Backing into a tight garage

[CoolC]

Here's the situation.

I have a Z4 Coupe and a very ordinary single garage. To get the car in and have space to still get in/around to the back etc means it needs to be tight over to the wall on the passenger side and reversed in.

On my own this is nerve-wrecking and having a teenager to help sometimes is, well, not much help

I've been considering mirrors of some sort, probably the convex type as found in shops etc but wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation and come up with an ingenious way to get it tight without damage.

I'll look forward to the replies, comedy or serious

[Super Sonic]

Keep a whoppie cushion in the car. When you want to reverse in, blow up the whoppie cushion and attach it to the rear corner. If you touch the wall you will have an audible warning.
Or carpet the wall with foam or bobble wrap.

[E63eeeeee...]

Get the convertible instead, much easier.

[grudas]

old rug on walls and the rest is just skills. It gets easier as you do it, I've got some massive cars in my very tight garage - ls430 for example, so tight that mirrors had to be folded in for it to fit.

just take it slow, once you get those big rear aches through, keep the wheel straight and stick your head out the window to see where wings end up..

[Pitre]

I reverse my 'vette most of the way in but have to fold mirrors to go all the way. You get to be quite good at it (famous last words).

[Davie]

Fit a bash board down the NS wall, on the floor... and then run the tyre wall along it. Make it high enough that the car can't reverse up and over it. Granted may not be so good if you're precious about your sidewalls. However the obvious answer is that after a few goes (hopefully without damage) you should quite quickly suss out exactly what angles etc to back in at and when to stop without the need for physically aids.

[gregpot2000]

I have a similar situation with an SLK

What you need / I have

1. As mentioned, old carpet etc on the walls for doors not to get scratched when opened.

2. Use a marker on the wall to show where your mirror should line up to, eg I creep forwards until my wing mirror is exactly in line with a line I have drawn.


I've actually drawn three lines. | | |. The one in the middle is the absolute ideal. Then the left and the right are the absolute limit I can get away with for the back not to catch the door, or the front not to catch the other end. I know the middle is ideal, but I also know I can be anywhere in between the range of the three markers, useful if I want to park further forward to have better access to the boot etc.

[irc]

Line wall with something soft so if you touch it the paint isn't damaged?

Attach 2x4 to floor at point where rear of car is 6" from rear wall?

After that are you not just using n/s mirror to aim the rear n/s bumper at the corner of the garage. Reverse in at slight angle then swing the front across until the n/s wing mirror almost touches the wall?

[illmonkey]

I have a very tight garage for my stuff and 2002.

I got it in very carefully as close as I dare to the edge, and so it was almost touching the garage door. marked where the rear near side tyre was and put these bits of wood down. I use the near side mirror to line up my angle and distance from the wall, then stop when the tyre contacts the other piece. Works well and I just drive it in with confidence now. The car door is about an inch from that sticking out wall bit

They don t get in the way either, even with the car being out of the garage.

[gazza285]

Line on the floor for the offside wheels to follow, then mirror/head out of window.

[Krikkit]

illmonkey said:

I have a very tight garage for my stuff and 2002.

I got it in very carefully as close as I dare to the edge, and so it was almost touching the garage door. marked where the rear near side tyre was and put these bits of wood down. I use the near side mirror to line up my angle and distance from the wall, then stop when the tyre contacts the other piece. Works well and I just drive it in with confidence now. The car door is about an inch from that sticking out wall bit

They don t get in the way either, even with the car being out of the garage.

That's a nice solution, another one is to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling that'll touch the glass when you're in the right spot. Only helps in one dimension though.

[Cold]

You're alright
You're alright
You're alright
You're alright
You're alright...

...woah!

[Mr.Chips]

I try to reverse into any parking spot, but always reverse my T350C into the garage. Like the OP, I keep the passenger side as close to the wall as possible and use the passenger door mirror to identify when I’m far enough in, by lining it up with a mark made on the brickwork. At the height where the door edges would hit the wall, I have lined the walls with some self-adhesive rubber sheet that I got from Lidl or Aldi, old carpet offcuts would be just as good. At the back, I did try a tennis ball hanging from the roof and it worked well, but in the centre aisle of one of the previously mentioned supermarkets, I found a gadget with a traffic light system that I fixed to the back wall and it tells me when I am too close. What I wouldn’t do for a big garage!

[98elise]

Davie said:

Fit a bash board down the NS wall, on the floor... and then run the tyre wall along it. Make it high enough that the car can't reverse up and over it. Granted may not be so good if you're precious about your sidewalls. However the obvious answer is that after a few goes (hopefully without damage) you should quite quickly suss out exactly what angles etc to back in at and when to stop without the need for physically aids.

This. Effectively build a curb that stops you scraping the wall.

Add something similar to at the rear ro stop you hitting the rear wall. Alternatively hang a tennis ball from the roof, so that it touches the rear screen when you're far enough in.

[CoolC]

Thanks for the replies so far.

For clarity, I'm fine for length (she said) but it's the getting tight against the wall that's the scary bit.

I like the batten on the floor to guide the tyre in idea and had visualised something along those lines already.

[hidetheelephants]

Mr.Chips said:

a tennis ball hanging from the roof

What he said, a tennis ball on a string.

[Earthdweller]

Is it a flat entrance and surface ?

If so just push it in and then block the wheels so it can't roll , don't need to get as close then and just reverse process coming out

[illmonkey]

CoolC said:

Thanks for the replies so far.

For clarity, I'm fine for length (she said) but it's the getting tight against the wall that's the scary bit.

I like the batten on the floor to guide the tyre in idea and had visualised something along those lines already.

I have enough space to go in slightly angled. So I can dip my near side mirror (I can reach it with ease in my little car) then drive until the type almost hits my wood then wind off the angle until I hit my stop.

When I drive out I do the reverse as the road isn't massive either so it helps to get some lock on early.

Edited by illmonkey on Tuesday 3rd June 16:38

[CoolC]

Earthdweller said:

Is it a flat entrance and surface ?

If so just push it in and then block the wheels so it can't roll , don't need to get as close then and just reverse process coming out

Unfortunately not. Slightly downhill and a threshold to cross.

[Trif]

I have these in my garage: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B084D235JB?ref=ppx_yo2... positioned so when the rear wheels hit it, there is 2 inches left behind the car. They also help with positioning, as I can aim for the edge of it on the passenger side in the mirror so I have a comfortable amount of space to open the drivers door.