Getting a wide car safely through a narrow garage door,
Discussion
Fastpedeller said:
Did putting it in the garage reduce the premium though? Strangely it seems that insurance can be more expensive if the car is kept in a garage rather than on drive. I guess the statistics show that high value cars (kept in garages) get stolen. Other cars (not kept in garages) less so? Strange, but believable - anything can be proven with statistics!
The premium may increase because cars are more likely to be damaged entering and exiting the garage than when parked on the driveway - as this thread alludes to.The premium may also increase because a garage contiguous with the house typically facilitates easier access to and from the house, where the keys sit. Not the case with a car parked on the driveway.
Either solution is going to be a bit more involving than it seems you wish to let yourself into.
A new door, behind the reveals, is the most straightforward, if it gives you enough clearance, otherwise, it's brickwork time.
On the other hand if you are handy your guiderails idea should also work, permanently bolted to the floor outside the garage. With one caveat that the track front and rear is identical, or if not, at least the inside edges of the tyres are aligned, as you can place the rails inside or outside of the wheels, no need for both. You would need them, or at least a length of them, some distance from the garage so the car is lined up prior to entering. So there are quite a few ?? about the viability.
Another possibility, if your mirrors are the problem, is there any chance of removing the door frame only where your mirrors are?
A new door, behind the reveals, is the most straightforward, if it gives you enough clearance, otherwise, it's brickwork time.
On the other hand if you are handy your guiderails idea should also work, permanently bolted to the floor outside the garage. With one caveat that the track front and rear is identical, or if not, at least the inside edges of the tyres are aligned, as you can place the rails inside or outside of the wheels, no need for both. You would need them, or at least a length of them, some distance from the garage so the car is lined up prior to entering. So there are quite a few ?? about the viability.
Another possibility, if your mirrors are the problem, is there any chance of removing the door frame only where your mirrors are?
A banksman is always your best bet in situations like this, but make sure its someone you trust!
In the absence of an assistant, small video cameras are now available which link live pictures via bluetooth to mobile phones, tablets etc. GoPros for example, although much cheaper cameras are available with this facility. Stick one either side of your garage door, or one on the ceiling, or the back wall of your garage and you can get a live third-party perspective of your parking.
In the absence of an assistant, small video cameras are now available which link live pictures via bluetooth to mobile phones, tablets etc. GoPros for example, although much cheaper cameras are available with this facility. Stick one either side of your garage door, or one on the ceiling, or the back wall of your garage and you can get a live third-party perspective of your parking.
richs2891 said:
I have this issues as well, wide, car, tight garage and driveway that on an angle to the garage. I always back in a I find it easier.
I ended up with two pieces of finished timber that fit the full length of the garage on the inside of the tyres, to line the car up,
Also have two reflective lines on the end wall of the garage that I know I have to have to line the outside edges of the interior mirror up with. Found this easier than getting the line in the middle of the mirror.
Have to reset them when I swap cars but not an issues. Also wrapped the door frames in cloth for a bit of extra protection.
I'm going to have to replace the garage door with a roller on as the height clearance is too low to get one of my 4x4 in. This will make it easier as should give me an extra 5cm per side.
The mirror idea is good will look at those today
I am thinking the best options would be to get some wooden guide rails not unlike the littleI ended up with two pieces of finished timber that fit the full length of the garage on the inside of the tyres, to line the car up,
Also have two reflective lines on the end wall of the garage that I know I have to have to line the outside edges of the interior mirror up with. Found this easier than getting the line in the middle of the mirror.
Have to reset them when I swap cars but not an issues. Also wrapped the door frames in cloth for a bit of extra protection.
I'm going to have to replace the garage door with a roller on as the height clearance is too low to get one of my 4x4 in. This will make it easier as should give me an extra 5cm per side.
The mirror idea is good will look at those today
kerbs used on the Eurotunnel trains, which keep cars aligned, and away from the carriage sides, they are only about 50mm high (and seem to work well without damaging tyres / rims) combined with a pair of mirrors fixed to the back of the garage at eye level and angled so that I can see the gap between the sides of the car, and the garage door frame on each side.
The problem is the shape of the sides means that the outermost edges / widest part of the car, cannot be seen (and only guessed at) from the drivers seat.
The only question about the rails, is how to fix them to the garage and driveway in front of the garage, so that they have the correct alignment every time, but which also allows them to be easily removed once the car is through the up & over door, and slid into the garage until required again. I just wanted to say thanks for all the replies, (including the tongue in cheek ones!
Pan Pan Pan said:
Funk said:
How has no-one yet asked what the car is? I'm curious; care to share PPP?
I may let on, but being a bit cheeky thought I might leave that fact hanging for a while Obvious solutions:
Get a roller shutter door - fix it behind the pillars gaining the 100mm - from £700ish on Ebay.
