Garage - reverse in or out?

[Slow.Patrol]

I guess I'm unusual in that I like to park my cars in the garage.

My MX-5 is basic, no parking assist, and I have always reversed it into the garage.

Recently, I had stuff in the boot and drove it in as it was raining, which meant reversing it out. Oddly enough, I found this easier than my normal reverse in.

I just wondered what the general view was.

[vikingaero]

Driving in allows you to exit straight towards the garage door without closing the door first or moving around it. It also allows access to the boot and for exhaust fumes to exit more directly.

[Glassman]

If it's being worked on: drive in, otherwise reverse.

[SuperPav]

On a driveway - reverse in
Into garage - drive in

Several reasons (but never really thought about it as such before):
1) Exhaust fumes out of the garage door
2) If working under the bonnet generally prefer that to the front of the garage where all the tools/workbenches are (mid engined cars throw a spanner in the works here)

[catso]

My cars have always lived in a garage and always driven in forwards (except if working on the front out of weather but wanting light), never considered doing it differently.

Plus, now the Wife has an EV, I had the charger fitted at the back of the garage so that it's right next to the charging socket on the car (and between the cars) though I appreciate that might be different on future cars.

[vikingaero]

Depends on the size of the garage too.

If you go away on holiday and then reverse in, assuming your battery is under the bonnet. Pre-jump packs, my neighbour did this and we couldn't get the electronic handbrake to release without a jump pack. In the end we climbed over his garage junk to take his battery out to charge it before putting it back in the car.

[Steve-B]

Reversing in on any driveway with more than a 5-10 degree incline in my experience has caused previous car I've owned to scrape their front spoilers. I'd not do it with my TR6 as the front of the car is right at my toolbox & bench when I need to work on it.

[pstruck]

Mine always goes into the garage forwards, but I also push it in and out and start up once out on the drive. Means no issues with wide doors and narrow garage and is a bit more neighbour friendly. Often it is pushed out to work on or clean, then push back in without the need to start and not bring up to operating temp.

[Ardennes92]

I was taught to reverse in & drive out as that is best for the engine/transmission, reverse being the lowest ratio (so best used whilst the engine is warm) and drive out when cold. Works when parking when out & about as it is more likely to get blocked in when reversing out of a space.

[Clad-Hach]

I put one in head first and reverse in the other, that way both drivers doors point to each other making it easier to get in and out.

These are two door cars which need more room to open.

In the ideal world where I wouldn't be limited by garage width I'd reverse both in so I could just drive out.

[framerateuk]

I've always driven straight in. I've been doing if for 10 years and didn't even consider reversing in until i read this!

The garaged car is a Caterham though, it's a faff to reverse and the garage has stuff at the ther far end, so I get a much better view of what I'm doing when I drive staight in.

Being a caterham the exhaust rule doesn't really apply since it's a side exit anyway.

[andy43]

I’ll confirm with the Head of Collection Logistics and report back later.

[Radec]

Drive in, then the giant turntable it's parked on turns it forward facing when I want to exit.

[alscar]

Depends on which car and which garage and whether a quicker getaway needed or where the CTEK point is.
2 are reversed in , 2 driven in.

[SaTTaN]

I've always reversed my 911 in, mainly because the garage also has a back door and I ideally want the ability to walk though the garage if I have to (tight but doable) I park with the passenger side as close to the wall as possible then there is just enough room to open the drivers door..

Fumes are not pleasant so I try to be as quick as possible

[Jamescrs]

My garage is relatively tight but I have parked various small hatchback cars in it over the years and a Porsche Boxster 986, always reversed in, it has never entered my head to go in forwards. I keep a lot of stuff at the back of my garage so I have to be careful how far back I go, I have a line spray painted on the wall where I know the wing mirror needs to be level with

[sanguinary]

SaTTaN said:

I've always reversed my 911 in, mainly because the garage also has a back door and I ideally want the ability to walk though the garage if I have to (tight but doable) I park with the passenger side as close to the wall as possible then there is just enough room to open the drivers door..

Fumes are not pleasant so I try to be as quick as possible

Same with me. Driving in forwards makes it tough to get out as I have to climb through to the passenger seat. And I do keep promising myself that I'll tidy the garage at some point!

[sanguinary]

Jamescrs said:

I keep a lot of stuff at the back of my garage so I have to be careful how far back I go, I have a line spray painted on the wall where I know the wing mirror needs to be level with

Yep. I have some tape on the drawer of my workbench. When I reverse in and turn my head to it with one eye closed, and it's in line with the outside edge of the mirror, I know my car is 5cm inside the door shutter.

[Huzzah]

I like to reverse in, garage is quite narrow and easier to get it closer to the wall.

[kambites]

Ours go one each way so the driver's doors open towards each other. That also handily puts the MG's charging port next to the charger.