Vantage - Trials & Tribulations of Fitting one in a Garage
Discussion
Grant3 said:
Make sure you buy a car with Powerfold mirrors and put carpet on the garage wall (doors) where you open the door, they are swan-wing so rise up slightly, which means with carpet to lean on you may be able to squeeze out ok!
Carpet already on the wall from previous cars being wedged in the garage 
Powerfold mirrors on the must have list, viewing one on Saturday
Ta all for all the advice so far.
George H said:
What if the car won't physically fit through the garage door?
You can gain three to four inches more width by replacing standard doors with roller doors. My son was worried about the miserly width of his garage when he decided to buy a V8 Vantage to replaced his TT Mk2. As it turned out the V8 V is much easier to manoeuvre into the garage and the geometry of the doors, with the lack of stop mechanisms makes it much easier than the TT to exit and enter. FYI The TT was 4198mm wide and 1952mm wide. (Esprit 4330L 1860W)
te (imo) and still won't widen it enough.
I have a double garage with single doors (looks similar to shunt's photo above).
I need to fold the mirrors in to reverse into the garage and it still scares me every time that I might catch the front wings.
I'd still rather park in the garage than leave outside though.
As mentioned you can change up and over doors for roller or sectional giving you a few more cms width to use.
I'm not a fan of roller but sectional doors look just like up an over doors when shut and they have the added advantage of being able to park another car up close without fear of the garage door catching your car when you open the door.
I need to fold the mirrors in to reverse into the garage and it still scares me every time that I might catch the front wings.
I'd still rather park in the garage than leave outside though.
As mentioned you can change up and over doors for roller or sectional giving you a few more cms width to use.
I'm not a fan of roller but sectional doors look just like up an over doors when shut and they have the added advantage of being able to park another car up close without fear of the garage door catching your car when you open the door.
Measured the doors today and the car is 3" wider (with the mirrors folded in) than the doors when fully open. If I took the wooden frames out and replaced it with a roller door, it would give me 0.5" per side of clearance. I don't think I would even attempt to try reversing through that.
George H said:
Measured the doors today and the car is 3" wider (with the mirrors folded in) than the doors when fully open. If I took the wooden frames out and replaced it with a roller door, it would give me 0.5" per side of clearance. I don't think I would even attempt to try reversing through that.
There some smart looking roller doors, unfortunately none of them will match the other door on you garage. I test drove my DB9 into my son's narrow garage and apart from the extra length it was relatively easy with about one inch to spare each side the entrance. When he got his V8 Vantage I had make a pair of 2" X 8" X 36" ramps to get over the steep descent into the garage followed by a 2" raised lip on the floor. (Berkeley Homes quality build!!!) Both front spoilers just clear the floor at their lowest point before the front wheels reach the lip.If you don't back in you will have to back out
Baron Von Alders said:
Grant3 said:
Make sure you buy a car with Powerfold mirrors and put carpet on the garage wall (doors) where you open the door, they are swan-wing so rise up slightly, which means with carpet to lean on you may be able to squeeze out ok!
Carpet already on the wall from previous cars being wedged in the garage Powerfold mirrors on the must have list, viewing one on Saturday
Ta all for all the advice so far.
Does a Vantage have auto close on the door windows?
Just back from spending the morning at Grange Brentwood with both my wife and I trying out the car.
Unfortunately the one we had our eye on was snaffled by their Exeter branch before we could start on the deal.
Anyway, I think our mind is now made up as SWMBO has given approval. I think she's glad of something comfortable and refined after putting up with the Elise.
They've another similar one due-in in a day or so, so we'll probably be back for another try out.
Now back to the garage to see if it's grown a few inches since I last measured it!
Ta all, some useful info here.
Unfortunately the one we had our eye on was snaffled by their Exeter branch before we could start on the deal.
Anyway, I think our mind is now made up as SWMBO has given approval. I think she's glad of something comfortable and refined after putting up with the Elise.
They've another similar one due-in in a day or so, so we'll probably be back for another try out.
Now back to the garage to see if it's grown a few inches since I last measured it!
Ta all, some useful info here.
Just thought i'd revisit this thread for an update.
The garage is 2100mm wide at it's narrowest, the Vantage being 1850ish with the mirrors folded in, giving acombined clearance of circa 250mmThis is split approx 50mm on one side and 200mm on the other.
