Hello GRM, Does anyone out there live or used to live in New York City? I may be moving there soon and I am concerned that I won't be able to work on my own car. I just can't get over the thought of paying someone to do my brakes or oil, or how the hell I'm going to get an E30 project I've been dreaming about in the city.
Anybody know anything about this? Do some parking garages allow it? Have I cursed myself to have to live in Queens?
Owning a car in NYC is rough. Just plain driving in the city is a major PITA, let alone trying to keep a car there. I have a few friends that have tried it. If you intend to work on it, the trick seems to be to keep your car as far out of the city as possible. Like on Long Island or in New Jersey. Pretty much all my car guy friends out there just make payments on something newer or settle for a lease to avoid the headache of dealing with maintenance all the time.
In Manhattan, about your only option, short of owning your own garage, is Classic Car Club Manhattan. Back when I was interested, they were still fairly new and had membership specials, but it was still two arms and three legs. They had (and may still have) a LeMons team, so there may be some budget consciousness there, but I'd be surprised if it reached as far as affordability.
Parking garages in Manhattan are a bit different - all valet, all the time. It's automotive Jenga in these basement garages: your car has to be moveable at all times. You call ahead and tell them when you'll need your car, they'll bring it up for you (moving many cars around to get it out). Even if they wanted to turn a blind eye to your wrenching (which they don't), they couldn't. And they're expensive: I parked (for less than a year) at one of the cheapest garages in Manhattan and, if I recall correctly, it was around $500 a month.
I lived in Manhattan and was only beginning to look for a suitable space in Brooklyn when I left. You may be able to find something in Brooklyn, almost certainly in Queens. But these'll be actual houses (albeit row houses) and far from public transit, cool neighborhoods, etc. And far from affordable.
Jersey City or Hoboken might be an option, but I understand they've gotten expensive since I left.
I ended up finding a benefactor out in rural CT who had an eclectic car collection and an amazing garage-mahal. It was a great place to work on my car, but definitely one of those being in the right place at the right time things.
If you want any kind of affordable work space you have to look outside Manhattan. Some coworkers have space in Brooklyn and Queens but that's getting expensive as well. Pretty much everyone I know with a garage moved out of the city to get it. I moved north which seems to have the better commute as Metro North trains rarely have the problems that Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit do.
I've had family that has lived in Brooklyn and Manhatten. One never owned a car, the other finally got one after 20+ years got one...and regretted it had had to take a taxi, or two trains to get to the (outdoor) lot where he rented a space.
I could NEVER live on NYC. I'll stop. now before I start ranting.
pointofdeparture wrote: Owning a car in NYC is rough. Just plain driving in the city is a major PITA, let alone trying to keep a car there.
Yeah I wouldn't be driving a car for day to day things- more for trips outside the city, or for an autocross/track day or something. But thanks for the info.
It sounds like its about what I pictured: either find someone else's garage to use outside the city or pay $$$ for parking a reliable car.
peter wrote: In Manhattan, about your only option, short of owning your own garage, is Classic Car Club Manhattan. Back when I was interested, they were still fairly new and had membership specials, but it was still two arms and three legs. They had (and may still have) a LeMons team, so there may be some budget consciousness there, but I'd be surprised if it reached as far as affordability.
Haha CCCM is awesome but no way do I have that kind of cash.
I do have some family around the suburbs so maybe I could work something out with them.
A Spitfire club member lives in NYC and works as a finish carpenter. He keeps his Spitfire in a rented garage bay on Staten Island somewhere. He's been doing this for years and concedes it's a bit of a PITA and not cheap, but it's the price you have to pay if you want to have a classic car in the City and don't have Seinfeld levels of cash...
Queens is pretty residential. You might find something with a garage.
Do you really, really love your current car? It is a hard to find rare machine? OK, I am going to say it. Sell your car. Yes a sacrilege on this site, but you may spend so much time and effort you won't get any true value back. I lived there a long time ago on East 89th and kept my car on East 59th. It was actually convenient for popping out to see family and get out of the city, but...
