---
title: 'Can You Own a Fun Car Without a Garage?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=4fqyWPnUnvw'
video_id: '4fqyWPnUnvw'
date: 2026-08-23
duration_sec: 630
channel: 'Doug DeMuro'
---

# Can You Own a Fun Car Without a Garage?

> Source: [Can You Own a Fun Car Without a Garage?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=4fqyWPnUnvw)

## Summary

This video explores whether car enthusiasts can own and enjoy a fun or enthusiast car without having a garage. The host breaks down the three main reasons enthusiasts typically want a garage—protection, workspace, and privacy—and argues that the answer depends more on the individual's personality and priorities than on the car itself. He shares personal experiences and examples, concluding that while a garage is a great asset, it is not essential for the right type of person.

### Key Points

- **The Big Question** [00:03] — The host introduces the central question: can you own a fun, enthusiast car without a garage? He notes this is a common concern raised at car events.
- **Three Reasons Enthusiasts Want a Garage** [01:15] — The host identifies three main reasons: protection (from weather, tree sap, and being hit on the street), space to work (for detailing, maintenance, and projects), and privacy (to hide the car from potential thieves).
- **The Real Factor: Who You Are** [03:26] — The host argues that the primary factor is not the car but the owner's personality and tolerance for dirt, damage, and inconvenience. He contrasts his own indifference to cleanliness with enthusiasts who are obsessive about keeping cars spotless.
- **Maintenance and Climate Considerations** [04:59] — If you do your own maintenance, a garage is more important, especially in cold climates where winter is prime time for projects. The host notes that some people do brake jobs in driveways, but a garage is generally better.
- **Case Study: Street-Parked BMW 1M in NYC** [06:51] — The host cites an Instagram user (@the1mis) who has street-parked his BMW 1M in New York City for about a decade. This example shows that it is possible to own a special car without a garage if you can manage the anxiety of potential damage.
- **Conclusion: Possible, But a Garage Helps** [08:38] — The host concludes that it is possible to own an enthusiast car without a garage, citing examples like million-dollar cars street-parked in London. However, he admits that having a garage (his first ever) is wonderful and enhances the experience.

