last update May 20, 2004
Things to do when you can't drive the Z3.....
obsess about it of course....
Plan trips.... Upgrades.... Look at pics online (500 hits in one day
on the Z3 Fixit Day site)... read all
the stuff you never had time for before.... read the message boards
and email lists....and talk to other z3ers... because they are the *only*
people who understand.
So I was having a chat with a fellow Z3er, TomY and naturally the conversations
turned to... Z3s of course.... and garaging.
I went over to his place to check out his garaging situation (okey...
now that is desperate, right?) and we spent a some time discussing city
garaging vs. suburb garaging.
Are you still reading this?
OK... so sometimes we city folk become jealous of the suburb folks,
with their tiled garages (yes I know someone who tiled their garage
so they could wash their car inside in the winter- Laurie...). Then
I had a chat with someone who has a suburban garage and pointed out
the pitfalls of that scenario.
Then I was in my garage and trying out how to improve the situation
there.
In case its not already obvious, this is what I mean:
Garage A:
City- Park your own car- convenience and control, but if the car is
damaged in the garage, they claim it is your liability only. Parked
on the drivers side of the car next to it- that is a hazard. (You want
to be parked on the passenger side of the car next to you- hoping for
less in/out door opening.) Of course you want to be parked next to a
pole or other obstruction. If he traded spots, he'd be parked next to
an access door to storage, which may have too much in/out traffic, plus
people may be carrying items that they put down momentartily on the
closest car. We walked around his garage looking for the "best" spot,
found a very nice Porsche in a strategic spot, complete with a tire
behind it to keep it from hitting the wall accidentally. ( I am surprised
the tie hasnt been stolen)
Then there is a conversation about car covers in the garage. A covered
car is protected from the debris that falls on the cars, and some of
the brushing by that occurs, but when a covered car is dinged, chances
are the dinger doesn't even know that he damaged the car, because they
can't SEE it and they have no way to know how easily our cars mar. They
shouldn't be lifting the cover anyway so...
Garage B:
City-Attendant parking :-( Car is hidden away, which I think is good.
Cars that are parked in the primo spaces are more likely to attract
gawkers or passersby who would do damage. Con is that you have to wait
for your car because its "parked in" by other cars. Attendant parking
means shoe marks on the door sill, among other things.
Garage C, D, E:
Suburbs. Home Garage. I know of three, 2 I have seen. The third said
he bubble wrapped his car at one point to protect it from the kids coming
and going. One I visited also had the kids around, hard to see a child
on a bike even behind my little Z3. As soon as the car was put safely
away, the housing of the garage door opener light fell on the hood of
his Z. Small mark. There are often items in the garage that can come
loose and fall on the Z (rakes, shovels....). One distinct advantage
to suburban parking is that you don't come to your car and find any
surprises.
Laurie in Ohio often sits in her car in
the garage listening to music.
I am not allowed to vacuum/wash/wax my car in the city garage.
JohnB bought a garage with a house attached to it.
So..... send me a pic of how you garage
your Z, and a few words about the pros and cons of the situation, what
kind of car cover you use, any stories yadayadayada and I will.....
make a page of Garages ... natch!
VAROOOOOM
OK here we go, where Emmy sleeps....
As I walked down to the garage, the attendants saw me and before I even
got a chance to explain, they said, "You're NOT taking your baby out
today!!"
I explained what I was doing, and they explained
they were chipping the ice off their car, just because they were bored.
Here is what I was talking about, parking
upstairs. This is a little old MG I think. See how it's parked by a
trash can and an access to my building? Sure, it gets special treatment,
and probably no one but the owner drives it, but with so many people
walking by, I am pretty sure someone has been poking around it.
Imagine its a busy time, evenings around here with several theaters,
a couple bars, and a rock club (Irving Plaza). I have seen some large
groups of nasty drunk people getting angry about not getting their car
fast enough, or how much they have to pay. I'd rather be away from everyone,
but it's a gamble.
Then I went around the garage a little to
check things out. Gee, I wonder what's under there. You think I looked
under the cover?
NO! But you see what I mean. If your car is under a cover and looks
interesting and there are loads of people walking by.... someone is
going to lift that cover.
Note, this car is safely tucked away downstairs. Oh and its completely
surrounded by an army of Sport Futility vehicles, not a one of them
with so much as a spot of dirt on them. Yeah right buddy, you drive
an SFV into Manhattan because you need a reliable car that is safe in
bad weather. B.S!!!! They just drive them to intimidate everyone.
Here is a Z3 I see around here all the time.
I left a note on it, but never heard from them. As much as it pains
me to see a Z3 left like this, I admire them for DRIVING the car and
obviously enjoying it. It also goes to show you that these cars can
take quite a but of punishment and still look good. I have seen this
car in a lot of circumstances and it always comes back looking good.
Also note even more SFV's. The garage and
the city is full of them.
So on I go to Emmy's neighborhood. There
she is... beside the Jag and the Saab and the Lexus.... not easy to
get to.... all covered up....
She looks pretty good today, no one is anywhere
near her. She is lucky to be on the passenger side of the car on her
side, and have a post on the other. Since its attendant only parking,
there is hardly any chance of anyone opening a door on her. One day
when my other car gets out of the shop, it will take the place of the
Jag.
came to hang out in the garages since February 1, 2000
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