[NightVisitant]

I'll keep this as short as possible

My car is a seemingly an impossible fit in our garage - 1 inch either end, literally. I had some foam protection on the rear wall but my bumper had damage on it from previous impacts, but last month someone rear-ended me and I've had a new bumper fitted last week - don't want any more knocks now that it's clean. (Car has to remain garaged - insurance, blah blah)

Solution suggestions please?

Reversing cameras fitted to the rear bumper (i.e - facing backwards) are not helpful, there is insufficient depth-perception for me to avoid hitting the wall. Only if it's south-facing, i.e looking down at the bumper edge, will it be helpful.

My only guess is a camera fitted at the back of the garage acting as a third eye, with a hand held monitor of some sort to finish off what the parking sensors can't do.

Any ideas? Product suggestions?
Thanks v much

[Jeff123]

Hi

I have a similar problem with my wifes Corsa. What I do is to work out how close to the wall that I can go (say 3-4 inches away) by aligning the door mirrow against a mark on the side wall.

The guyt next door has a trick that might also work. He has a piece of wood across the floor and when the wheels hit the wood he is in the correct position.

Jeff

[Jeff123]

Another idea.

I think that cameras may be too high-tech. I would try placing a mirror (or morrors) in a position that allows you to see the back end of the car in relation to the wall when reversing.

Jeff

[Carrera RSR]

Bolt some 4x2 timber to the floor of the garage so the back wheels hit these before your bumper hits the wall. Simple and cheap

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by NightVisitant

I'll keep this as short as possible

My car is a seemingly an impossible fit in our garage - 1 inch either end, literally. I had some foam protection on the rear wall but my bumper had damage on it from previous impacts, but last month someone rear-ended me and I've had a new bumper fitted last week - don't want any more knocks now that it's clean. (Car has to remain garaged - insurance, blah blah)

Solution suggestions please?

Reversing cameras fitted to the rear bumper (i.e - facing backwards) are not helpful, there is insufficient depth-perception for me to avoid hitting the wall. Only if it's south-facing, i.e looking down at the bumper edge, will it be helpful.

My only guess is a camera fitted at the back of the garage acting as a third eye, with a hand held monitor of some sort to finish off what the parking sensors can't do.

Any ideas? Product suggestions?
Thanks v much

Cameras and sensors don't have the resolution you need, so here's a cheap and simple solution

Push you car into the garage until its perfectly positioned. Move it forwards or backwards minutely until its perfect. Then take a rubber ball on a string and attach the string to the celing with a small cup hook such that the ball just touches the windscreen. Then you simply drive carefully into the garage until the ball just makes contact. I would anyway line the wall at bumper height with some polystyrene or rubber matting, just to be sure.

[Huds]

I like the wood on the floor idea! I did once see an idea with a cork on a piece of string, which was wonderfully low tech. The guy parked his car in the right place, then hung a cork from the ceiling so it just touched the windscreen right in front of his eyes. Just drive until it touches...

[Huds]

Ha ha! SteveC beat me to it! Must have been typing at the same time!

[chris330D]

The other cheap solution is to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling. You drive in until the ball touches the windscreen/rear window.

[NightVisitant]

Thanks for all these quick responses and ideas

Jeff, the mirror-to-a-marker idea failed me in the past when I reversed in without being totally parallel to the wall - the slight angle was enough to catch the corner of the bumper. It's why I went to foam protection

I'm keeping the mirrors idea and the wooden block idea at the top of the list - need to go and do some trial and improvement tests before taking the high-tech options. Does anybody think the "bounce" in the suspension will be too much when using the wooden blocks?

Steve & Chris, thanks for the replies - I had a ball hanging down, this fails me too often - fortunately foam protected me - but the draft causes the ball to swing too much. No puns intended.

Thanks
Keep the ideas coming, you're all very helpful

[MEGA]

Wood in the floor is the best suggestion. Then you don't really even need to think about it. When you stop, your in. Sorted

[kend]

Originally Posted by NightVisitant

Thanks for all these quick responses and ideas

Jeff, the mirror-to-a-marker idea failed me in the past when I reversed in without being totally parallel to the wall - the slight angle was enough to catch the corner of the bumper. It's why I went to foam protection

I'm keeping the mirrors idea and the wooden block idea at the top of the list - need to go and do some trial and improvement tests before taking the high-tech options. Does anybody think the "bounce" in the suspension will be too much when using the wooden blocks?

