How much space needed to enter/exit A110?
Discussion
Hi All,
Another ridiculous new buyer question from me... I've got an A110GT on order, but will need to keep it on the street. I may have an opportunity to get a small garage shortly, but it's narrow, and my experience from MX5 ownership is that these low cars require the door to open a fair way to get in and out. I'll have to make a decision on the garage quickly, long before the vehicle arrives.
I've already ordered the mirror pack, so they'll fold and reduce width by a few mm. Obviously I can put some foam padding on the wall to avoid door dings, and I'm going to visit the dealer to try to measure the width needed, but does anyone have a gut feel for how much additional space you need to get in and out of the car? Doesn't have to be comfortable, just achievable...
Another ridiculous new buyer question from me... I've got an A110GT on order, but will need to keep it on the street. I may have an opportunity to get a small garage shortly, but it's narrow, and my experience from MX5 ownership is that these low cars require the door to open a fair way to get in and out. I'll have to make a decision on the garage quickly, long before the vehicle arrives.
I've already ordered the mirror pack, so they'll fold and reduce width by a few mm. Obviously I can put some foam padding on the wall to avoid door dings, and I'm going to visit the dealer to try to measure the width needed, but does anyone have a gut feel for how much additional space you need to get in and out of the car? Doesn't have to be comfortable, just achievable...
The door itself is 6" thick, but there is some additional door trim which adds a couple of inches to that, but doesn't reach the edge of the door. I am small and light (60kg) and I could get in or out (but not easily) with the back (outer) edge of the open door about 13" from the side of the car. Depending on your build you might need a bit more. Hope that helps.
Edited by bcr5784 on Monday 3rd October 09:33
I always keep my A110GT (and the S before that) in my single garage which is not particularly wide.
I prefer to leave the mirrors out on the basis that I'd rather touch the mirrors than the wheel arches (though in 3 years I've managed to avoid that - just!), and it fits in fine with room to get out - uncomfortable and tight, yes, but achievable.
Carpet on the wall, of course!
The garage door opening is 2 metres 12cm (212cms) wide at its narrowest point - just measured it!
Much preferable to leaving it on the street if you can...!
I prefer to leave the mirrors out on the basis that I'd rather touch the mirrors than the wheel arches (though in 3 years I've managed to avoid that - just!), and it fits in fine with room to get out - uncomfortable and tight, yes, but achievable.
Carpet on the wall, of course!
The garage door opening is 2 metres 12cm (212cms) wide at its narrowest point - just measured it!
Much preferable to leaving it on the street if you can...!
When I'm back from Corsica my A110 will spend the long winter nights in my single car garage that used to be home to the MX-5 (which is now relegated to a public parking garage nearby).
The A110 is clearly a bigger car than the (ND) MX-5, and its turning circle is significantly bigger too. The garage door is approximately 2.20m wide and the garage itself is 2.78m wide. Even though the street is quite narrow, I could easily navigate the MX-5 nose first into this garage, almost without watching (ok, I did touch the door frame once when I was really in a hurry because of that stupid COVID curfew). All this does not work with the A110. I just cannot seem to manage to drive it into the garage nose first at all, so I park it backwards, which is not optimal because of exhaust gases remaining in the garage, but also quite a hassle as rear and side marking of the A110 is so much worse than the MX-5. So far I eventually managed every time though.
Obviously I have put pieces of foam padding on both side walls of the garage, which makes getting in and out of the car really easy.
The A110 is clearly a bigger car than the (ND) MX-5, and its turning circle is significantly bigger too. The garage door is approximately 2.20m wide and the garage itself is 2.78m wide. Even though the street is quite narrow, I could easily navigate the MX-5 nose first into this garage, almost without watching (ok, I did touch the door frame once when I was really in a hurry because of that stupid COVID curfew). All this does not work with the A110. I just cannot seem to manage to drive it into the garage nose first at all, so I park it backwards, which is not optimal because of exhaust gases remaining in the garage, but also quite a hassle as rear and side marking of the A110 is so much worse than the MX-5. So far I eventually managed every time though.
Obviously I have put pieces of foam padding on both side walls of the garage, which makes getting in and out of the car really easy.
Edited by bram070 on Monday 3rd October 16:13
bram070 said:
Obviously I have put pieces of foam padding on both side walls of the garage, which makes getting in and out of the car really easy.
Reversing the car in as you do helps a lot. Even if you could drive in forward you wouldn't be able to generate as much clearance at the rear of the door by angling the car to one side as you do.Edited by bram070 on Monday 3rd October 16:13
Thanks again, everyone. Managed to swing by the dealer yesterday and I reckon I need 18" of clearance to be able to exit the car (6ft1 and reasonably well built, plus my back's not what it used to be). The garage I was offered is 7ft6 at its widest point with a 7ft entrance, so not a hope in hell of being able to get anything larger than a Smart Car in there without climbing in and out via the boot - I have a suspicion someone had three regular parking spaces to hand, and built garages on top of them. Ridiculous. The search continues...
My small garage is the main reason I can’t buy an Alpine. I would if I could.
I can squeeze the Trophy in as tight as possible on the right and then clamber out on the left where the garage opens out a little. I did wonder if I could climb in through the window of the Alpine. Maybe if I was twenty again, but that was decades ago.
I can squeeze the Trophy in as tight as possible on the right and then clamber out on the left where the garage opens out a little. I did wonder if I could climb in through the window of the Alpine. Maybe if I was twenty again, but that was decades ago.
Sadly the garage I've found doesn't have power, or any option of getting it fitted. Otherwise, I'd have found a fix that allows me to get the car in!
https://www.myparker.co.uk
https://www.myparker.co.uk
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