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Narrow garage solutions?
Hi guys, I have a 2-car garage split in the center with a support beam, resulting in a very narrow entrance. Combined with the fairly low seating position and wider fenders of the Z, its making parking an anxious job. I'm more worried that I'll eventually hit a side. What kind of practical solutions have you guys used? I saw some of those laser things, but I don't feel comfortable with those as I can't confirm visually that any of the sides won't scrape. Thanks!
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I recently bought a new house and have the same issues with my garage. What laser things are you referring to? I'm not so concerned about me, but my wife is another story. I know it's just a matter of time before the takes off one of the rearview mirrors on our family SUV.
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You could buy a large, very thick section of foam and wrap it around the post. Also could line tennis balls up with the edges of the windshield
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A big mirror like the drive-thru car washes have?
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Sister the existing center beam with LVL"s and remove the center post.
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The post is probably just decorative. I'd tear it out.
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Depending on how big the pole is, you may be able to split a pool noodle and wrap it around the pole. Hang the tennis ball from the bottom of the door and it will help you line up your entry when the door opens. Quote:
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Might be a little on the expensive side, if you have to hire a carpenter, but sounds like the best option to me. |
How narrow are the entrances? I live in an apartment and have a single-car garage that I have no problem getting in/out of. I can’t imagine a house garage entrance being narrower than an apartment garage.
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House is from the 70s and removing the center beam is not a realistic options (It would probably cost +$10,000). Anyway, I think some combination of mirrors might work.
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I'm going to give the mirror idea a shot on the passenger side.
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Half joking....lambo doors.
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paint a white/bright colour strip on the garage floor on the driver's side where it can guide you to align your Z properly thus you can drive straight into the garage with proper clearance from garage entrance.
you know.. like those lights that guide a plane when landing. |
Park into the garage backwards. Develop parking skills. Special guiding mirrors, lasers, and tennis balls are for amateurs but will certainly help until confidence is there.
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I'm amazed no one has mentioned curb feelers
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I thought you peeps all had large garages big enough for multiple cars. When I used to frequent the USA R1 Forum one guy used to double stack his cars/racecars using hydraulic lifts in his very spacious garage.
Here in the UK it is often a case that the garage, integral or otherwise, will only accomodate a small car, anything else you need sunroof to be able to exit the car. |
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I agree with parking in backwards, angle the rear as close to the side of the garage as possible, then straighten out. Take some time and have someone just guide you as you park a few times so you get the feel for it... roll down your windows, use the side mirrors!
I can park the Z in within a couple inches from the side of the garage. I move the passenger side mirror down and out a little so I can see where my rear fenders are. It gives me and whoever parks next to me PLENTY of room to swing the doors open. Oh, as youre looking at the garage, I park on the left side...this is important..lol |
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Exercise caution each and every time you pull in and I would not suggest trying to back her in each time. I learned the hard way doing that.
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As someone who also sucks at parking I can sympathize. I think the mirror suggestion is a great solution.
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I'd buy a new house.
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Obviously this is the most practical solution. If your garage can't comfortably house your Z, what good is it? |
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Ok, I got a one those convex mirrors and can now see for sure the side I was worried about. Another option I was thinking about was getting one of those telescoping handheld mirrors and viewing outside the passenger window (but I think that would have been too much of a hassle).
These shots are the view from my driver's seat. https://i.imgur.com/k7IkOx8l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/GB8xSoGl.jpg |
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OP, just try to find a parking method that suits you and get comfy +/- mirrors to your taste. I actually find it easier to back in the car really tight to a wall on the passenger side (that way I can still get out), because you can use the mirror to see down the side of the car. I can usually park within 4 inches or so of the fender and the wall with this method. That's just me though. |
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I have a little different take on the tennis ball suggestion mentioned above. Park your car in your garage exactly as you want it positioned. Then tack or nail a string to the garage ceiling and hang the tennis ball from the string so that it barely touches the center of the windshield at the attachment point of the rearview mirror (you can use any other point you want but using the mirror makes it easy to hit the exact same spot every time). Before you back the car out of the garage note how the ball appears while sitting in your seat. When returning to your garage just pull in straight, put the ball in the same position and you'll be good to go.
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Mick's solution would work in your scenario if you were to hang one tennis ball down on each side of the car, touching each side window at the very entrance of the garage (ie. just inside the garage door).
Start by parking the car centered exactly where you want it to enter the garage, hang the tennis balls so they touch the side windows, and voila! Perfect park every time. You could go one step further and have another tennis ball centered on the front windshield at the end of the garage (as described earlier) so you have a destination point. Totally works... in my mind anyways! :icon17: |
He's already installed mirrors, an elegant solution for a more civilized age.
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I've been doing it that way for as long as I've had my Z and have never had an issue despite my wife's misguided belief that the garage is hers and she can pile her crap in it wherever she likes! LOL.
If you don't like the tennis ball try this one on for size - this assumes you have wifi available in your garage. Get ahold of a Wyze camera ($25 or so on line), set it up in your garage so that it is positioned with the view you want. With the Wyze app installed on your smart phone you can watch the video on the app on your phone in real time to make sure you are clearing everything you are concerned about. Wyze cams are great. I've got 5 of em that I use for other purposes and they blow the doors off of my much more expensive Nest camera |
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Never thought of that, I think my wife would like this idea. |
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Guys and Gals,
In my two car garage the Z parks on the right and my Bride's Lexus gets the left. She invariably takes more of her share of the floor making it necessary to be very athletic for me to get out of the Z, if her car is parked inside. What I've done in order to get as close to the right side wall as I can without scraping the right front fender, is to fasten two 2x6's together, some 10 feet long, making them 3 inches wide collectively. I then glued those black rubber stairs treads (they're about 3 feet wide, so you'll need at least 4 for the 10 feet) to the one side of the boards such that the overhang section of the tread (2 inches) wraps over most of the top of the boards. With this board standing on its edge right next to the outside wall of the garage, rubber side to the center of the garage, and my shallow steering angle towards the outside wall, even if my front tire rubs against the rubber covered boards, there is no damage to the tire or wheel, and the front fender can't contact the wall. Then, once parked, I reach behind the seat and extract a two foot section of the insulation foam that you wrap around copper pipe to prevent them weeping in humid weather. The foam comes with a split down its length. I open the driver's door about 6 inches, slide the foam over the rear edge of the door, open the door as far as it will go holding the door against my wife's car, and do acrobatics to get out of the Z. Pop the foam back into the Z, and good to go. It works for this old guy. Gene |
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