From this you can see it's too narrow to open the door!
So my method, line the car up with the door opening and reverse in, aiming close to the driver side wall (protected with carpet)& fold the mirrors in as I go through the opening, fold them out again for a final alignment to make sure I'm parked square & then fold them in again once I'm happy with the alignment.
Then pull forward in a straight line until the driver's door is out of the garage and then exit the vehicle.
Then, using the wheel spokes push the car back into the garage in a straight line until the rear tyre rests against the bit of angle iron placed to stop it rolling in too far.
To get the car out again, squeeze alongsinde and push out from the rear (ooh, er mrs).
Now that may seem a bit of a faff, but it's no worse than what I had with the Esprit, albeit being a bit heavier. Plus the car's not used everyday.
Next house in a year or so's time will definately have a bigger garage!
Comedy photos can be taken if anyone fancies a laugh.
The garage is 2100mm wide at it's narrowest, the Vantage being 1850ish with the mirrors folded in, giving acombined clearance of circa 250mm
This is split approx 50mm on one side and 200mm on the other.From this you can see it's too narrow to open the door!
So my method, line the car up with the door opening and reverse in, aiming close to the driver side wall (protected with carpet)& fold the mirrors in as I go through the opening, fold them out again for a final alignment to make sure I'm parked square & then fold them in again once I'm happy with the alignment.
Then pull forward in a straight line until the driver's door is out of the garage and then exit the vehicle.
Then, using the wheel spokes push the car back into the garage in a straight line until the rear tyre rests against the bit of angle iron placed to stop it rolling in too far.
To get the car out again, squeeze alongsinde and push out from the rear (ooh, er mrs).
Now that may seem a bit of a faff, but it's no worse than what I had with the Esprit, albeit being a bit heavier. Plus the car's not used everyday.
Next house in a year or so's time will definately have a bigger garage!
Comedy photos can be taken if anyone fancies a laugh.
Baron Von Alders said:
Just thought i'd revisit this thread for an update.
The garage is 2100mm wide at it's narrowest, the Vantage being 1850ish with the mirrors folded in, giving acombined clearance of circa 250mmThis is split approx 50mm on one side and 200mm on the other.
From this you can see it's too narrow to open the door!
So my method, line the car up with the door opening and reverse in, aiming close to the driver side wall (protected with carpet)& fold the mirrors in as I go through the opening, fold them out again for a final alignment to make sure I'm parked square & then fold them in again once I'm happy with the alignment.
Then pull forward in a straight line until the driver's door is out of the garage and then exit the vehicle.
Then, using the wheel spokes push the car back into the garage in a straight line until the rear tyre rests against the bit of angle iron placed to stop it rolling in too far.
To get the car out again, squeeze alongsinde and push out from the rear (ooh, er mrs).
Now that may seem a bit of a faff, but it's no worse than what I had with the Esprit, albeit being a bit heavier. Plus the car's not used everyday.
Next house in a year or so's time will definately have a bigger garage!
Comedy photos can be taken if anyone fancies a laugh.
Nice work - glad to hear it's all working tickety boo!The garage is 2100mm wide at it's narrowest, the Vantage being 1850ish with the mirrors folded in, giving acombined clearance of circa 250mm
This is split approx 50mm on one side and 200mm on the other.From this you can see it's too narrow to open the door!
So my method, line the car up with the door opening and reverse in, aiming close to the driver side wall (protected with carpet)& fold the mirrors in as I go through the opening, fold them out again for a final alignment to make sure I'm parked square & then fold them in again once I'm happy with the alignment.
Then pull forward in a straight line until the driver's door is out of the garage and then exit the vehicle.
Then, using the wheel spokes push the car back into the garage in a straight line until the rear tyre rests against the bit of angle iron placed to stop it rolling in too far.
To get the car out again, squeeze alongsinde and push out from the rear (ooh, er mrs).
Now that may seem a bit of a faff, but it's no worse than what I had with the Esprit, albeit being a bit heavier. Plus the car's not used everyday.
Next house in a year or so's time will definately have a bigger garage!
Comedy photos can be taken if anyone fancies a laugh.
Sounds like every time I take my car in or out of my garage. I am getting quite good at the combined samba/limbo dance needed. No photos available of that
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