It was only $250 a month in 1999, it is probably twice that now. Plus my car while fun, was beat up, was paid off and needed only occasional maintenance. I never attempted any work in Manhattan it would have been impossible.
Look on Jalopnick for stories about one of their contributors who owns a VW baja in Manhattan. He goes the distance, but it ain't easy: http://jalopnik.com/hell-is-street-parking-two-broken-cars-in-manhattan-1637748919
Check out this site for renting fun cars. I have never used, no idea how well it works, but it is appealing: https://turo.com/
You could rent a Porsche once a month for what it would cost you to actually house your car in NYC.
And let me follow up with this... It is really nice NOT having a car in NYC. No getting behind the wheel after a few drinks, no looking for parking, no dickbags smashing into your car on the street, no car insurance. If you are moving to Manhattan, take advantage of the good stuff.
Whew... Car insurance in NYC. Don't like to think about that... 
Reason #6458 NOT to live in NYC. Good luck man, no envy here.
Where in NYC? I moved my son around from Queens, to Kew Gardens to Flushing (Floo Shang) to Momeronack; they are all different, the style of dwellings and garage availability are also diverse.
Dan
My friend paid something like $5k a month for a single spot in the garage in her building. Have fun.
When some mentions New York, they automatically thing Manhatten. There is a lot more to the city.
I once had a friend who lved in Queens, it was like any other neighbor hood.
I live in Manhattan and work in Queens, so I use my car for a "reverse commute."
The car gets the E36 M3 beat out of it. I pay $400 per month for parking in Manhattan and $100 per month in Queens. In other words, I'm laying out $500 per month for the privilege of having yahoos batter my car day and night at both sites. Plus, the roads around here make the Ho Chi Minh trail look like the autobahn. Potholes bad enough to bend wheels, bust shocks, and punch out strut mounts.
If you're taking about a project car, best to leave it in NJ or some of the quieter neighborhoods in Queens. I store my racecar at Guten Parts in South Orange. I have friends who do the same in Jersey City. It's kind of crazy to have a 45 minute commute to my car...but at least I know it will be in one piece when I get to it.
When I was living in NYC, I built a FC RX7 from the ground up. Of course, I had a rent a garage out at the tip of Long Island and had to take the LIRR an hour each way.I wouldn't do that again if you paid me.
I think if you really love your car you could probably rent out a cheap space in Queens near the 7. If not you can stash the car in storage and forget about it for a couple of years until you're sick of the city and decide to move out to the burbs.
All good info. Yes, neighborhood/borough has not been determined yet. If I get a job in Jersey, then I'll probably have to reverse commute with my car, but I don't plan on driving it within the city.
As far as road quality and insurance cost, I'd be coming from Detroit, so I don't want to hear it.
The best solution for me might be to sell my DD and buy a project car and park in it the burbs and commute out to work on it/race it.
The word is everyone gets sick of the city and moves out to the 'burbs, apparently.
Go for it! I am always bummed that I don't have room for a project. If you can swing it, ignore my original post and make it happen.
If you are going to work in Jersey live out there too. The city is much more enjoyable when you just visit.
In my experience, the city is much more enjoyable when you live in the city. You don't have to worry about traffic, bridges, tunnels, Port Authority.... You just grab a cab or subway it home. It helps a lot when you've had one too many and are puking in the streets.... the good old days.
With that said Jersey has it's merits. more space, I think there is still a decent AutoX scene, tracks not too far away....
Wall-e wrote: The city is much more enjoyable when you just visit.
Truer words have rarely been spoken.
In reply to Nis14:
It's a convenient place for falling down drunkeness but for other life tasks like grocery shopping it's nice to go to a store with ample parking and not pay $8 for a head of lettuce. NYC is a great place to live if you're young and overlook the day to day hassles in exchange for the nightlife and activities or if you are old and can't get around well on your own but as I've hit middle age I appreciate some of the conveniences that come with being in the suburbs.
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