Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Will the Model S fit in our garage? Any volunteers? (Cambridge)

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Greetings!

I took a look at a Model S at the Natick showroom a few days ago and I scheduled a test drive later this month.

Assuming my wife and I love the test drive, our primary concern is whether or not it will fit in our garage. We got the measurements of the Model S at 196” long and 77” wide (mirrors in) and our garage has space for that, so it should fit.

However I'd really like to see one parked in our garage before we make our final decision.

I'm not aware of any place we can rent one... so are there any volunteers out there willing to come park their Model S in our garage? We are located in Cambridge.

We would be eternally grateful!!

-- Robert and Tiffany
 
If your showroom is close enough can't you ask them to test drive to your house?

Our house is 16.5 miles away from the showroom, not sure if they are up for such a long test drive (half hour each way, plus time to test parking it), but we will ask and see :)

- - - Updated - - -

By the way, our garage length is 218" which is snug for a 196" long car, but doable.

The garage entrance is only 92" wide but that opens up to 127" once inside the garage.

So when entering we'll only have about a 7" clearance on each side, but once inside we'll have a 25" clearance on each side for the doors to open and for us to exit the vehicle.

We think we'll have to back in as well, due to the angle of entry into the garage and larger turning radius of the Model S.
 
I only have about 3-4" of clearance from my mirrors (at the door opening) when I pull in my garage, and it is fine. You just have to be careful. I have a one year-old P85, without the power folding mirrors, too.

You should be just fine, especially with the newer mirrors.
 
I only have about 3-4" of clearance from my mirrors (at the door opening) when I pull in my garage, and it is fine. You just have to be careful. I have a one year-old P85, without the power folding mirrors, too.

You should be just fine, especially with the newer mirrors.

I agree, my garage opening gives me about 8" on each side with mirrors extended. Width won't be an issue. A foot on either end for length is sufficient. I have about the same and back into the garage. I leave 18" in back and 6" in front by the garage door.
 
GlennAlanBerry, JohnQ, thank you both very much for your responses. That gives me a lot more confidence that one would fit. I still need to see one park into the garage though, before I pull the $100k trigger. Maybe I'll find a rental car that has similar size dimensions and practice a bit with that :)
 
Definitely ask the store. If you indicate you are serious I don't see why they'd turn you down. You don't like that far away.
You might even consider placing your reservation. You then have two weeks to cancel (double check that before you reserve). That way you can call and say 'I'm have a reservation but really need to see if it fits in my garage or I'll have to cancel and figure something else out'.
 
By the way, our garage length is 218" which is snug for a 196" long car, but doable.

The garage entrance is only 92" wide but that opens up to 127" once inside the garage.

So when entering we'll only have about a 7" clearance on each side, but once inside we'll have a 25" clearance on each side for the doors to open and for us to exit the vehicle.

It sounds like you'll be fine. Turning radius or not, you'll want to back in because it's much easier to see the sides when the mirrors are tilted down in reverse and the backup camera will show you when to stop. (Paint or tape a line on the floor and when the line is at the bottom of the screen, you're perfect.)
 
It sounds like you'll be fine. Turning radius or not, you'll want to back in because it's much easier to see the sides when the mirrors are tilted down in reverse and the backup camera will show you when to stop. (Paint or tape a line on the floor and when the line is at the bottom of the screen, you're perfect.)

Neither my wife nor I prefer backing in. We back out. And the tilting mirrors show us the way, as you say.

Driving in forward-wise, we look for the piece of blue tape on the floor that I placed where the door comes down. When that shows in the back up camera display, you are in about 4 to 6 inches from the door. Also leaves room to sidle in front of the car to get past.

The five year old watches very carefully to tell us "It's blue!" so we don't drive in too far.
 
That's kind of a strong statement with zero explanation to back it up...

1. When you back into a parking space, you have driven past is so that you can observe whether there are obstacles, animals, or children in the space.

2. If you drive into a parking space and then back out, visibility through the rear windows is very limited and you have to back out a considerable ways before you can see the side traffic.
 
1. When you back into a parking space, you have driven past is so that you can observe whether there are obstacles, animals, or children in the space.

2. If you drive into a parking space and then back out, visibility through the rear windows is very limited and you have to back out a considerable ways before you can see the side traffic.
Agreed (just wanted to know if there was some non-obvious reason). If I'm driving a big vehicle and don't need trunk/tailgate access for loading, generally I'll back in for these reasons.

The one I never figured out is watching someone pull head first into 2 empty spaces, end to end, and stop in the first one, requiring backing out if someone else shows up, vs pulling forward one space and being able to park head in/exit head out.

Although I'd never worry about it at home in my garage, but I don't have kids running around at home getting in the way. :wink: In that case, I'd argue it's safer to pull head first into a garage with an ICE, since there will be less CO fumes in the garage as a result, both on entrance and exit. With an EV, it doesn't really matter (as long as the cord reaches.)

At Logan airport in Boston, the garage is filled with "head-in parking only" signs - I never figured that one out.
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback. Our product specialist at the Tesla showroom offered to drive one out and test parking in the garage, so that part is all set :)

As far as backing in vs going in forward, with our particular driveway it should be much easier to back in and pull out, but we'll see when we test it out.
 
At Logan airport in Boston, the garage is filled with "head-in parking only" signs - I never figured that one out.

Usually at airport overnight parking lots, they want to be able to see your license plate and all cars have back end plates, not all have front end ones. They take down plate numbers as a sort of "inventory". I know this bc I have forgotten where my car was parked in the overnight airport parking lot and been able to look up it's location by my plate number.
 
Greetings!

I took a look at a Model S at the Natick showroom a few days ago and I scheduled a test drive later this month.

Assuming my wife and I love the test drive, our primary concern is whether or not it will fit in our garage. We got the measurements of the Model S at 196” long and 77” wide (mirrors in) and our garage has space for that, so it should fit.

However I'd really like to see one parked in our garage before we make our final decision.

I'm not aware of any place we can rent one... so are there any volunteers out there willing to come park their Model S in our garage? We are located in Cambridge.

We would be eternally grateful!!

-- Robert and Tiffany

I just saw this thread. I live in Cambridge and would be happy to bring my car over to your garage. I'll send you a personal message with my phone number.
-Peter
 
I just saw this thread. I live in Cambridge and would be happy to bring my car over to your garage. I'll send you a personal message with my phone number.
-Peter

Thank you so much for the offer, but we are all set!

A helpful Tesla product specialist brought one over today and we tried parking it and gave it a test drive. The car fits in the garage! With enough space to walk around it and get in and out. So that's great news. The test drive also went well, WOW this thing is fast. I never felt acceleration like that before. Crazy.

Now my wife and I just need to discuss things over, decide for sure if we are getting one (we probably are) and then what options :)

Thanks all :)