[bsjd00]

I normally park my 2-week old e90 on the street. Just before delivery of the e90, a fine upstanding citizen smashed a window on my A4 overnight. I am very concerned about leaving the e90 on the street, fearful that my precious new car will suffer the same fate and I might go on a rampage around town looking for the vandal.

I have the opportunity to park in a garage, but here's the problem - I would have to park in front of another car in a long garage bay, requiring that I pull the car up onto a raised slab of concrete. As you can see in the picture, I've put together a small ramp out of a piece of wood that allows a relatively smooth drive-up.

My question is whether leaving the car parked like this for hours at at time overnight will wreak havoc on my suspension? I don't have a strong understanding of suspension, so I am wondering if my front suspension is compressed while the car is parked on a very unnatural angle like this. I'm not just parking the car on a hill, I'm parking the car with the front wheels unnaturally raised off the ground. The geometry is beyond me, but I do wonder if this places more stress on the suspension components than just parking on a hill.

The alternative is to leave the car on the street. Any comments or ideas would be greatly suggested...

[LEDZEP]

First - if you have a garage, use it. Garages are for cars - especially BMWs. It looks like you just have a 2" or less step up to that front section. That won't hurt a thing. That's no different that parking on a street that has a slight incline.

[Romulus]

so what you're asking is... will the front end being several inches higher than the back hurt the suspension?

[pigginell]

You need to get out more..

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by Romulus

so what you're asking is... will the front end being several inches higher than the back hurt the suspension?

Exactly. Also, to be specific - I just measured the height of the concrete slab and it is 3 inches.

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by pigginell

You need to get out more..

Come on - a lot of people on this board are concerned about their cars. If you're not one of them, please don't post replies like this.

[pigginell]

I know exactly what you are saying,(park in the garage) However the car on a slight incline c'mon common scense.

[pigginell]

p.s nice colour I have just picked up mine

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by pigginell

I know exactly what you are saying,(park in the garage) However the car on a slight incline c'mon common scense.

But is it really common sense? It's not parked on hill where the angle is natural. If I was parking on a hill, I wouldn't be posting this question. It's parked on a concrete slab up front, and I wanted to ask the board whether this would put different stress on the suspension as compared to a normal hill.

Thanks for the comments about the color. Good luck with your new e90.

[pigginell]

Originally Posted by bsjd00

But is it really common sense? It's not parked on hill where the angle is natural. If I was parking on a hill, I wouldn't be posting this question. It's parked on a concrete slab up front, and I wanted to ask the board whether this would put different stress on the suspension as compared to a normal hill.

Thanks for the comments about the color. Good luck with your new e90.

I stand by what I said, However if you have real concerns my advice is to have two planks of wood to the rear of the car.
You dont have a level ground to park on.. So make one

Hope this helps

Pete

[bilbarstow]

It might be an issue if only one of the front wheels was raised - but with both fronts on the same level, no torsion (twisting stress) on chassis or suspension. I'd say go for it and keep the car safe (and cleaner than being out in the weather). Good luck.

[David328M-Sport]

No worries. You are very fortunate to have the luxury of a lockup garage in which to park your car. Nice work with the simple but effective timber ramp.

You could park your car at a more extreme angle and still not create any issues.

All the best

[Nuke]

Originally Posted by KenB

It is most definitely common sense

Remember, if it were common, everyone would have it!

The couple of degrees that your car is at has no bearing on the suspension. The same weight is on the front at this angle in your garage as it would have on the street at the same angle. The only difference is the cement under your car!!

This is actually better for your car than parking in at an true angle. This is due to no gravity pulling your car down the hill.

[Snowman811]

"Funny thing about Common Sense. It isn't." -M.Twain

[Dawg Nuts]

Parking your car the way you have it is no different than parking on a slight slope. Think about it, the ground isn't pushing up on your car, your car is pushing down on the ground, therefore, it is the same as parking on a slight slope.

[Squawks]

Like KenB and Dawg both said already, this is most certainly common sense.

Parking it like that in the garage is absolutely no more different than parking outside with a grade.

If you parked your car outside on a slight hill and I happen to come around to shaping the ground beneath the center of the car in the shape of stairs, is that go to change anything? Absolutely not.

[Ghunger]

Actually, it is slightly different. Slightly better than parking on a hill actually. In his case the only load on the hubs is a reacted load due to the weight of the car because the surface under the wheels is perpendicular to the direction of the force applied by gravity. On a hill there's still the weight of the car, but due to the angle of the ground there's also a torque applied to the wheel through the brakes (friction between the tire and ground keeping the car from sliding. These forces are tiny compared to driving forces though. (hitting potholes, accelerating hard, etc...)

Sry, nerd moment

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Ghunger

Actually, it is slightly different. Slightly better than parking on a hill actually. In his case the only load on the hubs is a reacted load due to the weight of the car because the surface under the wheels is perpendicular to the direction of the force applied by gravity. On a hill there's still the weight of the car, but due to the angle of the ground there's also a torque applied to the wheel through the brakes (friction between the tire and ground keeping the car from sliding. These forces are tiny compared to driving forces though. (hitting potholes, accelerating hard, etc...)

Sry, nerd moment

Uh-zakly. You could leave the car like that for decades and not hurt it.

[shimshimhada]

Nah, that won't hurt your car at all.

[Nuke]

Originally Posted by Ghunger

Actually, it is slightly different. Slightly better than parking on a hill actually. In his case the only load on the hubs is a reacted load due to the weight of the car because the surface under the wheels is perpendicular to the direction of the force applied by gravity. On a hill there's still the weight of the car, but due to the angle of the ground there's also a torque applied to the wheel through the brakes (friction between the tire and ground keeping the car from sliding. These forces are tiny compared to driving forces though. (hitting potholes, accelerating hard, etc...)

Sry, nerd moment

I believe I stated the same thing 4-5 posts ago but with out the geekiness!

[Driv3r]

cmon why would we bash him? chill out guys he just wanted a POSITIVE reply..

[Marven]

If I could park in a garage I would - who else parks outside...I am quite worried about this...

M.