to the airport, but this time with kids etc and the time we are leaving taking the car is probably a better idea.

Whats the best car park to pick leaving cost aside, security and chance of gettng a space with either 1 or no one else beside me

dobman88 · 07-06-2018 11:34AM

Cyrus wrote: »

i am a notoriously fussy parker :P

i hate parking in any multi story car park or anywhere that i will have a car either side of me. Anyway im sure a lot of you are the same.

we are travelling for 5 days on sunday, i always take a taxi to the airport, but this time with kids etc and the time we are leaving taking the car is probably a better idea.

Whats the best car park to pick leaving cost aside, security and chance of gettng a space with either 1 or no one else beside me

No chance.

Lantus · 07-06-2018 11:36AM

Red Long stay. No marked spaces so you can generally get a nice bit of extra space between cars. Great bus service to terminals.

Cyrus · 07-06-2018 11:37AM

Lantus wrote: »

Red Long stay. No marked spaces so you can generally get a nice bit of extra space between cars. Great bus service to terminals.

thanks are the long stays secure?

....... · 07-06-2018 11:38AM

This post has been deleted.

HeidiHeidi · 07-06-2018 11:40AM

Lantus wrote: »

Red Long stay. No marked spaces so you can generally get a nice bit of extra space between cars. Great bus service to terminals.

Red car park does have bay markings?

And I've only ever slotted into a single space between cars in the section that's open.

I'd agree with post #2!

messrs · 07-06-2018 11:41AM

Cyrus wrote: »

i am a notoriously fussy parker :P

i hate parking in any multi story car park or anywhere that i will have a car either side of me. Anyway im sure a lot of you are the same.

we are travelling for 5 days on sunday, i always take a taxi to the airport, but this time with kids etc and the time we are leaving taking the car is probably a better idea.

Whats the best car park to pick leaving cost aside, security and chance of gettng a space with either 1 or no one else beside me

Understand that when it comes to parking - i would go with quickpark, this time of year there will def be cars beside you but you can park in a space where you can just drive out of and wont have to worry - its possible when you get there that there will be no cars beside you but id say there will when you come back. If you do go with Quickpark use promo code 'WOOF' and you will get a discount of €10

07Lapierre · 07-06-2018 12:18PM

When making the booking..book a mini valet with it. That way not only will your car be clean when you get back, but your car is parked away form other cars.

rabbitinlights · 07-06-2018 12:31PM

If it's busy in the long stay, you may not have any options where to park as they'll fill each area up before opening the next.

Just try not to think of all the excited kids opening doors and pulling bags out trying to get onto the carpark bus....... :-)

dar83 · 07-06-2018 01:14PM

If you live in Dalkey would you not just get the Aircoach? Runs all day/night and leaves pretty much on the hour....

Cyrus · 07-06-2018 01:17PM

dar83 wrote: »

If you live in Dalkey would you not just get the Aircoach? Runs all day/night and leaves pretty much on the hour....

its taking an hour and half these days so ill pass on that

Cordell · 07-06-2018 01:35PM

Quickpark with the valet parking option for extra fiver. You won't be parked alone, quite the opposite, but there will be no mommywagon unloading next to your car either.

spurious · 07-06-2018 01:41PM

While up in Quickpark the other day, I saw a section where the cars are really jammed together. Clearly not parked by regular punters. It was close to the 'office'. Is that the premium/valet parking area?:eek:

Wishbone Ash · 07-06-2018 01:41PM

There's a VIP car park which is only a few metres from the terminal. Annual charge - think it's around €5,000 but you can park as often as you like. :pac:

07Lapierre wrote: »

When making the booking..book a mini valet with it. That way not only will your car be clean when you get back, but your car is parked away form other cars.

If the OP is a fussy parker, he/she may not like the idea of leaving their keys with staff.

07Lapierre · 07-06-2018 01:48PM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

If the OP is a fussy parker, he/she may not like the idea of leaving their keys with staff.

