Fabioso

Evenin all, so I have one of those modern boxes as a house with an integral garage.

Looking to change my car in the next few weeks as the old dog will have hit 100k and be 11 years old.

I like to put my car in the garage rather than leave it out on the drive and here lies a bit of a problem with regards to the size. The garage measures only 2340mm wide and 4880mm long with the door opening being only 2020mm wide due to the up and over electric opening mechanism.

Largest car I am considering would be something BMW 3 series sized (would need the folding mirrors may be) and in theory the measurements just about stack up and I have carpet down both walls, just not sure how much of a pain in the **** it's going to be to get the car in and then get out of the car.

Parked my small hatchback away from the wall to where I think a 3 series would be and I could still get out of the door but it was fairly tight and not sure how much difference there would be between the physical doors.

Anyone else have a small one? and any tips on making it as easy as poss ?

Cockney Wideboy

iTrader: (2)

Wow that's a small garage.

Our new build has a 3m by 6m integrated garage and I thought that was small.

I suggest you make sure the new motor has a sun roof.

Sorry that's not much help

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

A little tip: 3series coupe and cabriolet can have the window winds down fully when the car is unlocked...being frameless Windows (like classic scoobs) means it's much easier to get in and out with the windows down

njkmrs

Even better, a convertible....

legb4rsk

They need to build more petrol head houses.

FOR SALE.

'Very large 4 berth garage with car lift,small kitchenette & bunk bed.
Small family home attached.'

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Exactly what I need. A 2/3 bed house with a 4car garage and workshop(giant shed). With enough distance from neighbour so not to annoy them with a impact wrench at 2.00am

Building laws need to change: a new house with a tiny garage should not be called a garage if it cannot fit a family car in (like a Mondeo )

Same goes for calling a bedroom a bedroom when it's not big enough for a bed with no space for a wardrobe or to fully open the door once furnished.

dpb

My garage is 31 x 11 , the useful bit anyway . Trouble is it's full furniture and workshop.

richs2891

That is a small garage, mine is a bit larger at my crash pad at 2.53 x 5.33 and a similar side opening to yours, I tend to reverse the car in and to one side to allow the drivers door to open,
The demand for decent sized garage is minimal so house builders just dont build them. Have a drive up any housing estate at say 7 or 8pm and see how many people actually bother to use the garage for the car. It will be full of useless junk like the lawn mower and the xmas decorations !

hodgy0_2

this is true

I converted our, quite large garage into a kitchen - I did keep my Caterham 7 type kit car in it - but the space works much better as a kitchen

so am planning to build a new garage at the front of the house anyway

I am quite lucky as I have a "drive" and a lot of space (4/5 cars) at the front anyway - plus quite a few sheds in the garden

the only person I know who keeps a car in his garage has a Ferrari 612 (in fact his garage is as beautiful as the car)

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

My girlfriends Dad has recently moved into a new build and I literally couldn't believe the size of his garage! There was only just about enough room to get his sons 10 year old Corsa in there, anything bigger forget it. I suppose if there's 2 of you then you could push the car in first and pull it out when you want to leave .

I guess the problem is is that the majority of people don't use a garage as its intended purpose so therefore developers build them to the absolute minimum. They're just used as additional junk rooms. I'm happy with my large triple garage though .

One of my mates is looking for a new house and he's a petrol head. One of his "must haves" is a decent sized garage. Safe to say he's having a tough time finding somewhere suitable...

richs2891

Funnily enough I'm looking for a new house as well, and having exactly the same issue, the odd thing is the likes of right move list parking as an option to search for but not a garage !
Now looking at older houses with either a garage or at least space to build a good 3 car garage

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Probably obvious, but 4/5 door doors are smaller than 2/3 door doors.

53

iTrader: (41)

Garages these days are built as storage rather than for cars especially lego estate houses.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

Yep

Scooby.Newbie

Same as Hodgy, in the last house converted the integral garage into a dining room as you would never had got a car in and been able to get out of it, stupid size.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Apart from the Lego builders and estate agents don't call it a storage room: garage by definition means it's purpose is to store a vehicle: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dic...english/garage

Bit of a bug bear of mine seeing I'm looking for a house with a decent garage

Fabioso

Thanks for all the advice. Only after measuring it did I realise just how small it is. I've had some reasonable sized cars in there before but these days even small cars are getting wider.

Possible saving grace is the internal door where I may be able to use it to open the door into. I think a 3 series saloon may just about go in as long as it has folding mirrors.

Might see if I can bag a 24 hour test drive and then I can check it out before committing to anything.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

They might be universally loathed in terms of a styling option, but could actually be very practical in this situation:
http://www.scissor-doors.com/lambo-doors/

legb4rsk

or if he wants to stay with a BMW.....

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/04/04/history-bmw-z1-coupe/

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Last one of those conversions I dealt with leaked rain water through the doors like a sieve....wrecked £2000 worth of electronics and connectors beneath the seats!

stilover

When I had my R8, I used to go round at houses and measure up the garage. Most garages, the R8 just wouldn't fit in. Turned down a couple really nice houses based on this. Luckily, I found a nice house with a detached garage that meant the R8 could fit.

Most houses with integrated garages, still go on dimensions suitable for a car built in the 70's, and not a car build today.

BLU

iTrader: (27)

4 bed detached, just about enough room to have a decent sized bench and fit my Scoob in. Still way too small, fortunately I've got space to build a double garage so will be doing just that!!

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Funny that my mum's old house was built in the 60's with integrated garage and you could fit a Jag Xjs in there (just) - before we plonked a chest freezer in there - and could still fit a classic scoob in there with ease (yeah I bought a scoob before a house ). Was an exception to the norm I guess, as most of the other houses were built by AJ Mucklow (one of the original mass produced Lego house builders), and their garages wasn't even big enough for a mk4 Ford Escort.