Scottish Elises

Is a 3.5m wide garage big enough to work on an elise??


Looking to move house, my main motive, to get a garage. Not that i do lots of work on the car, but i want to make sure the garage is big enough if i do feel the need.


One of the places i am looking at has a 5.23 * 3.58 m garage.


The elise is 3.7m long and 1.7m wide, so on paper its plenty, just looking for experience as to how much extra you need to comfortable work on the car, jack it up etc etc.


The house i am looking at describes it as a 'larger than average' so i did a bit of research and saw that some house builders spec a garage as little as 2.45m wide

Nearly a clear metre each side, you are not going to get more than that unless you buy a house with a double garage or custom build your own.

Sounds about a similar size as Hambos which was very well kitted out and quite spacious for pretty much any task.

/says the technically inept faction.

I've seen quite a few garages with plenty of room to work around an Elise, but not really enough room to push the handle on my trolley jack down to jack the car up.

I'm also currently looking for a house with a garage, but as long as it's got a driveway or monoblock for jacking the car, I'm happy if I can fit the car in the garage and have enough room to open the door and get out of it!!

I'll measure my garage this morning and get back.


Mac

My last garage was a tiny bit narrower than that and I managed to renew all wishbone bushes. I did one side at a time with the car off centre in the garage. Loads of room.

Also plenty wide enough to do a full DIY geo afterwards.

Feels OK Neil. You only really need working access to one side at a time, plus some room to cant the car over on the jack. Robin's Facility is a fairly standard garage width and we do fine in there I reckon.

More important to have a bit of space to lurk around the back of the engine bay I reckon. My garage doesn't quite have this (storage requirements up far end for a young family!) so have to work with the door open sometimes...not fun in winter.

Hope you're not moving to Linlithgow btw

campbell wrote:Feels OK Neil. You only really need working access to one side at a time, plus some room to cant the car over on the jack. Robin's Facility is a fairly standard garage width and we do fine in there I reckon.

More important to have a bit of space to lurk around the back of the engine bay I reckon. My garage doesn't quite have this (storage requirements up far end for a young family!) so have to work with the door open sometimes...not fun in winter.

Hope you're not moving to Linlithgow btw

theres a house for sale just round the corner neighbour

think you'd be pretty good with 3.58 width! Don't think Robins are that wide and look what he magics in them

You can be quite creative with space. Get as much stored stuff up high as you can, and if need be, you can be creative with working on a car to get access.

I have just moved house, and now have a garage (something lotus badged to follow as soon as I can save for it having over spent on house). My new garage is a decent length, but a bit narrower than I would like, but I don't see it being a problem. Domsport (My garage at luddon) is quite a wide 2 car garage, but short (only just fitted TSE BMW). So I now have one short and wide garage, and one long and narrow! Oh for an ideal world! You'll be best taking what you can (within reason). As long as there is space at the side, or end, it will be workable.

mckeann wrote:
theres a house for sale just round the corner neighbour

Well if you can stand the screaming, you will be made very welcome. Another toy car in the estate will give the locals something useful to talk about. Although I must say I think the neighbours are gradually moving out as James' lungs mature yet further

mckeann wrote:Is a 3.5m wide garage big enough to work on an elise??

My last one was 3.2m wide inside and there was enough room to open one door with the car over at one side of the garage. Then when you want to work on the other side of the car, you move it over to the other side of the garage and open the other door etc.

Not great but with a little more width that you mention you could probably get away with it.

Mine is only 2.8m wide and I dont have the wee girl as yet.........will I be able to get out the car

If not I am goosed as my drive is not much wider with a wall to both sides at parts...(i.e the safest part where I would leave her), with my other car behind.

I think the Elise is 1.8m wide mirror to mirror, so a 2.8m garage will still allow you to limbo in and out...just need to practise parking tight to pax side