Personally I like it and have used them in the past with no issues. If the OP is nervous just take note of the Speedo reading when you arrive at the car park and check it when you get back? ( I also remove any personal items from the car as well..... it avoids any issues if you can’t remember what was in the car when you left it with them two weeks earlir)

bidiots · 07-06-2018 01:52PM

Still get a taxi,you'll ruin your break worring about the car

Wishbone Ash · 07-06-2018 01:58PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

Personally I like it and have used them in the past with no issues. If the OP is nervous just take note of the Speedo reading when you arrive at the car park and check it when you get back? ( I also remove any personal items from the car as well..... it avoids any issues if you can’t remember what was in the car when you left it with them two weeks earlir)

It works fine in theory but in practice in can be a pain in the arse (for the staff). The cars are parked very tightly together as they can easily double the amount parked in the same space as conventional parking. However when customers return a few days earlier than scheduled, the lads have to move dozens of cars to access one deep inside (and they don't do it slowly and carefully either).

tossy · 07-06-2018 02:00PM

I always use bewleys or whatever it’s called these days. Never had any hassle there. Free shuttle bus every 15 mins too.

07Lapierre · 07-06-2018 02:25PM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It works fine in theory but in practice in can be a pain in the arse (for the staff). The cars are parked very tightly together as they can easily double the amount parked in the same space as conventional parking. However when customers return a few days earlier than scheduled, the lads have to move dozens of cars to access one deep inside (and they don't do it slowly and carefully either).

Fair enough, but it's still a better option then just parking your car in a "Regular" spot and hoping for the best.

When i worked for a certain Peugeot dealership, every car had to be put in the workshop at the end of each day. Its amazing how good you get at parking cars very close to each other. we used to fold in the door mirrors, reverse the cars to within an inch or two of each other and get out the windows!

(all car seats had those plastic seat covers on them, so no damage was done)

If the OP is that fussy, then leaving the car at home and getting to the airport via some other mode is the only solution.

JoeA3 · 07-06-2018 02:36PM

tossy wrote: »

I always use bewleys or whatever it’s called these days. Never had any hassle there. Free shuttle bus every 15 mins too.

I think it's the Clayton hotel now?

Anyway, I parked there last week myself for a full week and the car was fine, no issues. Some observations:

- it was really really busy. And some folks clearly didn't give a sh1t and parked in non-designated spots, over double-yellows, encroaching onto the path of passing cars, etc. I wouldn't have parked my car like that if I'd nipped into the shop for the newspaper, never mind leaving it like that for a week :eek: I got lucky and found a proper spot that seemed safe enough with a pillar one side of me (50% less likely to get hit!)

- if you're unlucky with timing you could be 20-25 minutes between parking and getting to the departures area - waiting for the shuttle bus, etc.

- it does have an over-ground area as well as the underground area where I parked.

- I booked it online for 40 euro a couple of days before departure. I had checked the price a week or two before that and it was at least 60 euro... so it seemed it got cheaper the later you left it.

- When we collected the car, by the time we got back to the car and made for the exit, I had actually over-stayed my allocated time by something like 10 minutes. So the gate refused to open. Had to go into the hotel and persuade them to let me out

So overall I'd say its only "OK". A bit too far from the terminal for comfort and haphazard parking and general volume of cars down there wouldn't put a nervous parker at ease.

07-06-2018 03:02PM

Was in Red longstay for long weekend just gone......... was directed to park on grass verge on roadside heading to Zone Y, didn't bother me, my car is a sh1tter.

Heading away again shortly........no option to book red longstay on line so quite likely it's full. On a trip away last Summer they only let me access the red longstay as I had it prebooked so if it can't be prebooked presumably it's now full?

Anyway, as others have said all/most sections are complete with painted spaces so not really what you are looking for.

Cyrus · 07-06-2018 03:04PM

feck this lads

im getting a taxi :pac::D

Riskymove · 07-06-2018 03:11PM

Cyrus wrote: »

feck this lads

im getting a taxi :pac::D

I second the mention of premium parking in quickpark

works very well

ION08 · 07-06-2018 03:38PM

I park in the Blue car park. Never any issues ...... except for that one time when i had a foglight grill nicked off my car.

