Not really a tech question, per se, but I live in Los Angeles in a condo and the homeowners association gets in my face when I work on my car in the parking lot...
What do people do? Has anyone had luck renting space at, say, a Goodyears or something? I can see liability insurance as being one reason that might not work, but there's got to be some solution. One friend suggested renting a self-storage unit on the ground floor somewhere and just pulling the car in there...that could work. Has anyone done that?
Any suggestions appreciated!

 

I used to use the local church or college parking lots.

Churches were more friendly than the college campus police.

 

I have a friend that found a homeowner that rented his garage out for like 200 a month. It was a two car garage separated from the house and he split the rent with someone else. Check your local classifieds.

1 warning, its against the law to spray most car paints in residential areas
he found that out the hard way....

 

Now that's not a bad idea, thx McDade. I guess I was looking for the ideal situation, where I could rent out a stall at a repair shop with a lift and everything, but that's probably just a nice fantasy. I'll look around.

 

I live in a apartment with a open parking space. My parking space is straight up gravel. The asphalt is so old that it's just falling apart and crumbling when I put any concentrated pressure on it(jack, jacks stands, etc) but what can I do? I gotta go what I gotta do to keep my baby in shape.

I do oil changes and small stuff, but for big stuff, I have to cough up the dough. Good thing is one of my close friends might be getting a place with a garage where we could do more major ****. so hopefully I could stop spending money on labor, and spend it on the parts.

Jay Kim

 

I use the auto hobby shop on base cant smote paying around $12 for 3 hours with a lift and every tool needed supplied

 

man, all too familiar ... my association told me cant work in lot anymore, I pulled heads off, insalled turbo all kinds of stuff ... had to goto my mom's house or friends house to do stuff ... thats hwy i couldnt wait to get my own garage, now I transplant motors 2-3 times a week ... i did that once in a bluw moon when i had the condo and was limited.

some guys rent the huge garage storage so you can work there just keep clean, but expensive like 6 bills a month or so ...

greg

 

i park at my hunnies house and walk accross the street to my apartment.

 

I told the apartment manager that I needed to do my own work to save money so that I could cover rent. After that, they kind of backed off me a bit.

 

that's a good excuse. i might try that. i always fix my car 2am-5am, that way, i know everyone in the apartment is sleeping including the manager. there is storage places near me, but they go as high as $350/mo for a single spaced garage. renting is expensive in the bay area


[Modified by ULTRA911, 11:37 PM 1/9/2003]

 

get a job at a shop. i did.
-Roger

 

Thanks for all your replies guys. I actually found a two-car garage renting for $150 a month pretty much right down the street from me
I think they were intending it to be used as an "art studio", but hey, cars can be art...

 

Our apartment in florida had no garage like I used to have. I would have to work on it (little stuff) in the side parking lot. The complex manager would come by on her golf cart and say "you can't do that or you'll get wrote up". ? I looked at her kinda funny and me and my wife started laughing. It's like I was in 2nd grade again.
I've told my wife we have to have a garage from now on.

 

I wait till I visit my in-laws. They have a great 2 car garage. I'm gonna offer to paint his garage floor with that stuff I've see advertised on tv in case of spills.

 

I have a friend with a garage; I borrow it when I need to do any work.

It's pretty lame if you ask me; if you're living in an apartment, how the hell do they expect you to be so rich that you can pay other people to do all your work for you?

It also depends on the apartments; the cheaper, lower-class apartments don't enforce it much, since there's a lot of poorer people there who have the ability to do their own work (or have friends who do), but have trouble just making ends meet so they certainly can't take their car to a $80/hr mechanic. Of course, these apts aren't as nice to live in either.

 

hmmm..... for some reason i didn't think of that, but that really is the best way!

 

as far as the poorer apartment complex goes, my friend was having car trouble and when we were looking at it the grounds keeper guy came up and just shot the breeze w/us. He doesn't live in the safest area and it is the most ethnically diverse 9 block area in the country. But I'm sticking around home just for the garage...and the free livin'

 

my dad's driveway.

 

yeah, ive always had a job at a garage type place. damn valvoline was mad when they came in in the morning and the whole place was covered in bondo dust (in my shavin days) oh, well. they got over it. and if they say you cant work on your car in the apt lot, just either tell them if you dont, you wont be able to pay rent, or just start telling them about all the **** wrong in your apartment. or (for the unmarried ones, i guess) just get you and a couple, few friends and rent a place with a garage. i got a place with a really big 2-car garage and ill never have it another way.

 

It sucks. I use a garage down the block that I rent out. It can be a pain in the ***, because I have to haul all my tools, etc. over there everytime I want to do something. I also can use my in-laws garage, or a friend nearby. I really wish I had my own though. Maybe someday, gotta keep saving for that swap...er, I meant house.

 

I use a rented double garage. 24hour access and a locked gate with cameras. Only problem is lack of heat

 

I live in an apartment with no garage. 1st of all my walk in closet and my porch is like my garage, all car stuff. I do all my work in the parking lot, i got bitched at once and I told them if im paying rent here im not taking my car somewhere and paying for it to get worked on, i live HERE. Havent said a word since

BTW I installed my turbo in the parking lot

 

how long has the apt complex been there? im in one right now that theyre still building HALF of the whole complex. i doubt they will let me work on my car might have to hit on the women who work at the leasing office, get me special privileges


[Modified by AmginE, 12:51 PM 1/11/2003]

 

My friends rent out a couple mini-storages... They have 2. Each one has room for 2 cars and all of their tools. Electricity, too, so they can work at night. I think for them it is only like 130/mth

 

Sounds about right