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10-08-2020, 10:54 AM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 423
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car/parking dilemma
I recently sold my condo and moved into a great rent controlled apartment with my SO. Trouble is the new parking space is TINY and I'm squeezed between a concrete beam and a giant SUV. Can barely open the door and damage is imminent.
I bought a new Audi A4 in 2018 and hate the idea of having to swap it out due to sunk cost. I could probably get a relatively even exchange with a used smaller A3 that will fit better, but still loosing several grand however I look at it.
Is making the swap a dumb move?
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10-08-2020, 10:58 AM
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#2
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 340
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Can you sublet/swap the parking space?
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10-08-2020, 10:59 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 17,094
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Instead of swapping it, put door edge guards and other bumper guards on it.
Any possibility of finding another parking spot (and rent out the one you have to compensate the cost) ?
__________________
Fortune favors the prepared mind. ... Louis Pasteur
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10-08-2020, 11:00 AM
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#4
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
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Well, as I see it you have 3 choices:
1) Sell the car and buy a smaller one,
2) Move to an apartment with a bigger parking place, or
3) Grin and bear it.
I'd probably go for (1), and consider the loss as the cost of gaining experience in such difficulties.
Next time, I'd suggest measuring your parking space and your car before moving. That's part of the decision making process.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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10-08-2020, 11:08 AM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,958
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is there an on or off site property manager in the building? Have them come a look at your car, in the parking spot.. if a sedan doesn't fit there it's not a proper parking space...
See if they come up with a solution...
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10-08-2020, 11:46 AM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 11,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R
Next time, I'd suggest measuring your parking space and your car before moving. That's part of the decision making process.
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Good friends of ours bought a brand new house and had to sell their vehicle and buy a new one!
You wouldn't think a new house would be a problem. Turns out this builder played some tricks and the two car garage has very narrow doors. They had nothing crazy either, a Toyota Highlander, I think. They had to fold in the side mirrors going in or out.
The fix was a new, narrower vehicle.
So, yeah, check your parking space no matter where you move to!
__________________
Retired Class of 2018
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10-08-2020, 12:18 PM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,243
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunset
Instead of swapping it, put door edge guards and other bumper guards on it.
Any possibility of finding another parking spot (and rent out the one you have to compensate the cost) ?
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Plus buy door edge guards for the other guy.
__________________
Kindest regards.
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10-08-2020, 12:20 PM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,328
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ivinsfan
is there an on or off site property manager in the building? Have them come a look at your car, in the parking spot.. if a sedan doesn't fit there it's not a proper parking space...
See if they come up with a solution...
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+1 Maybe you can get switched to another space. If not, and given that you are happy with the apartment, I would opt for a smaller car. My garage is very short so I am stuck with compact and subcompact SUVs no longer than 185 inches and preferably 182. It's a PITA but worth it for the house and location.
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
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10-08-2020, 12:36 PM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Placerville
Posts: 1,788
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spncity
Plus buy door edge guards for the other guy.
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Does the other guy normally have a passenger on that side? Even if he does, maybe he lets them in/out when not fully pulled into the slot. For you, do the same, let SO out before pulling in then hug the passenger side to give you more room to open your door. Then back out so SO can get back in when leaving.
Would backing in provide more room on the driver side by hugging the passenger side? Without a layout diagram, just pitching a few thoughts...
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10-08-2020, 01:57 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,146
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I feel you pain about the tight condo parking spaces.
My tiny Honda Fit narrowly fits in the spaces I have. I had bad luck as each space has one side next to a wall.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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10-08-2020, 02:18 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 7,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmitchell
I recently sold my condo and moved into a great rent controlled apartment with my SO. Trouble is the new parking space is TINY and I'm squeezed between a concrete beam and a giant SUV. Can barely open the door and damage is imminent.
I bought a new Audi A4 in 2018 and hate the idea of having to swap it out due to sunk cost. I could probably get a relatively even exchange with a used smaller A3 that will fit better, but still loosing several grand however I look at it.
Is making the swap a dumb move?
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Is the SUV able to fit in the spot?
I guess I'm some ways good you have the beam on the other side, instead or another vehicle to ding your doors. But I guess you lose a little of the buffer space to open door on that side.
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10-08-2020, 02:22 PM
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#12
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gone traveling
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,375
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Not understanding why the issue wouldn't be investigated before renting or buying.
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10-08-2020, 04:09 PM
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#13
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Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 23,038
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gerntz
Not understanding why the issue wouldn't be investigated before renting or buying.