Fix one (or two) timbers to the floor to act as guide rails, or even just a painted line should suffice.
Fix carpet to the tight spots so a touch doesn't scratch.
Or go the whole hog and increase the opening size before buying a new door.
Get a roller shutter door - fix it behind the pillars gaining the 100mm - from £700ish on Ebay.
Fix one (or two) timbers to the floor to act as guide rails, or even just a painted line should suffice.
Fix carpet to the tight spots so a touch doesn't scratch.
Or go the whole hog and increase the opening size before buying a new door.
forzaminardi said:
Without wanting to sound like I'm trying to be funny, I think the answer to your question is simply "be careful". Either you're confident enough at maneuvering your car to get it in or you're not. If you're not confident about it, don't do it.
With just 30mm of clearance on each side of the car, and not much maneuvering room in front of the garage to get it millimetre perfect `every' time, I think it will just be a matter of when, not if, I scrape the side of the car on one of the door frames. I have been getting the car in and out of the garage for some time now, but I am guessing (so far) with more blind luck than judgement, but it is a bit tedious, and not really a viable option at night. I was looking for an automatic way of getting the car lined up perfectly and in exactly the same place to get it in and out safely every single time.
Superhoop said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Funk said:
How has no-one yet asked what the car is? I'm curious; care to share PPP?
I may let on, but being a bit cheeky thought I might leave that fact hanging for a while white gold that is! someone has mentioned it already but a guy on here with a Plymouth Prowler uses a sled to move it in and out of garage as the entire garage is too narrow to open the doors.
Parks infront, drives it onto the sled with brakes off and it then slides in and out but I cant find the post!!
Parks infront, drives it onto the sled with brakes off and it then slides in and out but I cant find the post!!
I find it tight too but I always reverse in and I do find the electric folding mirrors a big help because I use the mirrors to judge the gap and then I fold them in because if I didn't they would hit the door frame, it's always a heart in the mouth job though.
I remember trying to squeeze my X5 into the garage just to see if it would fit and I just gave up in the end, I have a double garage but it's two single doors and it would be so much easier if it was just one big door that's for sure.
I remember trying to squeeze my X5 into the garage just to see if it would fit and I just gave up in the end, I have a double garage but it's two single doors and it would be so much easier if it was just one big door that's for sure.
If it was flat and a decent surface you could probably jack up the front and wheel the car back in on a trolley jack or similar. Again You would probably want some foam strips down the edges and something soft encase you pushed it back too hard.
Guide rails and a winch would work too as a slightly more expensive option, electric powered winch, couple of I beams or similar as tracks and a skid base or similar that it could roll in and out on. As it is quite a tight fit you would probably have to make it car specific which might not be worth the effort if you change cars regularly.
Guide rails and a winch would work too as a slightly more expensive option, electric powered winch, couple of I beams or similar as tracks and a skid base or similar that it could roll in and out on. As it is quite a tight fit you would probably have to make it car specific which might not be worth the effort if you change cars regularly.
I have a similar problem with about 25mm each side but with my mirrors out.
Reversing in is no problem because I can still use the mirrors but then I need to e gently maneuvering to the left to give me space to get out.
I even had to knock the inner wall out to give enough door opening space.
( It was that or loose some of the 20kg I've gained in the last 10 years
)
Then fitted carpet on the wall as door protection.
I need to fit a soft rear stop as my Wife is fed up of being my guide. I guess a piece of dangling rope will do that job.
Reversing in is no problem because I can still use the mirrors but then I need to e gently maneuvering to the left to give me space to get out.
I even had to knock the inner wall out to give enough door opening space.
( It was that or loose some of the 20kg I've gained in the last 10 years
)Then fitted carpet on the wall as door protection.
I need to fit a soft rear stop as my Wife is fed up of being my guide. I guess a piece of dangling rope will do that job.
V8RX7 said:
Obvious solutions:
Get a roller shutter door - fix it behind the pillars gaining the 100mm - from £700ish on Ebay.
Or go the whole hog and increase the opening size before buying a new door.
Theses two suggestions are the only sensible options . Roller shutter more expensive to buy but cheaper to fix , increase the door size is more labour but cheaper materials .Get a roller shutter door - fix it behind the pillars gaining the 100mm - from £700ish on Ebay.
Or go the whole hog and increase the opening size before buying a new door.
Roller type should be done in half a day by someone competent .
robinessex said:
Remove pillars at entrance. You can borrow my SDS drill if you want.
Thanks for the offer, but unfortunately the front piers are hefty and formed in steel reinforced brickwork, but since they are a major structural element of the garage holding the roof up, removing them or reducing their designed cross sectional area is probably not going to be a good idea.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff