I'm attempting to purchase a condo before the first time homebuyer's 8k thing expires, and one that I'm looking at is beautiful, cheap, excellent location, and a former hospital so the walls are well insulated (I work nights), but it doesn't have covered parking. I've looked at some other places, but they are all less secure, less conveniently located, more expensive, smaller, and less well noise insulated, but they have covered parking, although only 1 space, rather than 2 like the previous one I mentioned. Basically, the sticking point for me right now is that the first place is perfect, but I fear that I will regret my decision every blistering hot day I enter the car thats like an oven or spend a lot of time scraping off ice.
My question is does stuff like those reflective panels or full car tarp stuff really work? Does the tarp not get frozen onto the car during winter? I'm basically just looking for some assurances, because I feel stupid for hesitating on this otherwise perfect place over a reason as seemingly silly as covered parking. Thanks for any thoughts.
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The car cover will be nearly unremovable if your car gets iced. Snow won't be a problem, you can brush it off, but the thing turns into a brick when it ices, and if you want to use your car you basically have to tear it to pieces since you can't scrape ice off cloth like you can off the glass. Plus they're awful when they're wet and ride around in your trunk all day.
I lived in an apartment in Chicago for 3 years, two of which were "(ranked number) worst winter ever", and had only on-street parking. If I hadn't been close to a train, there would've been a few days I wouldn't have been able to get to work, thanks to plows piling snow up against the side of my car and it freezing into an immovable wall of ice. Yes, it is totally possible to have only outdoor parking in a place that gets a respectable snowfall each year. It's not fun when it happens, but it is possible. Millions of people do it every year. That said, I have a garage now.
I love my garage.
Ice and snow can be a pain... you usually have to leave earlier to give yourself time to dig your car out or scrap the ice off... but its not that bad.
Hopefully this doesn't apply to you, but its brutal when you live somewhere cold enough that you have to use a plug in block heater over the winter just so your car even starts. This is one of the only situations where I would really, really want covered parking.
Pretty much what matthasaproblem said - it's more having a reserved or at least a lot than being outside on the street. I was buried a few times in the city, but it's been fine in our condo lot.
I highly recommend one of these scrapers.
They are amazing. You just have to be sure to set your temperature when you get out of the car last.