Garages: are they for parking in?

[75gmck25]

For many non-car folks, the garage is just a storage unit that you don't have to pay a monthly fee. They have a lot of junk they are not willing to get rid of, and the garage is a convenient place to dump it. The real solution would be to not accumulate so much junk.

For car folks, this question also comes up frequently, but its hard to provide a simple answer.

For example, when I had a house with a decent sized 2 car garage I used it mostly for parking cars, but was able to pull one car out and have shop space to work inside. However, my current neighborhood limits the garage size to 250 sq ft because its an older area with small lot sizes. That means I end up working outside and using the garage to store tools and worktables that I need while working on a vehicle.

I did try putting my Mustang in my small garage for a while, but that made it almost useless for anything else because there wasn't enough space around the car. Whenever I went in there to get a tool I was sliding around the car to reach my toolbox, and hoping I didn't knock anything down and ding the car.

Bruce

 

[fsae0607]

I have an attached two-car. I made it clear from the get-go to my wife that the garage is my shop. Cars used to go in only for maintenance, but now with my two Harleys and a bike lift, shop equipment, tool boxes, etc., the cars stay outside. I work on cars in my driveway space right in front of my garage. My wife said she's okay with this, so as long as she always gets a spot in the driveway.

 

[PNWguy]

I'm building a new place.

20 x 40 house
24 x 24 garage for parking
24 x 16 woodshop
32 x 40 shop. Not for parking

All under 1 roof.

 

[coljar]

My classic's are in the garage. The Toyota's are in the driveway.

 

[rburke65]

A garage is for parking vehicles. A shop is for projects, welding, hammering, painting @nd the like.

 

[Augus7us]

I have a shop and a two car. Sadly I'm not parking in either of them right now... Too many projects.

 

[bwringer]

The correct answer wasn't included: the garage is for motorcycles and tools.

The driveway is where the four-wheeled appliances sit.

 

[olytdi]

Most Americans leave their $40,000 vehicles exposed in their driveway so that they can store $1500 worth of **** in their garage.

My two vehicles are 14 years and 28 years old and both are spotless due primarily to the fact that they've been garaged their whole existence. I love calculating the savings of not having made a car payment since last century.

I usually park one in the shop and one in the two car garage so that there is room in both. Even the trailer gets to go under a roof. Makes a difference that can be measured in dollars.

 

[BMW Rider]

Our vehicles, one truck, two cars and three motorcycles, all park in the garage almost all of the time. It's also a workshop and my truck goes out on the parking pad beside the garage when I'm working out there. Occasionally it will need to stay out over night of for a day or two for bigger projects that can't be moved out of the way. My Mustang resides on the lift above my wife's car's spot, so her car has to go out to allow access to the Mustang.

 

[zmotorsports]

Yes, my garage is for parking our daily drivers, lawn & garden equipment and for storage of yard items in.

The shop it so work in. Both have different uses and each fulfill their needs. I refuse to have my Jeep, Duramax or the wife's Acura parked outside and I refuse to work in my garage. The shop is ONLY for work.

 

[Doug B]

I chose the first option in the poll. I have a 24x32 with 2 doors. The wife's car is always in on the left side. My rod is always in on the right side. Bike in the middle. Project car in front of the coupe. It's tight but I guess it's a dual purpose garage/ shop.