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There is a lot to think about when you are trying to move to a new place. I can easily see that particular issue not being on the radar. Anyway, how about we help him solve his problem instead of just chastising him for having it?
__________________
Living an analog life in the Digital Age.
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10-08-2020, 04:20 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,958
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gumby
There is a lot to think about when you are trying to move to a new place. I can easily see that particular issue not being on the radar. Anyway, how about we help him solve his problem instead of just chastising him for having it?
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Right cause the OP should have known he was going to get sandwiched between a post and big suv...I wonder if the building has a vehicle size guideline? How does the person in the SUV get out when they have cars parked on both sides? I'm assuming the SUV isn't actually encroaching on the other parking spot. Have you ever noticed how narrow some retail outlets make their parking lot lines?
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10-08-2020, 04:27 PM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,713
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gumby
There is a lot to think about when you are trying to move to a new place. I can easily see that particular issue not being on the radar. Anyway, how about we help him solve his problem instead of just chastising him for having it?
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I spent all of about 25 minutes inside the home I just bought. No time for a 2nd look. The offer was accepted about 24 hours later.
Later I drove through the alley & noticed how cramped the cars were in the garage. I looked back at the listing to get the garage dimensions. My Volvo is 182.9 inches. I also noticed the HO Highlander fit in. The Highlander is longer than my car. So it "should" fit. It does explain why i see so many cars on the street. 2 cars don't fit in a 2 car garage
Literally no time to spend a lot of time horsing around with details
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10-08-2020, 05:16 PM
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#16
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,820
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Same problem when I bought my Chicago condo. There was no way my Texas-bought Chevy Tahoe would come close to fitting in the shared 2-car garage. I parked on the street for 2 days and then traded in on a low-end Camry. Even with the Camry, I kept hitting the side of the wall now and then. I didn’t see any sense in fixing the damage since I was likely to hit the wall again. After 5 years, I sold the condo and moved back to Dallas. Then Traded in the Camry, dents and scratches and all, on a big old pickup truck.
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10-08-2020, 06:12 PM
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#17
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,920
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three steps I'd try before ever considering a different car:
Find the neighbor who owns the SUV and become their new best friend. Talk to them about your concerns (framed as "that one of us might ding the other")
Talk to building managers about another space assignment
Park in guest/other spots and consider the time walking worth the peace of mind
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10-08-2020, 06:19 PM
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#18
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 14,212
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Tight parking is a real issue.
When I was preggers with my youngest, I ran into issues of being parked in to the point I couldn't get into the car at the end of the day through the driver's side... my pregnant belly wouldn't fit through the skinny opening. I had an explorer at the time and when it happened, would crawl in from the back of the car. When not pregnant I could twist sideways and squirm in.
I would buy door guards for the other driver (and yourself)... We have enough room in our garage for our two cars - but we still have them on the cars, in case a teenager isn't paying attention and flings the door open.
This is what we got:
https://www.amazon.com/Protectors-Gu...s%2C228&sr=8-5
__________________
Retired June 2014. No longer an enginerd - now I'm just a nerd.
micro pensions 6%, rental income 20%
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10-08-2020, 08:27 PM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: North
Posts: 4,043
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R
Well, as I see it you have 3 choices:
1) Sell the car and buy a smaller one,
2) Move to an apartment with a bigger parking place, or
3) Grin and bear it.
I'd probably go for (1), and consider the loss as the cost of gaining experience in such difficulties.
Next time, I'd suggest measuring your parking space and your car before moving. That's part of the decision making process.
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Inversely, when buying a car, always drive it to where you would park it for your very first test drive. Just make sure the car salesman isn't along for the ride if you live in a nice hood.
I always make sure the truck fits, and I use a tape measure to measure these things.
__________________
Time > $$$ ~ 100% equities ~ FIRE @2031
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10-09-2020, 03:21 AM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12,657
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+1. Frankly, I have made much bigger mistakes due to moving/selling/buying stress.
For OP, I second Aerides' suggestions, as they are what I would try in your situation. I hope this is the only fly in the ointment and that you love your apartment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gumby
There is a lot to think about when you are trying to move to a new place. I can easily see that particular issue not being on the radar. Anyway, how about we help him solve his problem instead of just chastising him for having it?
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__________________
If you understood everything I say, you'd be me ~ Miles Davis
'There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ Christopher Morley.
Even a blind clock finds an acorn twice a day.
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