## Transcript

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Okay, can you own a fun car without a garage? I want to start by examining the the pretense of the question, which is why do car enthusiasts believe that a garage is essential for car ownership? And I think it boils down to three
separate things. Uh number one, protection. Specifically protection for the car. Um the garage protects the car from getting hit while it's parked on the street. Both of my cars got hit last
that is a possibility if you park on the street. Uh from the sun. The sun can damage paint. Uh baking sun coming down, rain, snow, hail, all that stuff makes a car dirty, makes a car can make paint
car dirty, makes a car can make paint fade, can cause problems, etc. A garage eliminates all of that stuff and it protects a car. It makes a car stay nicer. No tree sap, all that stuff. That's probably the number one reason
most enthusiasts want a garage. Number two is I would say space to work. So, of enthusiasts like to work on their cars or do some automotive related
obviously not working on my Ford GT in this garage, they still want to do detailing, for example, or they still want to do, you know, let's create a ramp or I don't know what it is, but car enthusiasts like a space to work. And
obviously a garage allows you have a place, a safe place where you put your tools, a safe place where you have your cars. It provides a space to work. And I think car enthusiasts really like that, obviously. You You have a garage, you go
from your car is dirty and could get hit and damaged to you're inside and you have space to detail your car and it can stay clean. And that's a big deal. And job, do an engine out, all that stuff
to me, the other reason car enthusiasts like a garage is privacy. Having a garage protects against theft, people don't know what you have. You can kind of sequester it away, especially as you get into more expensive cars like this.
sitting on the street and everybody knows, "Oh, there's a rich guy there. come and steal in the night or I can steal the wheels off that TRD Pro or so, I think those are kind of the three big reasons that car enthusiasts want a
garage. So, the question is, can you still have a fun car if you don't have a garage and can't check those three boxes? And I think a lot of enthusiasts depends on the car that you're talking about. I disagree.
I think that is a component, but I think primarily it depends on who you are as a Um The big thing that I think about when it
comes to garages is cleanliness. The people that I know who are absolutely obsessive about having a garage for their car is people who really want their cars to stay clean. That is their number one reason, the people that I
know who I think about. And I think that if you're one of those people who just can't fathom, just gets annoyed by the concept of your car being dirty all the time, a garage is essential. I am not one of those people. I do not care if my
cars are clean or dirty. It is nicer that my very special cars stay clean, but I do not care. I drive them in the rain. I will drive them multiple times in the rain without washing them. It is not a big thing to me. I have had many
enthusiast cars parked outside over the years. Cadillac CTS-V, a Panamera, a Ferrari 360. My Ferrari 360 would sometimes get parked outside. My 911 is outside right now. I parked my NAS Land Rover Defender outside for years. It is
not something that bothers me. Many people are bothered by it. And if you're bothered by it, I think the off-the-bat answer to this question is just how much are you bothered by it? And if it's a lot, then the answer is probably no. You
If you're one of those people who comes out, "Oh, I got to clean this off. Oh, there's bird poop. Oh, there's tree sap." Then you need a garage. Not having a garage is not for you. The other thing I think, like we talked about
maintenance before, how important is doing your own vehicle maintenance to you? If you're doing all of your own car maintenance, not having a garage gets friends who are in apartment buildings or park on the street or in a driveway
the garage was full of stuff and they do a brake job in their driveway. And in in San Diego, it's possible. In fact, there are still some mechanic shops here in San Diego that the lifts are outside. That still exists here. But, generally
speaking, uh it's better to have a garage. And that's especially true if you live in a cold climate because winter can actually be an awesome time for you to do car projects. All of my friends in New England and Massachusetts
who can't drive their cars in the winter, I considered a big loss, but they considered a but it's like, "Okay, now we get to do spring and summer that we'd been thinking about, that we wanted to do to
the car, new suspension or paint work or body work, now we have winter to do it. And it is very difficult to do that without a garage. Again, this depends on who you are. How frequently are you going to be doing repairs? How important
is doing repairs to you? If it's very important, again, the answer is you probably need to have a garage. If it's not that important, if you're not that really matter what kind of car you have. No garage, probably okay. And the same
is kind of true for like your propensity and fear about damage. I am not someone who is particularly worried about cars getting damaged. I am more worried than than a lot of the really particular enthusiast that I know. So, I'll go and
park my Ford GT, my Carrera GT in regular parking spaces. do with normal cars, but I do it sometimes. Damage really comes down to how nervous a person are you and how nervous are you about your specific car.
follows, there's a guy on Instagram whose Instagram name is the 1M is. That's his Instagram handle. And he basically chronicles life with his BMW
1M in New York City, street parked the entire time he's had it, which I think is like a decade now. And New York City is a very difficult environment for a Manhattan, but still, it's not a great place to be. You're You're street
backing in and out in front of you, bumping your car all the time. There are potholes, there are big trucks, taxi cabs. The streets aren't as as They're more chaotic than the rest of the place. And this guy does it. And I applaud him
because the 1M is a seriously special car. And he has made the decision that he is going to deal with the worry of street parking because it means he gets to drive this car. And I think some people just wouldn't be able to overcome
that personal anxiety of "Oh, my car is going to get hit. Oh, this is a special car. I can't leave it on the street." Which I think is totally reasonable, but I think if you really want to daily drive a cool car and you don't have a
garage, you have to put that anxiety behind you. And some people cannot do that, and some people are my the 1M is guy who does it and just lives it. And it's it's almost um like a sign to car enthusiasts like
like a sign to car enthusiasts like "Hey, yes, you can do this." Uh and it may take a lot of reframing what this is in your mind, and you may the bumper or a dent in the door, but you also get to drive a 1M every single
day, and that's a lot cooler than the people who have a bottle three as their they can drive something [clears throat] cool on the weekends. And so that's there's something to that, but again, it's all about who you are. So, with
those things in mind, uh I will say that I think it is possible to have an enthusiast car and even a good enthusiast car without a garage. You walk around London and you'll be shocked in the summer what types of cars you
have seen outside of hotels you'll see Bugattis, months, but I've seen just in residential streets some really high-end like million-dollar cars just street parked because there are very very very
few private garages in London. And you just have to kind of do that if you want everybody, but it is a possibility and you can do it. With that said, this house that I live in now, which I bought
6 years ago, 7 years ago, is the first house I have ever lived in with a garage, and it is wonderful. It is an awesome experience. My garage is climate controlled. I have a couch. I have a desk. I have a four-car lift. I have all
my tools. They are up on the walls as can see. It is nice. It is fun, and it is wonderful, and it feels like home in a magical way. And I think you don't have to have a garage to be an enthusiast, but it really helps,
especially if you're like a tinker person, or like a detail person, or just someone who wants to spend time with your cars, your stuff. It's cool. It's really nice to have that as an extra space. So, there you go. Garage as an
enthusiast, not necessary, but it is a pretty nice thing to have. Uh but if you're the right type of person, I think you can make it without.