Anybody Have a Lazer Parking Sensor for the Garage
 

Father's day is just around the corner and I was thinking of getting my dad one of those lazer car sensors for the garage that lets you know when the car is parked in the correct position (does the same job as a ping-pong ball on a string).

I was wondering if anyone has one and how do these things work.

Since my dad is getting up there and is technically challenged, I will be installing but I thought I would ask how do these things actually work. This will help me explain how it works before I actually install and reduce the stress that this is most likely to cause... poor dad :rolleyes:

Thanks

two kinds that i know of.

one uses a laser beam emitter on the ground that goes across the width of the garage. when tires trip the beam, red light/buzzer goes off. think cat burglar in movies.

other is a motion sensor activated laser pointer that's mounted on the ceiling at 45degree angle. when u drive in, u see the laser dot on your hood and then yer dash. when it gets to certain spot on the dash, u know you're in

Aren't those things sonar (sound-based) rather than laser (light-based)?

Sorry to be a literalist weenie about it but I thought they were based on sonar.

I just hang a tennis ball on a string off the ceiling. When it contacts the windshield, I'm correctly parked. Sometimes low-tech works fine.

I know that low-tech will work and I would definately do that in my own garage...but in this case, I'm trying to think of a Father's day gift for someone who dosen't need anything. The ping-pong ball and string might be a little cheap for a gift.

I use the floor mat, bump strip thing. Simple and fool proof.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/sports-imports_2110_6707598

I've got one in the garage for the wife and she finds it pretty handy. We have the kind with the green/yellow/red lights that change as you get closer to the stopping point you choose. The only downside is the cables are kind of ugly but I'm to lazy to make custom ones!

Michael

Tennis ball/string here.
The tennis ball in the "far stall" was for a stretch conversion van( you can see it by the "E" in the Porsche banner...VERY critical in parking length. I adjust 'em for top/left windshield contact. (The BMW was a cinch, so not needed)


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276904916.jpg

I have the thin little stick with the flashing light on top in my garage. Works for me and bit more sano than the tennis ball on a string from the gift perspective.

But the negatives:
1) Batteries.
2) It sometimes flashes at any nearby vibration.
3) My little kids love to pick it up and swing it around like a sword when they're in the garage. And then they never put it back where I want it.

Still, it keeps me from backing the 911 into my motorcycle or their riding toys in the rear of the garage.

Ok, I'm going to go to the extreme here and say that these things are one of the absolute best things you can buy for your garage for the price!!! I have a 4.5 car garage, with the 911 and my daily driver on one side, my motorcycle and zero turn mower in the middle, my wife's Expedition and bikes, toys, tools, etc...on the other side.

The best thing about these things is the way they allow you to maximize the space in your garage. For example, I park my daily driver as far away from my 911 as possible, and with the rear bumper within 1/4" clearance of the garage door. This allows me maximum space to work around the 911, and I can put the cars where I want them with incredible precision EVERY TIME! No more guessing about how close you are to the front wall, or if you are in far enough to get the door to close.

I have this one.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276912030.jpg

They make this dual light one for two cars (note you have a ball swivel to deal with both depth and width alignment. These plug in (right next to your opener), so there are no batteries to deal with. They can be applied with the included double-sided tape, or mounted with screws (I chose screws for a good, confident mount). The double one's are $22, and the singles are around $15. Made by Maxsa. Honestly, it is one of my favorite parts of my garage, and I grin at how well it works and how consistent it allows me to place my cars everytime I pull in! Can't go wrong here....I would never have another garage without them. Period. And oh, no affiliation. I only WISH I invented and/or marketed these things!!

JA

Thanks! That's what I am looking for. Now the only question is where do I get one. I went to Kragens, Lowes, Home Depot & so far no luck.

Smarthome.com


Dual Laser-Guided Parking System - 2-Car Garage Parking System - Smarthome


JA

I have the Sears laser and its wired to the garage door opener motor.
Very slick and it works! (and looks infinitely better than a hanging ball)

I used to have this cool one that had a sensor at bumper level and would turn green, yellow and the red. Regretfully, it proved no match for my wife's bumper.

I then switched to the tennis ball approach. This worked fine until one day I raised up the tennis ball when cleaning the garage and failed to lower it. Yep, she ran into the wall.

I fixed the problem by buying a 911!!

Old School here
 

I use a Milton Bell in my wife's bay. Front wheels roll over the hose and "ding-ding" hit the brakes. Works like a charm. :D

John

Uh, now she's gonna crash the 911 into the wall.