To those without a garage.

[Lamented]

I love detailing my car. But I am not fortunate enough to have a garage. For those without a garage where do you polish and apply a coating. I thought of parking under some trees but as soon as I do the birds decide to use it for target practice.

 

[mightypudge]

I am in the same situation as you. I picked up a 10' x 10' canopy last time they went on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods. Frankly, it's too small to cover my entire car, and I have a little GTI. But it is better than nothing.

Some products work better than others in the sun. Even though it is a relatively inexpensive retail product, I have heard Meguiar's Ultimate Polish works surprisingly well on hot panels. Also, Poorboys World products are advertised to work in the sun.

 

[Rsurfer]

I love detailing my car. But I am not fortunate enough to have a garage. For those without a garage where do you polish and apply a coating. I thought of parking under some trees but as soon as I do the birds decide to use it for target practice.

Early AM or late PM or get a canopy or borrow some shade from friends or family. I know that's a lot of "ors".

 

[wopachop]

Depends on what combo youre working with.
I have no garage, matched with no close neighbors.
So i go crackhead style and wake up at 4am setting up shop lights.

 

[JCDetails]

I am fortunate enough to have multiple uncles and friends with garages who are willing to let me use them to work in, you might want to explore that option.

I would not apply a ceramic coating outside of a garage.

 

[JustJesus]

I thought of parking under some trees but as soon as I do the birds decide to use it for target practice.

I wouldn't. Aside from bird poop, you have to consider leaves, crusty little things, sap?, branches, twigs, etc. Things that can easily scratch the paint that you just polished.

I picked up a 10' x 10' canopy last time they went on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods...

My wife got me a canopy one bday (or Christmas) and I loved her more for it. It's been so good having one. Beware of winds. Get weights.

Some products work better than others in the sun. Even though it is a relatively inexpensive retail product, I have heard Meguiar's Ultimate Polish works surprisingly well on hot panels. Also, Poorboys World products are advertised to work in the sun.

I've also used Megs 105 in the heat, but it's NOT fun at all. Poorboy's provides a better experience (at least with me) in the heat/sun.

Early AM or late PM or get a canopy or borrow some shade from friends or family.

Yes.

Depends on what combo youre working with.
I have no garage, matched with no close neighbors.So i go crackhead style and wake up at 4am setting up shop lights.

That's crazy early!!!

I would not apply a ceramic coating outside of a garage.

Same here. Haven't done any coatings, but wouldn't try it outside.

 

[Dan Tran]

I polished and installed a coating on my car outside where it was partly shaded. And as far as I can tell, no issues or signs of improper install or coating failure. This was about two months ago.

I installed Wolfgang’s Coating.

 

[UncleDavy]

I have a garage but it is only big enough to fit the wife's Buick and some shelves. It is good for a rinseless wash once in a while, but I do most of the work in the driveway. I recently picked up a 10 x 15 Titanshade popup canopy and it has been a blessing. The entire length of the truck does not completely fit but it covers a great portion. Before, I would work in the hot sun or first thing in the morning or first thing after dinner.

 

[Audi Rick]

I use my car port, does that count not having a garage.

 

[PaulMys]

I use my car port, does that count not having a garage.

It does.

Most of us without garages would kill for a carport. Lol.

 

[Ebg18t]

I’m so glad we have a double deep, three door garage. I couldn’t handle no garage.

 

[Finick]

I’m so glad we have a double deep, three door garage. I couldn’t handle no garage.

Honestly having a garage that’s not quite big enough to move around comfortably is almost as frustrating as not having one at all, which sounds like such a first world problem. I’d rather just have a carport than a garage that’s too small.

Our garage can fit two small cars, with barely around room around them to maneuver.

Really puts into perspective how large a garage really needs to be in order to be functional.


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[Eldorado2k]

Honestly having a garage that’s not quite big enough to move around comfortably is almost as frustrating as not having one at all, which sounds like such a first world problem. I’d rather just have a carport than a garage that’s too small.

Our garage can fit two small cars, with barely around room around them to maneuver.

Really puts into perspective how large a garage really needs to be in order to be functional.


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Why don’t you move 1 of the cars outside while you’re detailing the other 1?

 

[PaulMys]

Honestly having a garage that’s not quite big enough to move around comfortably is almost as frustrating as not having one at all, which sounds like such a first world problem. I’d rather just have a carport than a garage that’s too small.

Our garage can fit two small cars, with barely around room around them to maneuver.

Really puts into perspective how large a garage really needs to be in order to be functional.


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Ever since I bought my house (2006), I longingly look and envy a house with a garage. Problem is, almost 98% of these garages (attached) have two small a$$ doors that would only fit a small car at best.

Talked to my cousin who is a builder, and he told me the huge (shop sized) two car garage on a spec house is an extra 30k. While a stand-alone at roughly 20x30 can cost roughly double (given you have the land/permits to do so)

 

[Finick]

Why don’t you move 1 of the cars outside while you’re detailing the other 1?

That’s usually what I do, and it works.

It’s more the inconvenience of it that really just irks me after so many years. I know it’s ridiculous to be annoyed by it, because a lot of people would kill just to have a garage at all, but when an Altima or Toyota Matrix takes up so much space the only way to walk around the front or back is to shuffle around it like a penguin, it just gets old fast.

Forget about any maintenance work being done in the comfort of the garage, or being able to waterless or rinseless wash comfortably. Car either has to be at the very edge of the entrance, putting a small bit outside (defeating the purpose of a garage imo) or it’s so far in that you just can’t move around it.

I recently detailed my dads Buick LaCrosse (no pictures, sorry) and I order for it to be in the garage and the door closed, I had about maybe 6 inches of clearance in the front and back. Understandably a larger vehicle, but if I had to park that in the garage everyday (he doesn’t have one) I’d probably just leave it outside.

So I guess my takeaway is just that, imo I’d rather have a 20x30 carport than a garage that’s just too small. Especially considering my garage isn’t climate controlled.

I don’t want anyone to think I’m being totally ridiculous, fyi. I’m glad I can keep the door open and pull in most of my car to do a basically indoors wash on a hot day. I just yearn for a “real” garage I guess. They just come with a hefty price tag, but most things that are worth it do, I suppose.


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[Finick]

Ever since I bought my house (2006), I longingly look and envy a house with a garage. Problem is, almost 98% of these garages (attached) have two small a$$ doors that would only fit a small car at best.

Talked to my cousin who is a builder, and he told me the huge (shop sized) two car garage on a spec house is an extra 30k. While a stand-alone at roughly 20x30 can cost roughly double (given you have the land/permits to do so)

I recently helped a friend move, and the house he’s storing his stuff in had a detached garage about that big, and also a huge woodworking shop on the other side.

I spent a ton of time talking to the guy who built it (guy that lived there had the foundation poured and then built the rest himself.) it was the absolute dream to walk around in it. It had to have been big enough to fit a suburban in there and still move around reasonably comfortably.


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[Markymapo1]

I told my wife that when we retire in 4 years that we down size the house and upsize the garages. We have a 2 car garage that fits my M4 n her IS 350 but when I have to do work on the cars only one can be in the garage or u can’t move