How to maintain a BITOGer lifestyle in a condo

C

camrydriver111

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Jul 1, 2014
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I am currently living in the multicultural utopia known as the Greater Toronto Area. I live in a condo and I don't currently have a driveway or garage to work on my car, but I want to maintain a BITOGer lifestyle of changing oil and doing other maintenance items on the car.

The problem is the condominum corporation forbids working on your car in the parking garage, and they can levy fines on your unit for doing so.

For those BITOGers that lived in a condo, do you have any tips for working on your car, and not getting fined by the condo corporation?
 
My 1st property was a condo with similar rules. Heck, because the water bill was shared, I couldn't even warsh my cars. But I did anywatys. I did minor services, oil changes, tune ups, etc. The trick was, I helped other tennants so I was pretty popular. So despite repeated threats and warnings, nothing ever materialized. I fear you may not be as fortunate. Good luck.
 
Find an industrial area of town and do the work there Sunday morning at 0700. Find a spot that's technically on-street. Noone will bother you. Your own office parking lot may be a contender. When I worked in TV I fixed the rocker panels on my Grand Marquis on a quiet weekend morning (on the clock!) while running informercials for Ron Popeil, the Bullet Juicer, and the My-Pillow guy.

Use the nature-scape that's provided-- find a large curb with cutout for example and drive one side up on that for more room underneath. Get a fumoto valve and those self-sealing oil drain pans.
 
I would think either find a buddy that has a proper place, or find one of those rent a bay by the hour places, or move. Personally I have always owned my house, or had my own shop, but when it was time to buy another house, I WOULD NOT even look at a house that had any restrictions.
 
When I lived in an apartment, I was just very careful about it. I tried to do it at times few people were around. I've also done what eljefino stated and found an empty parking lot LOL. The things we do....

For car washing, pick up one of the Rinseless Washes (many good ones on the market) or go to a DIY car wash bay.
 
Checking tire air pressure - use a battery powered compressor.
Or one you plug into the 12 volt accessory outlet.
It needs to be done several times as Winter approaches.
Could be done after working 8 hours (cold tires).

I have done undercoating in 'secluded' large parking lots.
I don't make a mess and no you has ever cared.
 
Ask/bribe a friend to let you use their driveway or garage or take it in for service.

I did this for many years while living in apartments. Did what I could, but if I wasn’t able to secure a location then I had to take it in. It is really not the end of world to get it serviced despite the vitriol it receives.
 
I had to live in a condo for 7 years and hated every second of it. Still I did whatever I wanted, though there was no car washing option or no power outlet, but I have battery powered hand tools so I changed oil/brakes/valve adjustment etc. pretty much everything I can do in an underground garage.

Luckily I had a locker, so I kept all car-stuff and tools there, but even carrying your tools and stuff from locker to your parking lot was a pain in the butt. Never again.

Leaving your car in an underground garage is also not good in a Northern climate, they rust a lot faster with all the salt, compared to leaving them outside during the winter time.

My recommendation would be, try to get along with the security, and work on your car after hours so management can't see what's going on. Some condos have very strict rules (mine wasn't that strict), if that's the case you can work on your car in Costco/Walmart parking lot like other guys suggested above.

Also, move to a townhouse or detached house whenever you have a chance, if you are a car guy, you will regret every second you lived in a condo.
 
Last edited:
Well there's always the street outside the condo. For car washes in the city, I just take it to a car wash.
 
There's a place near me that has a bay with a lift you can rent for $30 an hour including use of tools. Maybe something like that near you? It's a lot nicer than working in a parking lot and still a lot cheaper than labour at a shop.
 
The condos I’ve lived in had garages.

The cover of darkness is your friend - or find an empty lot or pay for play type place.
 
BLND1 said:
The condos I’ve lived in had garages.

The cover of darkness is your friend - or find an empty lot or pay for play type place.
Click to expand...
Can't really work on you car at night. You just do work on the street or find a friend with a garage/driveway.
 
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