Steve & Chris, thanks for the replies - I had a ball hanging down, this fails me too often - fortunately foam protected me - but the draft causes the ball to swing too much. No puns intended.

Thanks
Keep the ideas coming, you're all very helpful

Trying using a cork on string it does not move about in the draft.

[ss134]

I use a large card board box........get a large card board box (around 1.5m tall and the thickness you require to stop from the wall) and place it against the end wall of the garage. Stick some foam or material to the box (where your bumper will make contact) to give added protection to your bumper. Reverse in very slowly.....you can tell when you hit the box because you can hear it and also see it move in your rear view mirror, also if you reverse in slowly the box physically stops the car (literally) and it is impossible to hit the wall. Basically the box acts as a barrier between your bumper and the wall, when you hit it at slow speed it your car will gently bounce off the box. It works, all you need is the correct size box....try it.

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by chris330D

The other cheap solution is to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling. You drive in until the ball touches the windscreen/rear window.

+1 on this. A friend of mine has the exact same issue and uses this method. Works very well.

[Animalfreeride]

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

+1 on this. A friend of mine has the exact same issue and uses this method. Works very well.

Above is fine unless it's really windy. Also there is still a chance you could reverse in a bit too quickly and ding the bumper if you only have an inch margin. I use the 4" x 2" piece of wood method. That way there is no margin for error. Make sure you either glue or drill it fast though otherwise it will obviously move.

[NightVisitant]

I just drove out a few minutes ago and angled a 40x40cm mirror in the bottom corner of the garage, it's done the trick - a v.good solution - I can see the edge of the bumper in relation to the rear wall, down to the last millimetre, just by popping my head out the drivers window and looking back into the mirror.

Just have to make sure it doesn't move now. If I come across a bigger mirror, it would be better still.

Thanks again for all the tips, I'll be sure to remember them if the mirror ever becomes problematic.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by NightVisitant

Thanks for all these quick responses and ideas

Jeff, the mirror-to-a-marker idea failed me in the past when I reversed in without being totally parallel to the wall - the slight angle was enough to catch the corner of the bumper. It's why I went to foam protection

I'm keeping the mirrors idea and the wooden block idea at the top of the list - need to go and do some trial and improvement tests before taking the high-tech options. Does anybody think the "bounce" in the suspension will be too much when using the wooden blocks?

Steve & Chris, thanks for the replies - I had a ball hanging down, this fails me too often - fortunately foam protected me - but the draft causes the ball to swing too much. No puns intended.

Thanks
Keep the ideas coming, you're all very helpful

Instead of a ball and string, use fishing nylon and the weight off a plumb bob. You'll hear it 'tick' when it makes contact with the windscreen and the wind will not cause it to sway

Alternatively, what about a pressure switch across the floor that switches on a light?

[Jeff123]

Try to position the mirror so that you can see it via your drivers door wing mirror. That way, you wont have to look backwards out of the window.

Jeff

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Alternatively, what about a pressure switch across the floor that switches on a light?

That's a good idea.

[m@rk]

The ball on a string works for me.

But you say you have to park in the garage because of insurance.

So last year my garage was full of c@@p so at renewal I actually asked for a quote for the car parked on the drive and then another for it in the garage so I see what a difference it would make.

It cost an extra £12 per year to park it on the drive instead of the garage

As a result I never did get round to clearing out the garage.

Might be worth asking rather than trying to squeeze the car in there and risk damage

[Colonel'K]

Got similar space problems in my garage, so I got a pair of Stopmates 3 years ago. The original supplier no longer stocks them, but you can get them via amazon :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PARKING-PAL-.../dp/B002RB4MRC

Fastened them to the concrete floor with some screws and rawlplugs so they don't shift around, they do the job nicely

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by chris330D

The other cheap solution is to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling. You drive in and try and serve an ace.

I like Chris's idea

[ChaserPlus]

Not sure if you can get them over here but my roommate used one to squeeze his Silverado King Cab into our garage when i lived in Vegas. It worked really well and accurate.
Laser Park
http://www.amazon.com/Genie-9575L-BP.../dp/B001OOEMMI