Most of the time I park between 2 cars and return to find the same 2 cars are beside me so I'd be comfortable that nobody damaged it or whacked their doors of mine.

What are you driving OP? ... Honestly, I would be fussy enough too when it comes to parking in shopping centres but , I wouldn't let my fussiness get in the way of my families convenience on a long trip or enjoying a Holiday.

After all, whats the point of having a car if you're not gonna use it to your convenience.

Spanish Eyes · 07-06-2018 03:51PM

I have parked in Quickpark many a time. No issues, but there is no chance that you will be out on your own. They fill up each area, and move on to the next.

Anyway while I do realise that this is not an option for everyone, we realised that the cost of a cab there and back was a tenner cheaper than the parking. AND we were not herded on like cattle on to the bus where it was crammed and people just walked over your feet. No siree. Gave up on that one, and it's great to get off the plane, into a cab and be home toot sweet. Can have a glass of wine or two on the plane also. Bonus!

Best of luck to OP. Best get a cab and take the stress off.

colm_c · 07-06-2018 03:52PM

One other option, if you have family that are not going on holidays:

- give spare key to relative/friend
- go to airport in your own car
- leave in one of the short/long term car parks
- relative/friend picks up the car, drives it home
- relative/friend drives car back to airport a few hours before you get back
- you get back and use your main key on the car

The car has limited time at the airport, and you can choose short term car park away from everyone.

Obviously you would need to have 2 friends, one to bring other friend to the airport.

I did this once when I was going away for a month.

Lord Nikon · 07-06-2018 03:58PM

Long Term Blue is more of a distance away, worth driving past and looking through the hedge to see what parking is like. Red Long Term will be jammed this type of year, and you don't really know what space you could be left with, or no choice at all.

If you worried about something happening to the car, don't wash it for about two weeks to leave a layer of dust etc on it, so when you return, you can see quite easily if the car has been touched.

Also, car next to two door cars/coupe's, chances are they have no kiddy passengers, and don't park next to MPVs.

Cyrus · 07-06-2018 04:07PM

ION08 wrote: »

I park in the Blue car park. Never any issues ...... except for that one time when i had a foglight grill nicked off my car.

Most of the time I park between 2 cars and return to find the same 2 cars are beside me so I'd be comfortable that nobody damaged it or whacked their doors of mine.

What are you driving OP? ... Honestly, I would be fussy enough too when it comes to parking in shopping centres but , I wouldn't let my fussiness get in the way of my families convenience on a long trip or enjoying a Holiday.

After all, whats the point of having a car if you're not gonna use it to your convenience.

i have had all sorts of cars, it doesnt matter what it is i take care of them

anyway taxi will work out best, its the most convenient option and i wont be stressed about the car, win win

the_pen_turner · 07-06-2018 04:14PM

Taxi out then hire a car to collect family

Wishbone Ash · 07-06-2018 04:19PM

ION08 wrote: »

I park in the Blue car park. Never any issues ......

Lord Nikon wrote: »

Long Term Blue is more of a distance away, worth driving past and looking through the hedge to see what parking is like...

Don't park in the Blue if it's near the end of season and you're fussy about your car. I'm not sure if it still closes in autumn but when it did, the procedure was to close it to admissions and gradually allow it to empty. After 3 weeks or so, 95% of the vehicles would be gone. The stragglers that are left would be towed back to the Red as it was uneconomic providing a shuttle bus service 24/7 for customers who's return date is unknown.

ION08 · 07-06-2018 07:29PM

Cyrus wrote: »

i have had all sorts of cars, it doesnt matter what it is i take care of them

anyway taxi will work out best, its the most convenient option and i wont be stressed about the car, win win

Yes, I also take care of my cars “:P” ... but I also like to enjoy them to the point of not worrying about hypothetical scenarios when parking.

Same way I like to take care of my leather interior by cleaning & treating it but not to the point of covering in in seat covers or avoiding journeys/carrying other passengers.

My point is, you have to draw a line sonewhere between being “fussy” and being anally retentive

Which airport car park for a fussy parker [possibly Dublin airport]

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