Garage your VW or secure it?

[mcvw]

Hi,

In the past I've been fortunate enough to own a house with a driveway and a garage, however I'm currently in the process of house-hunting - and due to certain factors, my budget is somewhat constrained (*cough* ex-wife *cough* LOL)!

Therefore I'm having to compromise by looking at houses with no garages/off-street parking or flats/maisonettes with garages not nearby to the property.

With the increasing number of buses being stolen it doesn't exactly fill me with confidence to leave my bus on the road - nor in a garage not within eye-sight/ear-shot.

So, how many other bus/bug/ghia owners out there leave their pride and joy on the streets without a worry - and if you do, what security measures do you have?

Cheers,


Mike
PS: And if you know of a nice 2 bed house/flat - preferably with a garage - around the £250k mark please let me know
PPS: Oh, and it has to be within 1mile of a direct train station to London Waterloo/London Bridge
PPPS: And, ideally in the Surrey area

 

[Lee C]

For that price you'd get a 4 bedroom house with double garage round here! :lol:

 

[Toad]

Always park mine on the street, but I do live in a very low risk area.

By the way....the house two down from me is for sale if you fancy a 7 bedroom (5 with ensuite) detatched 4 storey period property with parking for numerous cars and its own Coach House/workshop in the garden its up for £170k lol......its even near a BR Mainline station!
(Not in Surrey tho....its in beautiful Pembrokeshire!)
Also has views over the estuary....located 400 yards from the estuary.....10 miles from Freshwater West beach!)

I know where I would rather be

 

[NickJ]

For that price you'd get a 4 bedroom house with double garage round here! :lol:

+1 :lol:
Mine's parked in the drive at the side of the house, no garage

 

[rupert the bay]

garage & parking facilities would be top of my house hunting criteria - period

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

its not the safety for me but wanting to keep it in tip top condition, i just find being out on the street means the busses age faster due to the extra grime and road filth trying to attack it.

 

[mister]

Mines parked on the street all year round. But then I'm not too precious about it. It gets used loads, and its usually filthy :lol: I've got a steering lock for security (insurance insisted) and an agreed value if it gets written off or nicked. Then I'll buy another.
If I had sweated blood and tears rebuilding my pride and joy, or if i have saved like mad for years and spent a small fortune I guess like most I would have some major security in place.
I think it depends on your outlook, where you live and the quality of your bus, whether you happy keeping it on the street or not.

 

[gvee]

Off-street parking for me. I'd love a garage but living where I do at current this isn't a possibility.

I use a steering lock and have an uber secure pedal lock on order as well as a battery kill switch to be installed.

Having this visible deterrent I think will put the unscrupulous types off just enough... especially considering there is a much shinier bus with no added visible security at the end of my road :msn4: My bus is no show queen and never will be.

Although someone determined enough will always find a way. Need to at least make it as time consuming as possible!

 

[Davydomes]

Have to be garaged for me......or at least a Car Port and a Cover at the side of the house. It's a combination of preservation & safety. For £250k you could get all you want possibly more here up North (tha kno's, by gum have you seen my whippet an dust fancy a pie ).

 

[67westy]

I don't have a garage at the house but I rent one near by. Two reasons, first to keep it out of the rain and secondly for security (plus the insurance company insist now). If they can't see it they are less likely to nick it

Can you search for a council or private garage to rent nearby? We started with a council one (only £36 a month) but moved to a slightly larger and closer private garage although it costs more at £55 a month

Oh and another vote for moving north :lol: we are house hunting and looking to move next year with the same budget. We are looking at 4/5 bedroom detached houses with large garden and double garage with hopefully some outbuildings/workshop space as well.

 

[Gütterßnipe]

Mines parked on the street all year round. But then I'm not too precious about it. It gets used loads, and its usually filthy :lol: I've got a steering lock for security (insurance insisted) and an agreed value if it gets written off or nicked. Then I'll buy another.
If I had sweated blood and tears rebuilding my pride and joy, or if i have saved like mad for years and spent a small fortune I guess like most I would have some major security in place.
I think it depends on your outlook, where you live and the quality of your bus, whether you happy keeping it on the street or not.

Ditto Ditto Ditto!
:lol:

 

[shiplee123]

Mines garage all the time
This is for both reasons mentioned above don't won't it to get nicked and also don't wont it standing in the rain.

 

[toffo24]

Long shot this one for you , I moved from London after living there all of my life 5 years ago and now love living by the sea......a slightly different pace of life for our family. Folkestone and the surrounding areas have a nice houses with a garage or even a double for around 250k schools are good and you can get the high speed to st Panceras or the slower train to London Bridge for work

Just a thought for your to consider and not too far away from Surrey so your family and friend could visit? Save parking your bus on the road ...
Cheers,

Pete

 

[KevH]

I have been driving for almost thirty years and have had cars broken in to or attempted to be stolen just twice. Once it was in my garage, once parked in a locked private car park.

I don't have a garage now and even if I did my bus would not fit in it. It lives on the drive, under a JK cover, just outside my home-office window, where I can stare at it all day long (I work from home, the garage became my office).

It's internally secured to the n'th degree though and insured for an agreed valuation should the worst happen.

So, is a garage totally necessary? Not around here it isn't.

 

[Tofufi]

I can't wait to be able to keep my bus in a garage. It's been outside for the last 7 years, and the weather isn't kind to older vehicles.

I wouldn't buy a house without.

 

[Lee152]

I moved 18 months ago and lost a big garage and now looking again. Trying to find a garage wider than a teapot which has a kitchen/diner she wants!

Security wise, its in front of the house with, wheel lock, pedal lock, isolator and covered and im still paranoid!

Lee

 

[Dave.P]

After renting council garages for years I bought a house that I can build an extension with garage on the side. A garage is a must for me, mainly for preservation and somewhere dry and warm to tinker that's not a good walk to get to and from. I don't worry about security as my bus is a bit of a shitter anyway :lol:

 

[Toad]

My bay is out in all conditions on the road and always has been for the last 13 years that I have owned her...and my Splitty the same when I had that. I would get fed up with taking covers off etc....I like to be able to jump in a and go...I use her all the time. Got the addition of sea air here too living on the coast...but doesnt stop me using it as was intended.

 

[Anonymous]

east london off road parking usual security and one bonus no one but no one fuxxcks with anything in our car park know whot i mean :evil: :evil:

 

[RICH-I-AM]

Mines kept in a very secure building with an alarm and connected to the cop shop.
Could no way leave it outside my house. Even if it isnt nicked it would get damaged by a local or passing knobber :? .
Not sure what il do if it ever has to leave its home.
I think my vans a cock magnet (but not in a good way :mrgreen: ).

Rich