Entering garage without scraping right-side mirror off

[brucet999]

A remodeling project will finally remove things blocking one side of our two-car garage. Finally, I will be able to park Blue Max inside. Yay!

Problem is, we have a 16' sectional garage door and the charging plug is at the left side, so that's where I would park my S. To allow enough room between cars for DW to open her car door without dinging Max' door, she would have to park as close as possible to the right side of the garage.

So what can I do to give someone with limited depth perception an easy way to do that without scraping her right-side mirror off on the door jamb?

 

[JPUConn]

I have a 16’ door 2 car garage and we’ve grown a custom to backing the cars in. When we used to pull straight in my wife managed to kill 2 mirrrors on her jeep and when backing in (knock on wood) no issues as you can see the obstacle in the mirror.

Similar to what you said - we put the one car as close to the side as possible (at a slight angle to allow kids to open doors). Wish I had a bigger garage!

 

[boaterva]

We only have a single (double wide door), but we have two 'parking aids'). We have these tie mats to help us put the left front wheel where it belongs (and I stick my head out the window and/or use the double laser pointers below. They are useful to tell you where the car is on the way in.

In the middle of the garage, we also have a 'bumper' of foam hanging from the garage door opener track that serves as an added guide for the right car and also keeps the right car's door from hitting the left car. That may not work if you have two separate garage doors and opener tracks...

Here's the 'tire locator/stopper': http://a.co/fcwFuDm

And the laser pointer http://a.co/gDBehyf: We use one of these double pointers for *each* side of the garage. It helps to have a far pointer and a near one (using one of each unit, one unit for each car) so you can line up more as you come in.

I also fold the mirrors coming in, which has the added benefit of having the car NOT open and close the mirrors every time I come out to the garage with the fob!

 

[brucet999]

In the middle of the garage, we also have a 'bumper' of foam hanging from the garage door opener track that serves as an added guide for the right car and also keeps the right car's door from hitting the left car.

I can't picture what you describe here. You have some thing hanging between the cars? How does it not become a hindrance to getting out or in?

And the laser pointer http://a.co/gDBehyf: We use one of these double pointers for *each* side of the garage. It helps to have a far pointer and a near one (using one of each unit, one unit for each car) so you can line up more as you come in.
!

How does the laser thing line you up to keep close as possible to the right-side door jamb without damaging your mirror? The thing looks like a distance-in device, not an alignment one. What am I missing?

 

[boaterva]

How does the laser thing line you up to keep close as possible to the right-side door jamb without damaging your mirror? The thing looks like a distance-in device, not an alignment one. What am I missing?

You line the two lasers up with parts of the car. Like the left gap in the frunk or a point on the dash board. I use one for far-out lineup and one for ‘you are docked’ position. I actually use the wheel stop for final position but the second laser is a good indicator also.

 

[brucet999]

You line the two lasers up with parts of the car. Like the left gap in the frunk or a point on the dash board. I use one for far-out lineup and one for ‘you are docked’ position. I actually use the wheel stop for final position but the second laser is a good indicator also.

How far out can you see the first laser? One needs to get pretty well lined up by the time the front bumper crosses the plane of the door; well before the mirror nears the door jamb.

 

[namlio]

My wife and I park in a 2 car bay. Two suggestions. Is your cable long enough where you can park on the other side (assuming that helps)? I route the cable above one bay and suspend it from the rafter above. This keeps it out of the way of the other bay and off the ground.

Consider backing in. With the big camera, this should be easy. I have a relatively long driveway, but still back all of the way in. I line up the left side mirror (tilted down to improve the view) close to the edge of the door and know this will position me properly in the bay. I find this much easier than pulling straight in and then having to back out. Try it, I think you will like it.

 

[brucet999]

My wife and I park in a 2 car bay. Two suggestions. Is your cable long enough where you can park on the other side (assuming that helps)? I route the cable above one bay and suspend it from the rafter above. This keeps it out of the way of the other bay and off the ground.

Consider backing in. With the big camera, this should be easy. I have a relatively long driveway, but still back all of the way in. I line up the left side mirror (tilted down to improve the view) close to the edge of the door and know this will position me properly in the bay. I find this much easier than pulling straight in and then having to back out. Try it, I think you will like it.

 

[brucet999]

UMC, so probably not long enough with another car in the way.

Backing in would be way worse. The problem is DW's car, not mine. She is wonderful in many ways, but not trying to back a car.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Get your wife those stick on foam bumpers for the door edges.
They she can park a bit closer to the middle and open her door onto your car without dinging it.

 

[barjohn]

I use a large curved mirror that lets you see if any part of your car is about to close the gap to the edge of the garage door. This has worked well. It allows me to see the right side and right mirror and the gap between them and the door opening.

 

[boaterva]

How far out can you see the first laser? One needs to get pretty well lined up by the time the front bumper crosses the plane of the door; well before the mirror nears the door jamb.

You can have the first one at the edge of the garage. Or you could mount a second unit at the front of the garage to indicate alignment there. In a two door garage I would think one mounted between the doors in the center pointed to the right and out would assist in the first line up. Or just the distance from the middle pillar? Once that is known it should be reproducible. Or am I missing something?

 

[JPUConn]

Here’s a visual, backing in makes it all easy. My garage is flipped left to right from what you’re explaining where you explained but same concept.

Subaru is backed in and then angled slightly to allow back doors (kids) to open and not ding each other.

You said your charger is on the left, is that front left of the garage - lined up with pulling the car straight in or back left where it can reach if the car is backed in?

(Excuse the mess - 3 young kids and spring cleanup can’t come soon enough.

 

[boaterva]

This is the set up we have, with cars going in front first. We have a foam strip (see below) hanging from the door opener track that keeps the doors from hitting the car next to it. Works great for that, and also guides the car if going in head first.

Here's the foam strip; it's stiff so you can hang it from two pieces of cord. The 'warning stripe tape peels right off if you don't want it; the back has sticky tape for a wall, but I left it as is to hang and it and works fine. Couldn't find anything like it that was stiff enough: http://a.co/b86YZOW

 

[Need]

Buy her a Tesla too so she could just summon her car out of the garage. Problem solved! But seriously, my wife had been summoning her MX out of the garage everyday since we got our MX last year. About 2800 feet distance of the car traveled was on summon without a driver. Hmmm... does summon put distance on your odometer?

I only have about 8 inches between the garage door and folded mirror. If the mirror is unfolded, it would be like 4 inches.

 

[brucet999]

You can have the first one at the edge of the garage. Or you could mount a second unit at the front of the garage to indicate alignment there. In a two door garage I would think one mounted between the doors in the center pointed to the right and out would assist in the first line up. Or just the distance from the middle pillar? Once that is known it should be reproducible. Or am I missing something?

One 16' door.
Problem is to get DW's car as close to right as possible.

 

[brucet999]

Here’s a visual, backing in makes it all easy. My garage is flipped left to right from what you’re explaining where you explained but same concept.

Subaru is backed in and then angled slightly to allow back doors (kids) to open and not ding each other.

You said your charger is on the left, is that front left of the garage - lined up with pulling the car straight in or back left where it can reach if the car is backed in?

(Excuse the mess - 3 young kids and spring cleanup can’t come soon enough.
View attachment 284422

Do both Teslas use the same charger?

Backing in is a non-starter for DW.

My 240V outlet is just inside the left-side garage door jamb.

 

[barjohn]

Here are some photos showing my solution. Note that I have a short driveway with a hard turn to get into the garage.

 

[JPUConn]

@barjohn that’s a nice setup. Where did you get that mirror? I wish I had that for my 4 post lift

 

[boaterva]

Yeah, I wonder if a corner mirror like that would help me dock my front tire to the tire pad.. Every time I see a Soyuz dock with the ISS I keep trying to come up with a way to duplicate that docking guide but it needs 3-D devices sticking out enough to give the parallax. <sigh>

Edit: actually took a look and ordered this one, looks like it will give me a view of the corner of the car without sticking my head out the window as I do now!

https://wee.amazon.com/dp/B077FRZTN4